The annual UAB Service Awards program honors employees at each five-year milestone who have completed five or more years of service to UAB by December 31. In 2024, the School of Dentistry had 24 employees eligible for service award recognition. These employees have made a significant career commitment to the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Among the awardees, staff member Nedra Reese is being honored for 35 years of service. Two others – Dr. Yung-Tsung Hsu and Dr. Somsak Sittitavornwong – will join Reese in being honored for 20-plus years of service to UAB during an upcoming campus wide reception.
Nedra Reese (35 Years)
For over three decades, Nedra Reese, clinic coordinator of the Limited Care/Urgent Clinic in the Department of Restorative Sciences (General Dentistry), has become a critical touch point for UAB Dentistry patients, students, and faculty and staff.
Reese says the highlight of her years working in the clinics is extending a helping hand to patients, students, and employees. Her goal is to be a source of hope for patients and encouragement for those working in the clinics.
"I hope I encourage people around me to make good decisions and do what's right for the patients - and the students, faculty, and everybody else too." Reese adds.
Although she's seen lots of changes in the school and UAB, she maintains the fact that UAB has always enlisted and encouraged the best in students and employees which she believes brings out the best in everyone around.
Dr. Yung-Tsung Hsu (25 Years)
Since joining the UAB School of Dentistry faculty in 2000, Yung-Tsung Hsu, D.D.S., M.S., D.M.D., a professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences (Prosthodontics), has helped countless D.M.D. students realize their potential as skilled, compassionate, patient-centered caregivers.
Hsu’s mentorship extends to graduate students, who have relied on his expertise in prosthodontics for decades to prepare for licensing exams. Their consistently high pass rates reflect Dr. Hsu’s remarkable ability to communicate complex ideas and encourage his students. His innovative thinking and heartfelt commitment to his students’ success inspired Dr. Shaheen Upton, Class of 2012, to initiate the Yung-Tsung Hsu, D.D.S., D.M.D., Endowed Scholarship in Prosthodontics with a generous lead gift.
“Dr. Hsu’s perpetual commitment to academics and the dental profession at large has significantly enriched the lives of many predoctoral and postdoctoral students,” says Upton.
Hsu is a Scientist in the Global Center for Craniofacial, Oral and Dental Disorders (GC-CODED) and the Integrative Center for Aging Research. His research interests include outcomes of denture and partial denture treatments, implant-retained overdenture, hybrid denture, dental materials, ceramic implants, and attachments.
Dr. Somsak Sittitavornwong (20 Years)
After serving as Chief Resident in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Somsak Sittitavornwong, D.D.S., D.M.D., M.S. joined the faculty as an instructor in 2005.
Currently, he is a professor in OMS, a Senior Scientist in the Global Center for Craniofacial, Oral and Dental Disorders (GC-CODED), and an Associate Scientist in the Center for Metabolic Bone Disease. His research interests include dental implants; pediatric oral and maxillofacial surgery; clefts; orthognathic surgery; obstructive sleep apnea; maxillofacial pathology; Trauma; Bone Reconstruction. Sittitavornwong is a Diplomat of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and a member of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, among other professional associations.
"This milestone is not just a reflection of my journey but also a testament to the incredible support and camaraderie I have experienced throughout my time here. I appreciate the trust and encouragement from my colleagues and leaders, which have been invaluable in shaping my career. I am proud to be part of such a dedicated team and look forward to many more years of contributing to our shared vision and goals," he says.
Awardees with 5, 10, and 14 Years
In addition to Reese, Hsu, and Sittitavornwong, 21 SOD employees with five, 10 and 15 years of service to UAB in 2024 boast a combined total of 180 years of service to UAB. All SOD service awardees will be honored by the school at an April program.