A fine tradition: the best students of the year are honoured at the graduation ceremony.
The three top graduates Kurosch Jozi, Tom Geronimo Moog and Nikolas Gisbert Gerrit Misera (centre, from left) with Professor Dr. Ingmar Staufenbiel (left) and Professor Dr. Harald Tschernitschek (right). Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH
A total of 56 newly qualified dentists celebrated the successful completion of their studies in dentistry at the Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Clinic of the Hannover Medical School (MHH) on 22 November 2020. Of the 38 women and 18 men, nine female candidates and eight male candidates passed with the overall grade "very good". MHH President Prof. Dr. Michael Manns sent his congratulations in a video message due to a pressing business appointment, emphasising that by passing the exam, the graduates in dentistry have immediately completed their professional training – unlike in human medicine.
Prof. Dr. Dr. Nils-Claudius Gellrich, Managing Director of the Centre for Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine at MHH, congratulated the new dentists: "When I graduated, there was no celebration like the one we are having today. It is a wonderful new tradition that is also intended to show appreciation for everyone who has accompanied you on your journey!"
MHH rucksack from the alumni association
Among the graduates, the three best examiners and the best in the year in the dental subjects were honoured for their outstanding exam results. Kurosch Jozi passed the exam as the best, with Tom Geronimo Moog coming in second. Both graduates received a continuing education voucher from the Lower Saxony Dental Association, presented by Vice President Dr. Axel Wiesner. The third-best graduate this year is Nikolas Gisbert Gerrit Misera. All three also received an MHH backpack from the alumni association "MHH Alumni e.V." in memory of their alma mater. Jan Maximilian Paul Erwin Hettich was the best graduate in the dental subjects. He received a prize of 250 euros from the Friends of the Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Clinic, presented by the chairman, Prof. Dr. Michael Eisenburger.
Many words of thanks and praise: "Growing together as a community!"
The large lecture hall of the dental clinic was festively decorated with golden balloons with the letters "STEX 2024" (state examination), and numerous relatives and university lecturers paid tribute to the graduating class, who had to face more difficult corona conditions during their studies but nevertheless excelled through their special sense of community. "We have grown together as a community and have always been able to rely on each other to this day," said semester spokesperson Tim Specht, as he and his deputy Marten Arman Khosravi looked back on their time together at the university. They also expressed their collective thanks to all the university lecturers, especially MHH Dean of Studies Prof. Dr. Harald Tschernitschek and Prof. Dr. Ingmar Staufenbiel, as chair of the examination board. The graduates presented them with flowers, as they did to Nicola Teipel and Janine Nopsers from the Examinations Office. "They were always there for us, especially during our exams, and were always willing to listen to our questions and problems," said Tim Specht, speaking on behalf of the class. The graduates gave a special round of applause and a gift to Turgut Altunbahar from the Clinic for Dental Prosthetics and Biomedical Materials Science as "helper in the laboratory" and Ewa Wicens as "mum of the house", who always had an open ear for the students' worries and problems in the cafeteria.
Professor Staufenbiel moderated the graduation ceremony. He emphasised how proud he was of all the graduates and called on them to be aware of their responsibility to maintain a trusting relationship with their patients and to always prioritise humanity over profitability.
Text: Bettina Dunker