Three days of commencement weekend festivities culminated on June 14 as University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry celebrated the Class of 2026 during its 132nd Commencement Ceremony at The Masonic in San Francisco.

More than 200 students and residents earned degrees and certificates, including Doctor of Dental Surgery; Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene; Master of Science in Dentistry (Orthodontics) and Master of Science in Dentistry (Endodontology).

The graduating class included 55 students from countries around the world who completed the school’s two-year International Dental Studies (IDS) program. Among them were 29 students in the first IDS cohort to graduate from the program on the Sacramento Campus.

The class also included four Dental Hygiene graduates who took part in the inaugural hybrid dental hygiene education program held on the Sacramento Campus. 

“Today is a day of celebration, transition and takeoff — a moment when years of hard work prepare you to launch toward new destinations and opportunities,” said Dr. Elisa Chávez, interim dean of the Dugoni School.

“Remember what brought you here. Whether you are soaring high or searching for a place to land, remember the reasons you chose the Dugoni School, Pacific, and our profession. Remembering the core of your why, will sustain you in surprising ways, in quiet moments and difficult ones, in decisions that are minor and momentous.”

As they begin the next chapter of their professional journeys, members of the Class of 2026 will provide care and improve oral health in communities across the nation and beyond. Graduates will serve in private practices, advanced education and residency programs, community health centers, military settings and other healthcare environments.

“Beyond our acquired skills, this Dugoni journey gave us something much more. It gave us perspective,” said student speaker Dr. Christian Aquino, DDS ’26. “Dentistry is not about fillings, crowns, or root canals. It is about people. It is about recognizing the human being behind every patient and meeting them with compassion in a world that sometimes feels increasingly divided.”

“Now together, we are stepping into a world not just as clinicians, but as advocates, leaders, and changemakers. Class of 2026, may we never forget how far we have come together, and may we use what we have to touch lives, transform communities, and leave this world better than we found it.”

The commencement ceremony followed several events honoring graduates and their accomplishments, as well as recognizing family and friends.

Festivities began Friday evening with the Alumni/Graduate Banquet at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. Hosted by the school’s Alumni Association, the event officially welcomed graduates into the Dugoni School alumni family. Among the many awards presented during the banquet was the Dr. Henry A. Sutro Award for Best Oral Rehabilitation Design: Design and Excellence of Execution was presented to Dr. Carlos Martinez Montoro, selected from a group of 13 student finalists. Students also recognized faculty members with awards honoring their dedication, mentorship and contributions to the learning experience.

On Saturday morning, graduates and their families gathered for the Thanks a Bunch Brunch at the InterContinental San Francisco. During this longstanding tradition, graduates express their appreciation through personalized messages read aloud by their group practice leaders to family members, friends and loved ones who supported them throughout dental school.

Later that afternoon, 13 members of the graduating class were commissioned as officers in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army or U.S. Air Force during a ceremony attended by military leaders, family and friends. These graduates are participating in the Health Professions Scholarship Program, which provides funding for dental education in exchange for future active-duty military service as dentists.

Saturday concluded with the induction ceremony for Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU), the national dental honor society, held at The Olympic Club’s City Clubhouse. Twelve percent of the graduating class was selected for membership in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and character. Graduates inducted into OKU earned high honors, while members of two additional honor societies—Phi Kappa Phi and Tau Kappa Omega—were recognized at special events held earlier in May and June.

Sunday’s commencement ceremony at The Masonic, attended by nearly 3,000 people, providing a fitting finale to a memorable weekend celebrating the graduates’ achievements and the next step of their professional journeys. 

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Commencement Ceremony Video