2023 School of Dentistry Award Recipients

Distinguished Alumnus in Dentistry Award
Donald J. DeNucci, D.D.S., M.S., Dent ’70
Charlotte, N.C.

Donald DeNucci’s life of service has taken him all over the United States and Europe to care for military personnel, their families, and veterans. After graduating from the School of Dentistry in 1970, DeNucci joined the U.S. Army Dental Corps and served for 28 years.

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Outstanding Dental Service Award
John L. Scheels, D.D.S., Dent ’75
Wauwatosa, Wis.

John Scheels cared for thousands of adults and children in 42 years of solo dental practice in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. But he has another set of patients who are a bit more exotic. Since 1981, Scheels has provided dental care to animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

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Young Alumna of the Year Award
Sarah H. Blair, D.D.S., Dent ’13
Panama City, Panama

Sarah Blair has always loved working with patients, especially in her own dental practice, Third Coast Family Dental, which she purchased from a retiring dentist in 2015. But Blair finds particular joy in the practice-management side of dentistry. “Nothing gets me more excited than creating an effective scheduling system or a beautifully written job description, or analyzing an accounts receivable report,” she says.

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