White Coat Ceremony

The East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine’s Class of 2027 was honored on Friday, Feb. 28, during the school’s annual White Coat Ceremony — which ushered the students into the clinical phase of their dental education.

The students were joined by family, friends, faculty, staff, fellow students and administrators as they walked across the stage and joined the ranks of those who came before them in the dental profession.

“It felt like stepping into the next chapter of my journey,” said second-year student Yushan Xie, “where I am not just a student, but a future provider dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives.”

School leaders and dignitaries from the dental profession formally welcomed the students into the fold.

Vice dean and interim associate dean of student affairs

“You all look like dentists already,” Dr. Margaret Wilson, vice dean and associate dean for student affairs, told the class. “This is an important milestone in your professional lives because today is the day that you formally accept your responsibilities to your patients, your communities and to society.”

Dr. Roslyn Crisp, president of the North Carolina Dental Society and pediatric dentist in Burlington and Caswell Co, is also the mother of inaugural class member Dr. Alex Crisp ’15.

Roslyn Crisp told the class they are taking on the task of making decisions that affect the well-being of their patients.

“When I told my son that I was coming, he said, ‘Be sure to tell them that it’s always the right time to do the right thing.’ And he’s right,” she said. “Do what you like to do and do it with passion. Dream big, plan everything, and plan to fail. Working hard is what successful people do, and hard work pays off.”

Dr. Greg Chadwick, dean of the dental school, told the class they would be held to a higher standard from this moment forward.

“The white coat symbolizes the confidence we have placed in you and your abilities,” he said. “It also symbolizes the most important professional relationship that you will have — the relationship between a patient and a doctor. That relationship is dependent upon your commitment to maintaining the highest ethical and professional values.”

Second-year student Landon Evans said the white coat not only signifies patient care — but all the responsibility that comes with it.

“To me, accepting the white coat is a symbol of the privilege, honor and responsibility that come with becoming a dentist,” he said. “It represents a promise to always prioritize the well-being of my patients.”

Evans said he is looking forward to building relationships with those patients as their provider.

“I am most excited to create meaningful connections with the patients who entrust me with their care,” he said. “I am grateful for their patience as I learn how to practice all the things I have learned in the classroom. Most of all, I hope to bring joy to someone’s life that needs it in the form of oral health care.”

Each student also received notes in the pockets of their white coats, from sponsors and supporters.

“Seeing the notes in my pocket that evening was an incredibly touching and humbling moment,” Xie said. It reminded me that I’m not on this journey alone — there are mentors, faculty and professionals who believe in me and are invested in my success. Knowing that I have such a strong support system gave me a profound sense of gratitude and motivation to one day pay it forward to future students.”

—Spaine Stephens, Communications