The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) has announced the recipients of its 2026 student chapter awards, honoring outstanding achievement in professional development, residency education and faculty mentorship.

“The AGD supports 84 student chapters across the United States and Canada, providing dental students with an early pathway to AGD Fellowship and a foundation for lifelong involvement in organized dentistry,” said Marc Worob, DDS, FAGD, AGD president. “This year's honorees represent the best of that mission.”

Student Chapter of the Year: Texas A&M College of Dentistry

AGD has named Texas A&M College of Dentistry its 2026 Student Chapter of the Year, recognizing the chapter's commitment to member engagement, continuing education and professional development.

The chapter recruited 63 new student members this academic year and delivered five hours of continuing education programming across sessions covering private practice business planning, public health and ergonomics, removable prosthodontics and Texas State Board of Dental Examiners standards of care, with two additional hours planned before the semester's end. The chapter also organized an off-site visit to a Midlothian, Texas, private practice for hands-on exposure to 3D printing and smile design technology and arranged meet-and-greets with Worob and Texas AGD President Jon M. Dossett, DMD, MAGD.

The chapter supported continuing education events for its students throughout the year, including a hands-on denture workshop. A spring networking event with the Fort Worth AGD and Dallas AGD components was also held.

Faculty Advisor of the Year: Mai-Ly Duong, D.M.D., M.A.G.D.

AGD has named Mai-Ly Duong, DMD., MPH, MAEd, MAGD, its 2026 Faculty Advisor of the Year, recognizing her exceptional dedication to student mentorship, leadership development and the advancement of organized dentistry.

Duong serves as a full-time associate professor at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health in The Center for Advanced Oral Health. She is a current AGD Board members, has earbed the prestigious AGD's Master designation, and has held a number of other roles at AGD including a regional director and locally at Arizona AGD. As a faculty advisor, she has cultivated a culture of engagement and professional identity, consistently creating opportunities through continuing education, leadership programming, mentorship and networking. She has encouraged student participation at the national level, including at AGD Scientific Session and the House of Delegates, and has introduced students to the care of patients with special needs broadening their clinical perspectives and reinforcing the values of compassion and advocacy.

Nominators described Duong as an authentic and inspiring leader who has remained active at the student, constituent, regional and national levels of the AGD, building relationships with members across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico to expand opportunities for those she advises.

Residency Program Director of the Year: Russ Bergman, D.M.D.

AGD has named Russ Bergman, DMD, its 2026 Residency Program Director of the Year, honoring his leadership and commitment to shaping the next generation of general dentists.

Bergman serves as vice chair of the Department of Dentistry and director of the General Practice Residency program at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, N.J. He has made AGD membership a foundational priority for residents from the outset of training and has consistently encouraged them to pursue the AGD Fellowship credential. Nominators praised his ability to balance high expectations with genuine mentorship and credited him with investing in residents' long-term careers connecting them with professional networks and tailoring guidance to individual goals.

A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Bergman completed his residency at Newark Beth Israel and was inducted into the American College of Dentists in 2023.