Dr. Bryan Whitaker (left) and wife Carol (center) recently established a scholarship named for longtime family friend and WVU School of Dentistry faculty member Dr. Jerry Bouquot (right).
A West Virginia University School of Dentistry faculty member and his wife are simultaneously expanding opportunities for dental students engaged in research and paying tribute to an esteemed colleague.
A $10,000 gift from Dr. Bryan and Carol Whitaker established the Bouquot Scholarship for Excellence in Research. The scholarship rewards dental students from West Virginia for excellence and creativity in oral health research.
The scholarship is named for Dr. Jerry Bouquot, a family friend and longtime faculty member at the School of Dentistry. Over time, the Whitakers hope to grow the scholarship fund to an endowment that will forever carry on Bouquot’s legacy.
Bouquot offered Dr. Whitaker his first job upon completion of his residency in 1992 and, nearly 30 years later, he was thrilled to have Whitaker return to the School of Dentistry faculty. Whitaker is currently the interim chair of the School’s Department of Diagnostic Sciences.
“West Virginia is a beautiful part of the country, and we have found the people here to be very genuine and welcoming, especially Dr. Bouquot and his wife as they became a part of our lives both professionally and personally,” Whitaker said.
Following a recent loss, Carol Whitaker opted to use her inheritance to honor Bouquot for his accomplishments in the oral health care field. Bouquot has taught oral pathology for the past 50 years; discovered and named over 40 diseases; published more than 340 papers, abstracts, books and book chapters; and peer-reviewed more than 1,500 scientific papers for over 40 journals. He has received more than 50 honors and awards, including WVU’s highest awards for teaching and service to humanity.
“Dr. Bouquot has a heart and a passion for the school,” Bryan Whitaker said. “It’s such a blessing for us to be able to do something tangible that can directly help students and hopefully inspire students by all Dr. Bouquot’s accomplishments by recognizing the Bouquot name.”
Bouquot said he was fortunate to be trained by world-renowned experts who taught him that he had an obligation to “pass it forward,” and he learned that WVU was the perfect place to do so.
“Unbeknownst to me, in those early years, was the realization that the success of my own students and their wonderful, lifelong friendships was the greatest blessing of all, and I know of no dental school in America with a stronger sense of family and fellowship than the dental school at West Virginia University,” Bouquot said. “Dr. and Mrs. Whitaker became family to me and my family three decades ago and continue to be that today. That is precious to me. I have received many, many honors, national and international, but none are as meaningful as the scholarship now established by the Whitakers. And no school deserves it more than WVU.”
Carol Whitaker said she has a heart for dentists since she is married to one and, in turn, has a heart for dental students, too.
"Dentists provide an important service to the community," she said. "We know what it is like [for students] to be at this stage in their lives, and we are inspired by their work ethic and commitment. We are hopeful that this scholarship will help the students here to start off on the right foot."
Megan Pycraft, a doctoral student studying dental surgery, said the new scholarship is impactful for both Bouquot’s legacy and the representation of oral health at WVU.
“Dr. Bouquot has had a major impact on the field,” Pycraft said. “Something we hear a lot is WVU puts out great clinicians and for people to recognize that, it’s made me really proud to attend here.”
The Whitakers’ gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
To support the Bouquot Scholarship and other funds at the School of Dentistry, visit give.wvu.edu/dentistry or contact Director of Development Karen Coombs at 304-216-3784 or kcoombs@wvuf.org.