NEW BURSARIES HERALD START OF 80TH YEAR CELEBRATIONS FOR FACULTY

07 September 2009

NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan (far left) receiving the donation from
WDES President Dr Choo Teck Chuan and FDI President Burton Conrod.

The National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Dentistry today received two gifts in support of bursaries for dentistry students.

The World Dental Education Society (WDES) has pledged an endowed gift of $257,000 to the NUS Faculty of Dentistry to provide financial support for dentistry students from low-income families. The gift will attract the prevailing dollar-for-dollar matching grant from the Singapore Government, bringing the funding to $514,000.

The donation from WDES will be used to establish the World Dental Education Society- Fédération Dentaire Internationale (WDES-FDI) World Dental Federation Bursary Award. Starting Academic Year 09/10, two undergraduate dentistry students will be selected each year to receive a bursary award of $8,000 per student. This is WDES’s second gift to NUS Faculty of Dentistry. Last year, WDES had donated $250,000 to the Faculty to provide financial assistance to dentistry students for overseas travel attachment.

The second gift is a €10,000 donation from Koelnmesse, organiser of the International Dental Exhibition and Meeting in Singapore, to the Faculty of Dentistry 80th Anniversary Bursary.

Assoc Prof Keson Tan (right) with Mr Michael Dreyer of Koelnmesse

Associate Professor Keson Tan, Dean of NUS Faculty of Dentistry, expressed appreciation for the gift and hoped that it will draw greater philanthropic support for more bursary awards. He said, “We thank the WDES and Koelnmesse for their generous gifts to fund bursaries for dentistry students. These gifts are especially meaningful because they come in the year when the Faculty celebrates 80 years of dental education in Singapore. Our graduates and faculty have through the years set new benchmarks in clinical care, research and teaching and these gifts from WDES and Koelnmesse will help us to continue with our proud tradition of bringing the best of dental care to Singapore by ensuring that no deserving student is denied admission because of financial difficulties.”

“That indeed is the commitment of NUS, which together with the Faculty makes sure financial assistance is always available to needy students.  Given the current economic climate, more donations to the bursary fund will provide more needy dentistry students with financial support.”

Prof Tan added, “We would like to appeal to all who wish to contribute towards grooming dental professionals who would make important contributions to our society. We especially call on our alumni to support this worthy cause and help make our 80th year a truly special one.”

NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan received the donation from WDES President Dr Choo Teck Chuan and FDI President Burton Conrod and Dean, Faculty of Dentistry Associate Professor Keson Tan received the donation of S$20,000 towards the Faculty’s 80th Anniversary Bursary Fund from Mr Michael Dreyer of Koelnmesse (IDEM Singapore), at a cheque presentation ceremony which was held as part of the 2009 FDI Annual World Dental Congress.

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