CDM Inducts New Members of OKU
The Columbia University College of Dental Medicine Epsilon Epsilon chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU)—the national dental honor society — inducted 11 CDM students and three members of the faculty at its annual ceremony on May 5, 2025.
Induction to the society is a recognition of student achievement. Inductees are members of the senior class who have demonstrated exemplary scholarship, character, and leadership. “It is with a great deal of pride and more than a little respect that I congratulate our students who are being inducted into OKU tonight. You are members of a cohort that, by any measure, is an impressive group. And you have distinguished yourselves in that group,” said Dr. Dennis Mitchell, interim dean of CDM.
Dr. Jason Psillakis, associate professor of dental medicine and secretary and treasurer of Columbia’s OKU chapter, spoke about the chapter’s history. The chapter was established in 1934 and its membership is limited to dental students and faculty, although an honorary membership is bestowed annually on someone who has been important to the program. “Students admitted to our dental honorary fraternity are of the top 20 percent of their class. Faculty inductees are those who have made significant contributions to the art and science of dentistry and have demonstrated exemplary traits of character and professionalism.”
The 2025 CDM student inductees were Dr. Michelle Bernstein, Dr. Andrew J. Bott, Dr. Ju Yeon Choi, Dr. Yarina Frias Guzman, Dr. Junyan Ge, Dr. Kayla A. Gorelick, Dr. Michael M. Levit, Dr. Gajin Lee, Dr. Neil Rufeng Ming, Dr. Caroline Salazar, and Dr. Yuke Wei.
Faculty inductees, who are inducted based on their “contribution to the art, science or literature of dentistry,” were Marc W. Michalowicz, DDS, MSc, assistant professor of dental medicine, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Director of Management of Vulnerable Populations, and Joseph Wang, DDS’14, MS Perio’17, assistant clinical professor of dental medicine, Division of Periodontics.
The honorary inductee was Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, MS, PhD, University professor, Mikati Foundation professor of biomedical engineering and director of the Center of Dental and Craniofacial Research.
Omicron Kappa Upsilon was established in 1914 at Northwestern University Dental School to recognize students who distinguish themselves by high levels of scholarship. Epsilon Epsilon, the CDM chapter, has more than 500 members in the categories of alumni, honorary, and faculty.
