The title Doctor of Dentistry was conferred upon 140 graduates of the Faculty of Dentistry by Dr. Péter Hermann, Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs, Dr. Gábor Gerber, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry and Dr. Nándor Ács, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the graduation ceremony held in the Madách Theatre. 19 summa cum laude, 106 cum laude and 15 en rite degrees were obtained, distributed among 91 students of the Hungarian programme, 35 students of the English programme and 14 students of the German programme. Speeches on behalf of the students were held by Dr. Dóra Fehér, Dr. Emily Anne Bamford, Dr. Ismael Khan and Dr. Seidler Fabian.
The ceremony was opened by Dr. Péter Hermann, Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs. Dóra Fehér, a candidate of Doctor of Dentistry submitted the conferment request and then students took their solemn oath in three languages promising that they would fulfill all aspects of their duties with utmost diligence. Following the oath, Dr. Péter Hermann, Vice-Rector, Dr. Gábor Gerber, Dean and Dr. Nándor Ács, Vice-Dean conferred the title of Doctor of Dentistry upon the graduates by congratulating each one of them with a handshake.
In his opening speech, Dr. Péter Hermann encouraged the newly conferred doctors to serve mankind by actively participating in patient care and by contributing to the realisation of the goals of health care services.
“You should strive to continuously enrich your knowledge to become enthusiastic practitioners and invaluable contributors to the Hungarian health care system, thus serving your country and people.”, he said.
In her speech Dr. Dóra Fehér thanked the teachers for the knowledge they received over the years and their family and friends for their support.
“A childhood dream has come true for many of us upon becoming doctors of dentistry. The memories and experiences we gained at the university will greatly determine our everyday lives in the future.”, she said.
Dr. Emily Anne Bamford and Dr. Ismael Khan spoke on behalf of the graduates of the English language programme and Dr. Seidler Fabian represented the graduates of the German language programme.
The speeches were followed by the presentation the Balogh Károly Medal and Reward, the Máthé Gyula Award and the Bodák-Gyovai Levente and Catherine Scholarship. The Balogh Károly Medal was awarded to Dr. József Saláta, who also received the Máthé Gyula Award along with Dr. Kristóf Forgó for their outstanding results in their studies, research and community work. Dr. Réka Sklánitz was the recipient of the scholarship.
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In his ceremonial speech Dr. Gábor Gerber, Dean emphasized the importance of hard work and the diverse experiences gained during the course of studies.
“The harder we fight the happier we will be upon reaching our final destination. Your joy of receiving the title doctor of dentistry is the result of your perseverance, hard work and dedication to your goals. You gained experience not only in understanding yourself and fellow humans, but in communicating under stress as well, which is an invaluable skill in the medical profession.”, he said.
He spoke about Semmelweis University’s international acclaim, represented by the ranking of Times Higher Education, which places the university among the best 500 universities in the world. He mentioned that the faculty’s certificate is acknowledged and recognised in several countries and its 900 students come from 37 countries.
However, to master reliable diagnostic skills and to acquire the know-how of more complex treatments, it is inevitable for graduates to participate in resident training programmes and to work under the supervision of specialists for a few years. The recently introduced state examinations in endodontics, prosthodontics and oral implantology serve to fulfill the requirements of specialist training in the 21st century.
“One of the greatest challenges of the university is to prepare students for lifelong learning, which is necessary to keep pace with the continuous expansion and renewal of scientific information. The theoretical and practical knowledge gained at the university needs to be constantly updated and improved, because who is not moving forward, will be left behind.”, he said.
According to Dr. Gábor Gerber the certificate issued by Semmelweis University serves as an excellent letter of recommendation to enter the world of clinical work and scientific research in Europe and anywhere around the world. Upon receiving this “letter of recommendation”, the graduates have become alumni, who are expected to promote the recognition and acclaim of medicine and Semmelweis University.
“I assure you that the university will always keep its gates open to you and will give you all the support you need to succeed in your profession. I wish you to find a goal that gives you strength and satisfaction in your lives.”, Dr. Gábor Gerber said.
The newly conferred Doctors of Dentistry of the English language programme were greeted by Dr. István Gera, professor. Dr. Károly Bartha, associate professor and Vice-Dean addressed the new dentists of the German language programme. As a closure of the ceremony, Dr. Péter Hermann wished the graduates success in their career as dentists.
Bernadett Bódi
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
Translation: Ágnes Raubinek
