As the new dean, I have not had the opportunity to know our graduates and many of the faculty and staff who accompanied the class of 2022 along their academic journey. But, in three short weeks here, I certainly have come to appreciate the strengths of all things VCU Dentistry. I am thrilled to be part of this graduation celebration.

Please permit me an extended metaphor that I hope doesn’t overshadow the simple purpose of celebrating the graduation of VCU School of Dentistry’s 129^th class of 2022. But first, congratulations on the completion of your remarkable and successful academic adventure.

Four years ago, the class of 2022 entered our school, a vessel or ship, if you will. It safely carried you from point to point in completion of your dental training adventures. Emphatically, your particular journey was stormy indeed, with the challenging winds of national social issues and the relentless COVID-19 pandemic creating almost impossible currents that required midcourse correction by our courageous “crew” of staff, faculty and students. Yet, here we are today, disembarking successfully from that journey onto promising lands of professional opportunities and challenges. 

I know we are all stronger for this; knowing that collegiality matters, that diversity and inclusion matters, that resilience matters and that integrity and excellence matters. Your faculty have served as your compass and as ‘North Stars’ as you navigated your grand academic adventures. I hope that you will remember fondly their role in this journey. 

My wish for every graduate is that each of you will embrace the history you have created as the class of 2022, and that–wherever you land–you will be a beacon that enlightens your communities to improve oral health for generations to come. 

As new graduates, I welcome you to the proud family of VCU School of Dentistry alumni. Together, we will continue to serve you and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Congratulations once again!

Lyndon F. Cooper, D.D.S., Ph.D., FACP
Dean of VCU School of Dentistry