273 new dentists graduated from Medipol

The 2026 Graduation Ceremony of the School of Dentistry at Istanbul Medipol University was held at the B4 Garden of the Kavacık South Campus, marking the culmination of years of rigorous education that began with the symbolic white coat ceremony. Graduates of the Dentistry Turkish Program, Dentistry English Program, and International Student Dentistry English Program completed an education that combined scientific knowledge with clinical training and officially began their professional careers. The ceremony was attended by Prof. Recep Öztürk, Vice President of Istanbul Medipol University; Prof. İbrahim Sina Uçkan, Dean of the School of Dentistry; academic staff, administrative personnel, students, and their families. 

MEDIPOL'S JOURNEY OF QUALITY STRENGTHENED BY ITS TIMES RANKING SUCCESS
Addressing the ceremony, Prof. Recep Öztürk, Vice President of Istanbul Medipol University, highlighted the School of Dentistry's strong academic foundation built upon a culture of quality, universal scientific principles, and an innovative educational vision. He noted that Istanbul Medipol University had received five-year Full Institutional Accreditationfrom the Higher Education Quality Council (YÖKAK), while the Dentistry Program had also been granted five-year accreditation by DEPAD.

"This represents both the level of excellence our students and our institution have achieved in the global competitive environment and our unwavering commitment to quality."

Öztürk also emphasized the University's national and international achievements, stating that Istanbul Medipol University ranked in the 801–1000 band worldwide in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 and placed ninth among 109 Turkish universities included in the rankings. He further noted that the University ranked within the 601–800 band globally in Medicine and Health, adding that its designation as a Candidate Research University by the Council of Higher Education reflects its commitment to producing scientific knowledge and serving humanity through research.
 

PROF. ÖZTÜRK: TO HEAL ONE PERSON IS TO HEAL HUMANITY
Addressing the graduates, Öztürk stated that young dentists begin their professional lives carrying not only clinical expertise but also the responsibility of representing humanity's conscience and compassion. Referring to the suffering caused by wars, global injustice, and humanitarian crises, he said:

"As physicians, we must stand against the destructive mindset that reduces human beings to mere performance indicators or cold statistics."

He continued: "To heal even one person is, in fact, to heal all of humanity."

Öztürk encouraged graduates to remain guided by reason, ethics, and science throughout their professional lives, expressing his hope that they would become ambassadors of compassion, justice, and respect for life.
 

PROF. UÇKAN: CARRY YOUR PROFESSION WITH HUMANITY
Prof. İbrahim Sina Uçkan, Dean of the School of Dentistry, described graduation not as an ending but as the beginning of a new chapter. He emphasized that the graduates had reached this milestone through years of dedication, patience, and determination, and that their success reflected the collective efforts of students, families, and faculty members.

Reminding graduates that being a good dentist also requires being a good human being, Uçkan said:

"Offer your patients not only treatment, but also trust, understanding, and hope. Wherever your career takes you, carry knowledge with humility, authority with responsibility, and your profession with humanity."
 

MESSAGE FROM VALEDICTORIANS: CONSCIENCE IS AS ESSENTIAL AS KNOWLEDGE
Speaking on behalf of the graduates of the Dentistry Turkish Program, valedictorian Ecem Kuleyin said that her university years had taught her the importance of dreaming, courage, and pursuing work with passion.

"Everything begins with having a dream. Then comes the courage to pursue that dream, working hard, wanting it wholeheartedly, and truly loving what you do."

She emphasized that graduation marks the beginning of a new responsibility to use acquired knowledge for the benefit of humanity. Paying tribute to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, she added:

"As graduates standing here today, we carry the responsibility of becoming the free-thinking, questioning, and productive generations envisioned by our Republic."
 

Representing the graduates of the Dentistry English Program, valedictorian Ayşe Nilsu Adlım described dental education as a demanding journey requiring patience, perseverance, and solidarity.

"Dentistry is a long journey; its practical training, theoretical studies, weekly requirements, and clinical quotas never seem to end."

She thanked her instructors, family, and friends for their support and reflected that her six years of education had taught her not only professional knowledge but also justice, compassion, respect, solidarity, humanity, and perseverance. She dedicated her achievement to "children who cannot even attend school, let alone graduate, because they live under oppression."
 

Speaking on behalf of the graduates of the International Student Dentistry English Program, valedictorian Haneen Amjad Mousa Yaghi said that she had never imagined becoming a dentist as a child, making it especially meaningful to stand before her classmates as valedictorian.

"Today, we stand here as proof that determination can take people far beyond what they ever imagined."

Recalling the many challenges they faced, including demanding clinical training, sleepless nights, the pandemic, earthquakes, and the suffering in Gaza, she concluded:

"Being a good person is not a decision we make once; it is a choice we make every day through the small things we do."

She encouraged her fellow graduates to practice dentistry with integrity, compassion, and a deep sense of responsibility.
 

TOP GRADUATES HONORED
During the ceremony, Ecem Kuleyin, Sude Uzun, and Rağad Allazkani, who ranked first, second, and third respectively in the Dentistry Turkish Program, received their commemorative plaques from Prof. Recep Öztürk, Vice President of Istanbul Medipol University.

In the Dentistry English Program, Ayşe Nilsu Adlım, İlayda Korkmaz, and Zeynep Dedeoğlu graduated first, second, and third, while in the International Student Dentistry English Program, Haneen Amjad Mousa Yaghi, Fatıma Yusıfova, and Joud Aljumaah achieved the top three rankings. Their awards were presented by Prof. İbrahim Sina Uçkan, Dean of the School of Dentistry.
 

YOUNG DENTISTS TOOK THEIR PROFESSIONAL OATH
One of the ceremony's most meaningful moments was the recitation of the professional oath by the graduating dentists. Led by Prof. Mete Üngör, Faculty Member at the School of Dentistry of Istanbul Medipol University, the graduates pledged to practice dentistry with conscience, ethical responsibility, and respect for human life.

They vowed to dedicate their lives to serving humanity, to fulfill their professional responsibilities with diligence and integrity, and to place the health of both patients and society above all else. They also pledged never to allow differences in religion, nationality, race, political belief, or social status to interfere with the care they provide, beginning their professional careers with a commitment to human dignity.
 

GRADUATION ON STAGE, PALESTINE IN THEIR HEARTS
After receiving their diplomas, the graduates celebrated by tossing their graduation caps into the air. The ceremony concluded with a group photograph, while many graduates carried Palestinian flags and keffiyehs as a symbolic expression of solidarity with those suffering in Palestine.