Omicron Kappa Upsilon

About OKU

OKU members — Class of 2025 DMD graduates Gavin Chen, Juliana Enriquez, Martin Haugstad, and Boris Sorkin were recognized and inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon dental honor society. Dr. Chia Yu Chen, assistant professor of Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, was also inducted into the society.

Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) is dentistry’s national dental honor society. Established in 1914, its name, derived from the Greek letters Omicron, Kappa, and Upsilon, translates to “teeth and health.” Today, there are about 60 active chapters at dental schools throughout the United States and Canada.

The Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s chapter, founded in 1930, is known as the Gamma Gamma Chapter of OKU. Each chapter includes faculty, alumni, and honorary members. The most significant membership additions occur annually when a select group of graduating students is invited to join.

Membership criteria

Alumni members

Up to 12 percent of the graduating class may be elected to membership. These students are recognized not only for academic excellence but also for exemplary character, integrity, and potential for continued professional growth.

Faculty members

Faculty may be elected after three years of full-time teaching or six years of part-time service. Selection is based on distinguished contributions to the art, science, or literature of dentistry.

Quick links

OKU Supreme Chapter website Harvard School of Dental Medicine chapter members