First generation graduate excels on
dentistry path
by Cindy
AbolePublic Relations
With today’s graduation and awarding of 700 degrees, dental medicine graduate Chermaine Ruth, DMD, will be among 57 graduating dental medicine students; and will also mark a special milestone.
Dr. Chermaine Ruth,
center, celebrates with Wendy Stephens, left, and Dr. Gwendolyn Brown.Today, Ruth becomes the first person in her family to receive an advanced degree as she helps to fulfill South Carolina’s need for more minority dentists.
“Today it will feel like everyone in my family will be graduating with me as I walk across the stage,” said Ruth, who is the eldest of three in her family.
As one who embraced the rigors of dental school, she’s made a great contribution of her time and energy helping to select the state’s next generation of quality dental practitioners and serving as a role model for other minority women within her profession.
A bright, energetic young lady with sparkling brown eyes, Ruth is from Elliott, located 20 minutes away from Sumter. She grew up in a typical military family. Her father was a career Army man and eventually moved his family in the mid-1990s to Wuerzberg, Germany.
Ruth was first introduced to her field through the family’s practitioner, a female military dentist who worked at the dental clinic at Wuerzberg Hospital.
“I remember asking a lot of questions about dentistry and the work she did,” said Ruth, who wavered between interests in medicine and dentistry. “She let me shadow her for several weeks as a senior. We talked about colleges, courses and selecting a major.”
Upon returning to the states, Ruth attended South Carolina State University (SCSU) and graduated in 2002 with degrees in biology and chemistry. As an undergraduate, she met Wendy Stephens and Gwendolyn Brown, DMD, director of diversity with the College of Dental Medicine (CDM), who was recruiting on campus. Ruth attended CDM’s Dental Day programs and other outreach activities as an undergraduate.
“I liked the experiences I went through sponsored by MUSC’s dental school. It became my first choice,” said Ruth, who regularly communicated with then-dental students via e-mail. “I remember asking them what it was really like in dental school, and to Dr. Brown, how was it being a minority female dentist?”
After being admitted in 2003, Ruth thrived despite an intense, accelerated curriculum. Her first year was especially difficult, because it was the same time her father was deployed with the U.S. military’s invasion of Iraq. Ruth credits her mom throughout those absences for playing the role of both parents and offering morale support.
“It was hard for me and the family,” Ruth recalled. “My father was my biggest cheerleader during the early years in dental school. After he was deployed, we rarely spoke.” By his second deployment, which occurred during Ruth’s third year in dental school, she was less worried about his safety and communicated with him via phone or e-mail.
Ruth was an active member of the Student National Dental Association and the American Student Dental Association. She worked with Tariq Javed, DMD, associate dean for academic and student affairs, and other dental faculty as a student member of the College of Dental Medicine’s admissions committee. During her clinical years she volunteered, along with other dental students and practitioners, on Tuesday nights to provide free dental services to underserved populations at Our Lady of Mercy’s Wellness House.
“Chermaine has been a great ambassador for the dental school,” said Brown. “She’s a huge proponent for increasing minority enrollment. She regularly visited SCSU, her alma mater, to help recruit prospective students. She’s been active and volunteered with summer dental programs, career activities in the community, and other work. Whenever there was something that needed to be done, Chermaine jumped right in and did it with a smile and a positive attitude.”
“I’m proud of Chermaine’s persistence, dedication and hard work in accomplishing her goal of becoming a dentist. She’s provided an invaluable service assisting us with the college’s goals for student recruitment and retention. Her leadership qualities will guide her to bigger and better things in dentistry and the service of others,” said Javed.
Ruth will begin a one-year general dentistry residency at Richland Memorial Hospital in Columbia. Beyond that, she hopes to open up her own dental practice somewhere in the Midlands or the Lowcountry.
Ruth is excited, not only to graduate but because her father and family will be in the audience. Now a retired master sergeant, today’s commencement will be the first MUSC event he’s attended since his daughter began dental school.
“Sure there were some tense moments, but that has been balanced by a lot of fun along the way,” Ruth said. “Dental school was hard, but it was well worth the late nights studying and preparing for exams. The dental faculty and staff are among the best on campus. Dr. Brown, Wendy and others were always there for moral support. The whole dental school experience exceeded my expectations. I feel like I’m leaving here with 55 best friends.”
Ruth couldn’t have made it without:
1. Chocolate
2. Family
3. Classmates
4. Mall and shopping
5. CDM faculty and staff
Friday, May 18, 2007
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