The Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences is pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Outstanding Alumni Awards.
Outstanding Alumni Award
Dr. Joel Berger DDS'73
Dr. Joel Berger earned both his bachelor and dentistry degrees from McGill University. After earning his DDS degree, he spent an additional year in advanced dental training in the Faculty of Dentistry. He subsequently earned a medical degree and completed the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery training program at the University of Washington. He spent one year in Europe doing a fellowship at two major centers in the Netherlands and in Austria. He returned to McGill University for an additional year of advanced training prior to establishing his OMFS practice in San Diego, California.
For his entire career, Dr. Joel Berger has been at the forefront of his field. He has lectured extensively in the United States and Canada on temporomandibular joint disorders, dental implantology, and the surgical treatment of sleep disorders. He is past Chief of Maxillofacial Surgery at the Children's Hospital and Sharp Memorial Hospital in San Diego and serves on the Orthodontic Advisory Committee for California Children’s Services. Dr. Berger is a faculty member of the Division of Plastic Surgery of University of California, San Diego, and Secretary of the California Coalition of Cleft and Craniofacial Center.
In his nomination of Dr. Berger for the award, Dr. Edwin Yen DDS'73 says that in their time at McGill "Joel demonstrated that most valuable balance between academic drive, clinical productivity and collegial support for classmates finding challenges. His sense of humor and empathy for others contributed tremendously to a strong class cohesion that persists to this day."
Dr. Joel Berger has been a strong supporter of the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences for many years, which includes the creation of theDr. Kenneth C. Bentley OMFS Research Fellowship. The Fellowship enables the Faculty to hold an annual OMFS Research Day, to provide a stipend for an OMFS resident performing research, and to cover direct research equipment and other costs. Dr. Berger's interest in maintaining an academic/research-oriented OMFS program at McGill has been a tremendous benefit to the OMFS program, its residents and interns, and its faculty members.
Outstanding Future Alumni Awards
Mackenzie Salmon, DMD'24
Mackenzie Salmon has contributed to the larger dental community through her participation in humanitarian missions since 2016 which includes volunteering with the Dental Bears. She is the past President of the McGill Dentistry Sustainability Club and former co-leader of McGill Dentistry Gives Back, a student led crowdfunding project to raise money for the Faculty's community clinics.
Associate Professor Dr. Véronique Benhamou stated that Mackenzie has demonstrated remarkable maturity, professionalism, and dedication to her studies and the dental profession. "Her passion for advancing the field of dentistry, particularly in patient care and social dentistry has been truly inspiring. She has a strong sense of work ethics, persistence, and intellectual integrity. I have observed Mackenzie show great resolve and resiliency when faced with difficult or stressful situations, which have never deterred her."
Eric Krochmalnek, DMD'25
A proud Montrealer, Eric possesses a strong community spirit and passion for dental outreach. Eric is Vice-President of Health and Wellness in the Dental Students Society, President of the Dental Wellness Club and was involved in McGill Dentistry Gives Back, helping to raise over $5,000 for the Mobile Dental Clinic. Eric has been instrumental in promoting oral cancer awareness through his involvement with the Tyndale St-Georges Community Center. He also spearheaded the installation of an automatic filtered water fountain through the Students' Society of McGill University'senvironmental sustainability fund.
Assistant Dean, EDI and Student Affairs Dr. Firoozeh Samim says "Eric's dedication to making a positive impact has been exemplary, and his efforts have touched the lives of many individuals and organizations.His selflessness, leadership, and dedication to service make him a deserving candidate for the Future Alumni Award."
Tyler Baliesh, Ariel Bouhadana, and Nathaniel Mellul DMD'25 - Sweating for A Healthy Smile
In 2022, Tyler Baliesh, Ariel Bouhadana and Nathaniel Mellul joined together to launch Sweating for a Healthy Smile, a fundraising event featuring exercise classes and a crowdfunding platform to raise money for the Mobile Dental Clinic. Since then 300 participants have taken part, raising over $30,000. Beyond their goal of raising funds, Tyler, Ariel and Nathaniel are also raising awareness about the importance of the Mobile Dental Clinic providing free dental care to those without the financial means to see a dentist, and as health care professionals creating a community of people who are passionate about resolving health inequalities.
Dr. Frances Power, Course Director of Community Oral Health Services, feels that "Tyler, Arieh, and Nathaniel’s unconditional, unwavering support of our Mobile Dental Clinic program and wholehearted compassion for underserved people of Montreal also inspires our Mobile Dental Clinic team, students, volunteers, support staff, community partners, and, especially, our community patients! These three students have made a difference in the quality of life with whomever they meet since 2022. "
We congratulate all the winners on their well-deserved awards!
