The ceremony was held on October 23, 2026, at the Didactic Center, and was hosted by Prof. Agnieszka Mielczarek, the Dean of the Faculty of Dental Medicine. Representatives of the university authorities also took the opportunity to speak.
“Your studies are certainly not the end of learning, but a solid beginning,” said Prof. Rafał Krenke, the Rector of WUM. “The next stage of education now begins in offices, clinics, medical wards.”
The Rector wished the graduates that, as they start their professional life, they would maintain courage, curiosity, humility regarding their own knowledge and that they would take care of good relations with others. Medicine should not obscure other important areas of life.
Prof. Agnieszka Mielczarek emphasized what connected graduates of dental medicine, dental hygiene and dental techniques.
“You are all members of the dental team. Your competences complement each other, providing comprehensive care for the patient's oral health, and, thus, for the health of the entire human body,” said the Dean.
When addressing the graduates, she encouraged them to be able to see the importance of other people's knowledge and skills in their future work.
“A good team is not only the total of individual competences, but, above all, the ability to work together, mutual respect and responsibility for the result achieved,” said the Dean.
Oath-taking ceremony and awards
No graduation ceremony at WUM may take place without taking the oath. The medical oath was taken by graduates of Dental Medicine in Polish and Dental Medicine in English. Then the graduates of the first-cycle studies (dental hygiene and dental techniques) took their oath.
The award ceremony for outstanding graduates was led by Prof. Jolanta Kostrzewa-Janicka, the Vice Dean for Dental Medicine and Dental Techniques, and the awards were presented by Prof. Rafał Krenke and Prof. Agnieszka Mielczarek.
The Golden Laurel of the Graduate for the best academic results was awarded to Adam Strzałkowski, a graduate of Dental Medicine. He also received a diploma with honors. Such diplomas were also awarded to Natalia Stępień and Klaudia Łukaszuk, both from the Faculty of Dental Medicine. The three of them came back on stage a few more times to receive awards funded by sponsors. Then, diplomas were awarded to the remaining graduates.
Voice of students and graduates
Jan Strużkiewicz, a representative of the graduates, stole the show with his spectacular speech. It was full of humor and distance, and, at the same time, very personal and touching. When addressing the university teachers, he said:
“We, the graduates, are immensely grateful for training us in the art and fostering our ethical values. Your work made it possible for us to walk the most beautiful path in our lives, which reaches its culmination with today's celebration.”
The speech, interrupted several times by laughter and applause, was concluded in Latin in the style of the famous hymns “Gaudeamus igitur” and “Gaude Mater Polonia”.
On behalf of the Dental Medicine Student Government, Klaudia Dwornikiewicz congratulated the graduates. In her speech, she focused on the experiences that brought students together during their years at the university. She reminded that it was not only a time of learning and challenges, but also of friendship, joint work and moments that would be remembered for a long time. She also thanked for the commitment, initiative and working together to create a good atmosphere at the university.
The graduates were also addressed by Divit Amarnani, a representative of the EDD Student Government. He recalled the path his older colleagues took during five years of study. A lot of them came to Warsaw from afar to pursue a demanding dental program. As he noted, their self-confidence grew with each year, each practical class and the first clinical experiences. With a characteristic sense of humor, he added that it was time to face another challenge: convincing the first patients that they knew what they were doing.
The ceremony ended with the performance of the Feroce String Quartet, whose members are students at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw.
Who took part in the event
Representatives of the university authorities: Prof. Rafał Krenke, the Rector, Prof. Dorota Olczak-Kowalczyk, the Vice Rector for Human Resources and the former Rector – Prof. Marek Krawczyk.
Guests: Justyna Mieszalska, the President of WUM Medical Center; Grzegorz Kwitkiewicz, the Vice President of the District Medical Council and the Chairman of the Commission for Dentists, Dr Dariusz Paluszek, a member of the District Medical Chamber, Katarzyna Ładno from TU INTER POLSKA, Cezary Zbierzchowski and Cezary Franczuk from Stern Weber Polska; Anna Spannbauer from ELMEX.
Representatives of other faculties of our university: Prof. Piotr Luliński, the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Prof. Tadeusz Grochowiecki, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Filip Raciborski, the Vice Dean for Public Health of the Faculty of Health Sciences.
The Chair of the Medical Sciences Discipline Council, WUM – Prof. Maria Struga.
The Chancellor with the deputies: Dr Marta Kijak-Bloch, Jarosław Prugar and Wojciech Bogusz.
The hosts of the event: Prof. Agnieszka Mielczarek, the Dean, Prof. Jolanta Kostrzewa-Janicka, the Vice Dean for Dental Medicine and Dental Techniques, Prof. Izabela Domitrz, the Vice Dean for Physiotherapy, Dr Joanna Peradzyńska, the Vice Dean for audiophonology with hearing prosthetics, dental hygiene and general and clinical speech therapy, Dr Piotr Regulski, the Vice Dean for International Relations and for the following programs: English Dentistry Division and Electroradiology.
