The Fauchard Dental Society of New Jersey has had a long-standing bond with Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) students. It has helped fund preclinical laboratories, held pizza parties at the school and invited students to sit in on board meetings.
“We prided ourselves on how we actively we engaged student participation,” said former Fauchard Dental Society of NJ President Dr. Tom Rossi, who is the current president of the New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA).
Now the society has found a new way to strengthen its connection by endowing a student scholarship. When members learned that gifts could be tripled throughout 2019, they did not hesitate to offer support. “We thought that by far, providing scholarship funds for a student in their third year has a greater impact than anything else we could do,’’ explained Dr. Rossi.
Dr. Rossi knows about the history of organized dentistry, which began in the late 19th century, when dentists across the nation began forming state organizations. “They realized how important it was to share a vision and meet on a regular basis,’’ he said.
By the turn of the century, it was commonplace for organizations of dental practitioners to form around their cultural background. Italian Americans formed the Fauchard Dental Society of New Jersey, but unlike many societies, it opened its doors to dentists of all backgrounds. However, in honor of its roots, the society is especially interested in potential awardees who are members of RSDM’s Italian Dental Society, in addition to being third-year students in good academic standing.
Along with Dr. Rossi, past Fauchard presidents Dr. Peter De Sciscio, an RSDM faculty member and Dr. Renee Arace, current secretary of the NJDA, were also involved in making the decision for establishing the scholarship. “We’re proud to continue our support of students embarking into the profession of dentistry,’’ said Arace.
