Class of 2026: Grace Yacura’s research led to a prestigious national honor

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Grace Yacura's passion for dentistry has everything to do with a person's smile.

"It's the first thing you see," she said. "Dentistry interacts with a person's mental health and self-confidence. Being able to help people in so many aspects of their life by focusing on their smile has been really rewarding."

Yacura graduates in May with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. Anusha Vaddi, B.D.S., MDSc., a diplomate with the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and assistant professor in oral diagnostic sciences at VCU, sees the "curiosity and dedication" that Yacura brings to her work.

Yacura served as the lead student investigator on a specialized education research project under Vaddi's mentorship. The research is centered on Cone Beam Computed Tomography, also known as CBCT, a 3D imaging technology that provides detailed views of bone, nerve pathways and soft tissues.

"From the beginning, she consistently demonstrated strong motivation and a solid work ethic," Vaddi said. "She is the kind of student who takes initiative and reflects on her work with maturity."

Yacura was the 2025 recipient of the Charles R. Morris Student Research Award, one of the highest national honors presented by the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. The award recognizes promising emerging investigators.

"Grace demonstrated strong attention to detail and contributed meaningfully to the study design and analysis," Vaddi said of the CBCT research project. "What stood out most was her ability to recognize limitations early and thoughtfully incorporate feedback to strengthen the project."

Winning the award reassured Yacura that she is "on the right path. It was a huge affirmation of the work we had been doing," she said. "It's amazing when a specialty recognizes and supports early researchers on their journey."

Yacura has been interested in the field of dentistry since the age of 12 because of the admiration she had for her own dentist.

"The more I thought about dentistry the more I realized this is what I want to do," she said.

She came to the VCU School of Dentistry after receiving a bachelor's degree in biology from Vassar College in New York.

"Being close to my family in Ashburn was a factor," she said, adding she immediately felt comfortable at VCU. "Also, VCU has one of the highest board pass rates and the school starts working hands-on early in the first semester. I really liked that."

One of her mentors in the School of Dentistry has been Robert Reinhart Jr., D.D.S., associate professor in the Department of General Practice.

"He helps us and makes sure we are ready to graduate," she said. "He is a strong proponent of dental ethics. He is an example of someone who is uncompromising in their standards."

After graduating, Yacura will complete a combined master's and residency in radiology at the Adams School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

"After I finish, I hope to pursue a career in academia and teach oral and maxillofacial radiology," she said.

Whatever she chooses, Vaddi is "confident Grace will excel during her oral radiology residency and continue to grow as a future contributor to the field."