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The Lincoln Memorial University-College of Dental Medicine hosted White Coat ceremonies for the Class of 2024 Dental Hygiene and the Class of 2026 Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry students on Oct. 14 at the Knoxville Convention Center. The ceremony recognized 30 Dental Hygiene students and 80 Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry students who began as the inaugural class in September.

Former President of the Second District Dental Society, Dr. Seven Brock, was the keynote speaker. The ceremonies also featured the welcome from Dr. Denise Terese-Koch, LMU-CDM founding dean and chief academic officer; invocation from Director of Forensic Dentistry, Dr. Murray Marks; greetings from Dr. Joesph Smiddy, LMU Board of Trustee member; dental hygiene pledge and remarks from Dental Hygiene Professor Eva Ramsey, and the dental pledge led by Diplomate of American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and LMU Board of Trustees, Dr. Todd Pillion.

“I want to congratulate each of you on arriving at this milestone in your dental careers. You have no doubt you have worked hard to achieve your goals of entering dental school,” said Terese-Koch. As each of you walks across this stage today to receive your white coat, your journey in dentistry will begin.”

The students were presented their white coats by Michelle Walker, DH assistant program director, and Terese-Koch.

The White Coat Ceremony is a special ceremony designed to mark a student’s entrance into medical school. The first White Coat Ceremony was held in 1993 at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons and is now a standard ritual in medical and other health professions programs across the country. During the Ceremony, each student is presented and “robed” with his or her short white laboratory coat, formalizing and welcoming the student’s entrance into the study of dental medicine.