Annual Recognition Event Celebrated Faculty and Staff

Since 2013, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) has honored its employees each year with a special recognition event celebrating their dedication and achievements. This year’s celebration recognized 34 staff and 31 faculty members who reached milestone anniversaries ranging from five to an extraordinary 55 years of service. In addition, four staff and two faculty members were recognized with awards for their exceptional contributions.

“This year marks a very special milestone not only for those recognized in this program but for our entire community, as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of our school,” said Dean Cecile A. Feldman in her message to the community.

Among the honorees, Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Barry E. Zweig celebrated his 55 years at the school, while Office of Information Technology Program Support Specialist Nancy Figueroa reached 40 years.

The event also highlighted staff members whose work goes above and beyond their everyday responsibilities. Management Assistant Maria Rodriguez received the individual staff award for her proactive leadership in developing a comprehensive system to track patient communications. Her work has helped ensure that patient concerns are addressed efficiently, consistently, and with compassion.

The team award was presented to the RSDM Joy at Work Committee, made up of Principal Management Assistant Tonka Barrett, Faculty Affairs and Personnel Administration Manager Audry Burnett, and Staff Resources and Administration Coordinator Yahsmine Henry. With a Rutgers Health’s Joy at Work Mini-Grant, the trio brought colleagues together through numerous events, including a harp recital by Barrett, board game gatherings, and community lunches, to create meaningful moments of pause for faculty and staff amid busy schedules, offering space to recharge, connect, and be present with one another.

Faculty excellence was also recognized with two prestigious New Jersey Health Foundation George F. Heinrich, MD awards. Associate Professor of Diagnostic Sciences Gayathri Subramanian received the Excellence in Research Award for her work that focuses on identifying underexplored sources and mechanisms of pain, including myogenous pain following surgery and the potential neuropathic basis of acute pulpal pain. The NIH recently awarded her a grant to support her study titled “Temporo-masseteric Nerve Block in Post-Wisdom Tooth Extraction Pain: A Randomized Study.”

Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Salvatore Napoli was honored with the Excellence in Teaching Award. As predoctoral director, he revised the curriculum to streamline didactic offerings and also enhanced clinical requirements and competencies, which set RSDM students apart as they perform more clinical procedures than most dental schools in the country.