Graduation Breakfast & Dinner 2026 – College of Dentistry

The Manitoba Dental Association Mentorship Grad Dinner took place at the St. Charles Country Club on May 28 to celebrate the Class of 2026.

On the morning of June 1, Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry graduating dental and dental hygiene students and their families gathered for the Manitoba Dental Association Graduation Breakfast. The event was held at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg prior to the convocation ceremony held that afternoon on the Fort Garry campus.

Awards were presented to the graduands. Here is the list of award winners:

Dr. Gerald Niznick College of Dentistry

University Gold Medal: Sophie Chen
Graduation with Honours: Hayley Bray and Sophie Chen
Dean’s Honours: Hayley Bray and Sophie Chen
Dr. John W. Clay Medal & Prize (Western Canada Dental Society): Sophie Chen
Alpha Omega Fraternity Award: Sophie Chen
Dr. H.H. Saunderson Award: Sophie Chen

Canadian Dental Association Student Leadership Award: Terrell Okotcha
Endowment Fund Award in Dentistry: Carter McMurdo
AGD Future Leader in General Dentistry Award: Ji Won Park
Maclachlan-Hart Gold Medal (Complete Denture Prosthesis): Hashim Abidullah
Dr. F.W.L. Hamilton Scholarship: Sophie Chen
American Academy of Operative Dentistry Award: Carter McMurdo
American Association of Endodontists Award: Amirmansour Vatanpour (Amir)
Dr. Isadore Wolch Prize in Endodontics: Costa Papasotiriou
Dr. Biruta Anna Osins Medal and Award in Endodontics: Melissa Solomon
Sophie Kanee Memorial Prize in Dental Jurisprudence: Ashley McKay
Dr. M.H. Garvin Prize in Periodontology: Sophie Chen
American Academy of Periodontology Award: Allen Kim
Canadian Academy of Periodontology Award of Excellence: Carter McMurdo
Mary Jane Ego Scholarship: Sandra Imazenobe
American Academy of Oral Medicine: Tee Tee Appah
Dr. Reda Elgazzar Oral Surgery Prize: Costa Papasotiriou
Dr. John Earl Abra Scholarship (Orthodontics): Sandra Imazenobe
Cert. Of Merit AAPD Predoctoral Student Award (Formerly American Society of Dentistry for Children Award): Liam Fergus
American Association of Orthodontics Award: Sophie Chen
American Association of Public Health Dentistry Award: Allen Kim
American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Award: Sophie Chen
The Portnoy Award: Hayley Bray
Dr. Alvin Shinoff Award: Navnoor Randhawa
Golden Scaler Award: Sandra Imazenobe
Dr. W. Walker Shortill Practice Management Memorial Prize: Hayley Bray
Class of ’99 Dr. Lawrence Stockton Memorial Prize: Sandra Imazenobe
Dr. Daniel Tai Humanitarian Award in Dentistry (4^th year class nomination): Nardin Soliman
Mary Jane Ego Trophy (4^th year class nomination): Hashim Abidullah

Dr. Jeanne Craig Sinkford Student Leadership Award as nominated by D4 Course Coordinators: Costa Papasotiriou
Western Society of Periodontology: Gbemi Naiyeju
Canadian Academy of Periodontology Award of Excellence: Carter McMurdo
American Dental Society of Anesthesiology Horace Wells Senior Student Award: Terrell Okotcha
American College of Prosthodontists Predoctoral Achievement Award: Hayley Bray
American Prosthodontic Society APS Student of Merit Award: Hayley Bray
Canadian Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Dr. Norman Levine Undergraduate Dental Student Award: Sophie Chen
B.Sc. (Dent.) – Pierre Fauchard Academy: Navnoor Randhawa

School of Dental Hygiene

School of Dental Hygiene Medal in Dental Hygiene: Jasmeen Rai
M.D.H.A. Award: Monica De Guzman
MDA Prize: Jasmeen Rai
Dean’s Honours: Christine Oleschak, Jasmeen Rai, Jasleen Sanghera, Kennedy Seidel, Vacha Shah and Aaparna Chembiparambil Sudheer
MDA Gold Medal: Jasmeen Rai
Dental Faculty Women’s Association Prize: Jasmeen Rai
Endowment Fund Award in Dental Hygiene: Jasleen Sanghera
Maria Araceli Pacheco Memorial Award: Jasmeen Rai
Dr. Frances Matiowsky Memorial Award: MJ Manibo
Hu-Friedy Golden Scaler Award: Jasleen Sanghera
Sigma Phi Alpha: Nicole Oliver, Carina Yabut, MJ Manibo

Teaching and support staff awards

Dentistry

Outstanding Teaching Award D4: Murry White
Outstanding Support Staff Award D4: Elaine Ferrer

Dental Hygiene DH 3

Outstanding Teaching Award DH3: Kathy Yerex
Outstanding Support Staff Award DH3: Lorraine Reinfort