Dr. Fred Garrett awarded honorary alumnus of UTSD

Garrett & Boyd Orthodontics is proud to announce that Dr. Fred Garrett has been awarded honorary alumnus status at The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston (UTSD). This award is in recognition of his 50 years of service to the school — a part of UT Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). He is the first dental professional to receive an honorary degree from the school.

Dr. Garrett began teaching in the Graduate Orthodontic Program in 1968 and saw his 50th class of orthodontic residents graduate on Aug. 10, 2019 in a special ceremony in the Texas Medical Center. School of Dentistry Dean John Valenza, DDS, used the occasion to recognize the unsuspecting professor.

“Dr. Garrett’s alma mater, Washington University School of Dentistry, closed in 1991,”  Valenza said. “Since then, he’s found himself to be an alum without a school, even though he has always had UTSD Houston as a place to call home. So on behalf of the residents, students, faculty, and staff, Fred, I would like to officially welcome you as an alumnus of UTSD.”

It was the first honorary degree the school has ever bestowed on a dental professional, Valenza said, but the extraordinary honor recognizes decades of devotion. Garrett has served on the UTHealth Development Board and the School of Dentistry’s Advisory Board, and he twice lead the Department of Orthodontics as interim chair and program director. With a gift of $500,000 in 2011, he and his wife Dianne created the first endowed chair in UTSD’s history.

Click here to read more about Dr. Garrett’s honorary degree and his other accomplishments at UTSD.