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Black History Month Celebration 2008

February 29, 2008

On February 25, the Penn Dental Medicine Student National Dental Association (SNDA) hosted its 8th annual Black History Month Celebration, "Excellence and Leadership in Dentistry and Medicine: Past, Present, and Future". Held in the Robert Schattner Center's Henry Schein Atrium, the event featured live music, food, and keynote speaker Nathan Fletcher, DDS, president of the National Dental Association. Dr. Fletcher spoke about the contributions of African-Americans to medicine and dentistry, including Dr. Robert T. Freeman, who in 1869 became the first African-American to graduate from a U.S. dental school. Dr. Fletcher also noted that the SNDA, which originated in 1970, is currently the largest minority student organization in the country.

Dr. Beverly Crawford, a staff dentist who teaches in the pre-clinical lab, was honored with an Award of Appreciation for her work with students at the School. Dr. Crawford has been teaching at Penn Dental Medicine since 1989.

View photos of the event


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