2026 School of Dentistry Senior Awards Ceremony
On May 22, 2026, just three days before graduation, the University of Texas at San Antonio School of Dentistry held its annual Senior Awards Ceremony for Doctor of Dental Surgery graduates at Magnolia Pancake Haus.
The ceremony was emceed by Lea Hachem, DDS, MS, FICD, assistant dean for student affairs, who welcomed students, families, faculty, and staff to celebrate the Class of 2026 and all of their accomplishments. In her opening remarks, she recognized the graduates’ dedication, resilience and commitment to excellence throughout their four years at the School of Dentistry.
Over 120 awards were presented to senior dental students, highlighting achievements across clinical care, research, leadership, community service and dental education.
22 students were recognized for graduating with a Distinction in Dental Education after completing the rigorous Teaching Honors curriculum. Six students earned a Distinction in Research for their work in scholarly activity and publication-ready research. The RIDE Award for Research in Dental Education was presented to Ricardo Sosa Silva, DDS, and Gabriella Ward, DDS, while Meilinn Tram, DDS, received the Quintessence Award for Research Achievement.
Several students were honored for their leadership and service to the profession and community. Gabriella Ward, DDS, received both the Dr. John Littlefield Memorial Endowment and the Dr. Jeanne Craig Sinkford Student Leadership Award. Connor Lacomini, DDS, was recognized for his compassion and dedication to patient care with the Academy of Dentistry International Student Servant Leadership Award and the ICD Student Humanitarian Award. Hamsini V. Nathan, DDS, earned multiple distinctions, including the ICD Student Leadership Award and the T. Schoeni Wolfe Memorial Award.
Excellence across clinical and specialty disciplines was also recognized.
- Alexander Blaine Reed, DDS, earned multiple honors, including the Comprehensive Dentistry Award and the American Academy of Orofacial Pain Award.
- Hayden Christopher Steubing, DDS, was recognized with several awards, including the DENTSPLY Comprehensive Dentistry Award and the American Student Dental Association Award of Excellence.
- Zackary Thomas Smothermon, DDS, received the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry Award and the American College of Prosthodontists Achievement Award.
- Tae-Young Uhm, DDS, was honored with the Kenneth Stewart Memorial Award for Excellence in Prosthodontics.
Military recognition cords were presented to Matthew Austin Fries, DDS, (U.S. Air Force Reserve) and Elisama Navarro de la Cruz, DDS, (U.S. Air Force), in appreciation of their service.
The Senior Clinic Award for Excellence in Clinical Dentistry was presented to outstanding students from each clinical team for their skills in patient care, leadership and clinic performance:
- Team A: Kathleen Dalton Becker, DDS; Ricardo Guerrero, DDS; and Hamsini V. Nathan, DDS
- Team B: Hayden Christopher Steubing, DDS; and Hana Ayman Kanaan, DDS
- Team C: Xavier Gray, DDS; and Emma Rose Loncar, DDS
- Team D: Lacee Belle Mims, DDS; and Julia Kathleen Lovelace, DDS
Academic excellence was celebrated with honors and distinctions. High Honors and Higher Honors were awarded to students with upper-division GPAs ranging from 3.50 to 3.89. Five graduates achieved the distinction of Highest Honors for GPAs of 3.9 or higher: Kathleen Becker, DDS; Hamsini V. Nathan, DDS; Hayden Christopher Steubing, DDS; Tae-Young Uhm, DDS; and Jenny Shuying Zhao, DDS.
Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honor society, inducted 14 of the top-ranked students from the graduating class into its Mu Nu Chapter. The society recognizes exceptional scholarship, professionalism and character among dental students.
The Valedictorian Award, presented to the graduating seniors with the highest academic achievement, was awarded to both Kathleen Becker, DDS and Hamsini V. Nathan, DDS, who tied for number one in their class.
Additional highlights included the class-selected Professor of the Year Award, presented to William Izzard, DDS, assistant professor/clinical, and the Appreciation of Consistently Superior Performance Award, given to Marcella “Micki” Guerra for her unwavering support of students.
Congratulations to the entire Class of 2026 for their outstanding accomplishments. The School of Dentistry leadership, faculty and staff extend their best wishes to all the recent UT Health San Antonio graduates as they begin the next chapter of their professional journeys.