The University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine is home to the Lambda Lambda Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) National Dental Honor Society.
Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the oldest National Dental Honor Society in the United States, was established in 1914 to promote and recognize scholarship and character among students of dentistry.
Alumni membership is limited to graduating dental students who have distinguished themselves through excellence in scholarship and who demonstrate exemplary ethical character and potential for future professional growth and attainment.
New alumni membership is limited to 12% of the entire class. Election is based on academic achievement, character, service, and leadership activities on behalf of the UB School of Dental Medicine and the dental profession.
Dentists who are dental school faculty who have been elected to membership after service as a full-time teacher or a part-time teacher for six years. To be eligible for election, a member of a faculty shall have made an outstanding contribution to the art, science or literature of dentistry in addition to the minimum period of service.
A component chapter may elect to honorary membership any dentist (who is not a faculty member of a dental school) who has made an outstanding contribution to the art, science or literature of dentistry and others who have made similar contributions to the advancement of dentistry.
An Annual Convocation and Installation Dinner is held in the spring, and the Annual Academic Excellence Luncheon is held in the fall, both recognizing outstanding academic achievement.
The obligations of OKU membership are few, but essential to maintain the integrity of the organization. Each member is expected to promote the high ethical standards of dentistry and to merit the respect of our colleagues and the public we serve at all times. Additionally, members are expected to support the Lambda Lambda Chapter financially through the payment of annual dues to this chapter.
The dues revenue, along with optional scholarship contributions, allows this chapter to continue its recognition of other outstanding students and established professionals who have contributed to the advancement of the dental profession.