Honouring Through Impact
A scholarship in memory of an alum aims to support future dentists
The family of the late Ann Goziotis 9T0, 9T3 Dip Perio has established a $100,000 endowed scholarship in her name.
The Dr. Ann Goziotis 9T0 Scholarship in Periodontics and Pharmacology will award approximately $4,000 to a second-year undergraduate student who achieves the highest combined average in periodontics and pharmacology.
Craig Dunbar, Ann’s husband, along with their three children — Natalie, Stephanie and David — wanted to honour Ann and the career she loved.
“Ann was a proud U of T grad and periodontist,” says Craig. “She loved what she did — it wasn’t just clinical care, it was patient relationships and her ability to positively impact their lives. Her time at U of T shaped her in such a positive way — her classmates became like family, and it felt like we needed to do something to express gratitude to both the school and the class of 9T0, hence the name of the award.”
It was at Ann’s celebration of life in June 2024 that some of those classmates talked to the Dunbar family about recognizing Ann. Craig said at first he wasn’t sure, knowing how private a person Ann was, but it struck him that so many of her friends, family and classmates wanted to honour her.
“We discussed as a family the best way to do this and a scholarship felt like the right idea,” says Craig. “Having our son Dave choose the same profession as Ann played a big part in that. We know that students today often rely on sup-port for their education, and we hope this scholarship not only helps with financial hardships but also inspires them, knowing they have a community behind them.”
Ann studied pharmacology and periodontics, and now David Dunbar 2T3 — he was also former Dental Students’ Society president — is pursuing a periodontics specialty at the University of Michigan.
"U of T has created great opportunities and a wonderful professional life for many"
“My mom was a role model for me in many ways,” says David. “In dentistry, she prioritized kindness, quality care and human connection above all else. In my journey, my mom was my biggest supporter. Being admitted to U of T for dentistry and later to the University of Michigan for periodontics are moments I’ll never forget, and ones I was lucky to share with my mom.”
Craig reflects on what it was like to watch Ann and David have conversations at the dinner table about their shared experiences.
“I came from a business and engineering background, and while Ann and I didn’t share a profession, I knew how much she loved her work,” says Craig. “But when Dave quite literally followed in her footsteps, I was able to watch how they both lit up talking about patient care and surgeries. He was enthralled by her, and it struck me even more just how much this career meant to her. It was a beautiful thing to witness.”
Craig says the Faculty also offered Ann valuable, lifelong relationships — and those extended to him, too.
“Partners used to joke about being honorary 9T0 class-mates because we would always be included in their events. And we even were featured prominently in yearbook photos,” he recalls. “I recently went to their 35th class reunion and was delighted and honoured to be included.”
Craig notes that charitable donations might not always be top of mind, depending on where people are in their lives.
“Sometimes life creates moments that have you reflect. And even when those moments are hard, it can be an opportunity to find positive ways to make an impact,” he says. “My advice is to find ways to express gratitude. Showing appreciation was always important to Ann and I’ve never had an experience where generously expressing gratitude wasn’t fulfilling or positive.”
Ann’s life touched those she cared for, and now her legacy will live on.
“U of T has created great opportunities and a wonderful professional life for many, including Ann,” says Craig. “I hope this award helps future generations of students to have a fulfilling career that will positively impact people’s lives. That’s the true gift of this profession.”
Top photo: The Dunbars (from left to right): Stephanie, David, Craig and Natalie (by Stef & Ethan)