Boston University School of Dental Medicine receives $3M bequest
The Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) announced at commencement on Friday, May 15 that it has received a bequest of more than $3 million from the estate of the late, beloved alumnus and faculty member, Dr. Oreste Zanni.
On July 15, 2013, clinical associate professor and clinic director of the Department of Periodontology Dr. Oreste Zanni suffered a heart attack in the Patient Treatment Center and tragically passed away at Boston Medical Center. He was 66 years of age.
The bequest will be used to establish an endowed full scholarship in Dr. Zanni’s name for a resident enrolled in the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Periodontics. It will also be used to name the Post-doctoral Periodontic Patient Treatment Center in the proposed new GSDM Clinical facility: “The Dr. Oreste Zanni Post-doctoral Periodontic Patient Treatment Center.”
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Dean Jeffrey W. Hutter shared the news of the gift with graduating students and residents and their families at commencement in the Walter Brown Arena. “We are so very grateful for this generous bequest, which speaks to Dr. Zanni’s love of the profession of dentistry, his affection for his alma mater, and the importance he placed on education,” he said.
Dr. Zanni was born and raised in Lawrence, Massachusetts. He received a BA in Biology from Merrimack College in 1968 and a DDS from Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry in 1973. He also completed an internship at Tufts New England Medical Center Department of Dental Medicine in 1974 and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Periodontics, Boston University School of Graduate Dentistry in 1976.
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In both 2009 and 2010, Dr. Zanni was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the residents enrolled in the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Periodontics at GSDM. In 2008 and 2009 he was also honored with the Educator Award from the American Academy of Periodontology. Dr. Zanni’s professional activities were numerous and included memberships to societies including the American Academy of Periodontology, the Massachusetts Periodontal Society, the Merrimack Valley Dental Society, and the Greater Lawrence Dental Society.
Source: Press release
