School of Dentistry White Coat Ceremony welcomes UofL’s newest dental and dental hygiene students to the profession

Hundreds of supporters gathered at the Louisville Palace on Saturday, September 9, 2023, to honor the University of Louisville’s newest dental and dental hygiene students. The 2023 White Coat Ceremony recognized members of the DMD class of 2027, Dental Hygiene class of 2025 and Advanced Standing class of 2025. 

Because admission to these programs is highly selective, officially donning a University of Louisville School of Dentistry lab coat and taking Dental Professional’s Pledge as a group brought a wave of emotions to students participating in the event. 

Mohamed Hamlouchi, a Louisville native who gained admission to the DMD class of 2027 after completing his undergraduate degree at UofL, described the moment as surreal. “It’s something I’ve looked forward to for so long,” he said. “Now that it’s actually happening, it just doesn’t feel real.”

More than two dozen friends and family members attended the ceremony to support Hamlouchi. “They have mixed emotions,” he said. “Some are happy, some may be a bit jealous, but mostly they are excited for me because they have seen what I went through to get here.”

Rochelle and Steve Smith from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, attended the event to honor their daughter Molly Smith, a member of the DMD Class of 2027. While acknowledging that their ongoing support played a role in helping Molly achieve her dream, Steve Smith said his daughter earned her spot in the class. “You wouldn’t make it here if you weren’t the type of person who can step up and do things yourself,” he said.