The Gary and Alyse Ruth Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Wing was officially dedicated on November 1, 2008, at an elegant reception at the NYU College of Dentistry hosted by Dean Charles N. Bertolami.
“Gary and Alyse Ruth’s extraordinary generosity enables us to build the oral and maxillofacial surgery wing of our dreams,” said Dean Bertolami, who, like Dr. Ruth, is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. “The Ruths could have chosen any dental institution to support,” he continued, “but they chose NYU as their legacy because of their faith in the quality and humanity of this institution, and in the dedication that faculty and staff bring to relieving pain and suffering.”
Dr. Robert Glickman, Professor and Chair of NYU’s Mecca Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, noted that Dr. Ruth, a graduate of the University of Washington School of Dentistry and the Cornell Medical Center’s oral and maxillofacial surgery program, had chosen to make his gift to NYU because he was so impressed by the Mecca Department’s leadership in the field. “The faculty and staff are utterly committed to ensuring NYU’s continuing ability to make oral and maxillofacial surgery all that it can be.”
“Alyse and I saw the work that NYU faculty are doing in such areas as endoscopic surgery for salivary gland disease, pediatric cleft lip and cleft palate treatment, sleep apnea, reconstruction after oral cancer surgery, and TMD treatment, and we became convinced that only NYU would be capable of creating an infrastructure commensurate with the advances taking place in the field,” said Dr. Ruth. “We know that our faith is well placed.”
Dr. Larry Rosenthal, ‘72, himself a major donor to NYUCD and the person for whom the Rosenthal Institute for Aesthetic Dentistry is named, paid tribute to his long-time friends, Gary and Alyse Ruth, by calling them “true humanitarians, because they want everyone to have equal access to the highest quality health care.”