10 June 2024

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Former Classmates Turn Compassion into Action

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“It was fate that we met that day,” said Shahid Aziz, DMD96, of his first encounter with Jose Marchena during a class photo. “I completed my undergrad in three years, instead of the typical four. If it wasn’t for that we never would have met on those front steps of Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). I remember Jose was standing right in front of me when that photo was taken.”

That fateful moment for Aziz and classmate Jose Marchena, DMD96, MD98, sparked a brotherhood that has lasted 33 years. As predoctoral students, the two spent almost every day together taking the same classes and attending the same labs with their peers.

The Class of 1996 finished their degrees in five years, marking the last class to do so before returning to a four-year predoctoral program. The fifth year of the program was devoted to either conducting research, managing a public health project, or beginning specialty training.

“My experience at HSDM was like no other. The faculty members were faithfully dedicated to the students, and they took a great deal of time and effort to foster a spirit of excellence among all of us,” said Marchena. “That close relationship allowed the faculty to closely monitor our progress and shape us into the type of practitioners we are today.”

Both Aziz and Marchena went on to pursue oral and maxillofacial surgery residencies after graduating from HSDM. Now, they have well-established careers in surgery and academic medicine, crediting their mentors at HSDM for opening the door into the world of academic oral surgery.

“Having role models, such as Dean Donoff, Dr. Leonard Kaban, and Dr. Guralnick, as a dental student really inspired me to go into academia instead of private practice,” said Aziz. “I had a lot of great instructors, many of whom encouraged me to train in oral and maxillofacial surgery.”

Marchena serves as an associate professor in the Bernard and Gloria Pepper Katz Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry. Aziz is the division director of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and professor of Otolaryngology at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.

In 2006, Aziz started the nonprofit organization, Smile Bangladesh—an organization dedicated to providing care to children and adults in Bangladesh with facial cleft deformities. The organization provides free treatment with the help of surgeons and nurses who volunteer their time and expertise.

“My father was from Bangladesh. Before he passed away, he asked me to never forget where I came from and always try to help those less fortunate,” said Aziz. “During my residency with Dr. Steve Roser, DMD68, I had the chance to travel on surgical missions to South America, where he taught me how to run a humanitarian mission. In 2006, I had my first mission to Bangladesh and Smile Bangladesh was born!”

To date, the organization has treated nearly 2,000 children with cleft lip and palate deformities. After running Smile Bangladesh on his own for a few years, Aziz was looking for additional help to grow the organization. In 2011, he recruited Marchena to become vice president of Smile Bangladesh to expand upon the organization’s vision and effort. The same year Marchena went on his first mission trip.

“That first trip is one I’ll never forget,” Marchena said. “I realized how important patient care really is. It’s just you and the patient. I’ll never forget the look on the parents’ faces after their child has been taken care of.”

Now in its eighteenth year, they don’t plan to slow down anytime soon. Twice a year the team travels to Bangladesh to provide free cleft lip and palate repairs to children in need. Many of the surgeons and residents who join are HSDM graduates, including Gregory Borah, DMD76, MD76, PD81, who also serves on the board of Smile Bangladesh.

“My experience with Smile Bangladesh continuously reminds me of the primary purpose of choosing a healthcare profession. It brings like-minded people together and touches the lives of doctors, residents, students, and patients alike,” said Marchena.

There is also an educational component to the organization. Aziz and Marchena have traveled all over the globe, lecturing on a wide range of oral surgery topics. Their ongoing commitment to making a difference in the lives of their patients has led the pair to receive recognition for their work with the organization. In 2017, Aziz received the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) Humanitarian Award. Marchena was honored with the same award in 2023.

Aziz hopes that in the future, they can develop a devoted team and center in Bangladesh to provide educational training for local surgeons and alleviate the wait time for patients needing critical care.

“The whole organization is a labor of love. I never would have predicted that first interaction on the steps would lead me, lead us, to the path we are on today,” said Aziz. “I’m so thankful to HSDM for bringing us together.”

Source: https://hsdm.harvard.edu/