The UWSOD’s Sigma Sigma chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) recently inducted new members and recognized other honorees. Eight graduating dental students were inducted as Alumni Members, and UWSOD faculty and staff were inducted as Faculty and Honorary Members. Additionally, six rising second-, third-, and fourth-year dental students were presented with awards and scholarships.
Founded in 1914 at Northwestern University Dental School, OKU is a national dental honor society that “was established to promote and recognize scholarship and character among students of dentistry.” Today, the prestigious organization continues to foster scholarship, advance ethical standards, and encourage professional growth in the field of dentistry and oral health.
OKU members are leaders in the dental profession, dental academia, research institutions, and organized dentistry. There are more than 60 OKU chapters in the United States and Canada, including the UWSOD’s Sigma Sigma chapter, which was established in 1950. UWSOD Dean André Ritter is currently serving as Vice President of the national OKU Supreme Chapter.
Each year, twelve percent of the graduating class of UW dental students are inducted into OKU through a two-step process that considers academic performance and a vote by Sigma Sigma chapter members based on qualities such as character, service, research, and other activities during dental school. The eight 2025 Alumni Member inductees were: Parker Allegood, Vijaya Bharathi Jawaharlal, Alexis Herrera, Jacob Kennedy, Brian Merrill, Rebecca Ochoa, Cody Percival, and Tyler Youn.
Dr. Angela Chianglin (’01), Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry, was the 2025 Faculty Member inductee. She was elected to OKU membership for her significant contributions to the predoctoral curriculum, her extensive involvement in numerous UWSOD committees, and her dedicated community service to promote oral health in underserved populations.
Hongjun Wang, Distance Learning Technology and UWSOD Database Specialist, was the 2025 Honorary Member inductee. He was elected to OKU membership for his 15 years of service to the UWSOD overseeing educational technologies for classroom teaching and course management, active learning, electronic examination, and distance learning that supports students and faculty on the Seattle campus as well as in the RIDE program. Faculty and Honorary members are selected based on their outstanding contributions to the art, science, or literature of dentistry.
Rising fourth-year DDS/PhD student Sydney Kim was this year’s recipient of the Sigma Sigma chapter’s Dr. William S. Kramer Award of Excellence. The award recognizes a junior dental student who has demonstrated scholarship, character, and the potential promise for the advancement of dentistry and service to humanity. Based on their academic performance, the top students in each of the predoctoral classes received OKU scholarships from the Sigma Sigma chapter – Nathan Dahm and Gunnar Velikanje in the Class of 2026, Jonathan Lang and Christin Hao in the Class of 2027, and Christopher Penner in the Class of 2028.
The inductees and award and scholarship recipients were honored at the annual OKU banquet at the Seattle Yacht Club on May 28. Dr. Alvin Wee, Chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry, gave the keynote address at the banquet before the honors were presented by Dean Ritter and Sigma Sigma President Dr. Whasun Chung (Oral Health Sciences), President-Elect Dr. Lindsey Yap (Endodontics), Secretary Dr. Cameron Randall (Oral Health Sciences), and Treasurer Dr. John Yae (Restorative Dentistry).
Past Sigma Sigma chapter officers were also recognized for their leadership at the banquet. The inductees and award and scholarship recipients were later recognized at the UWSOD Honors and Awards Ceremony on June 6. The Alumni Member inductees were also recognized at the UWSOD Hooding Ceremony on June 7.
In addition to the new member inductions, Kramer Award, and OKU scholarships, the Sigma Sigma chapter supports UWSOD Research Day awards annually, all of which are made possible through generous donations from chapter members.