Accolades

Accolades

Medical Center faculty and staff often are recognized regionally, nationally and internationally for their academic or medical achievements. These accolades place UMMC among health science centers worldwide.

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UMMC School of Dentistry receives 2026 Service-Learning Champion GIVE Award

The University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry has been selected as a 2026 Service-Learning Champion, earning the GIVE Award in recognition of its extensive community outreach efforts. The honor reflects a broad portfolio of initiatives, including Dental Mission Week, Give Kids a Smile, the Jackson Free Clinic, Free Care Fridays, S.M.I.L.E. U, the Mississippi Public Oral Health Collaborative and its mission trips, as well as the school's service-learning curriculum and Honors in Service program.

The Service-Learning Champion designation recognizes educational institutions that integrate meaningful service into their academic experience. Recipients demonstrate a strong commitment to preparing students who are not only skilled professionals, but also civic-minded and socially engaged members of their communities.

Presented by Volunteer Mississippi in partnership with the Governor's Office, the GIVE Awards celebrate the spirit of service across the state. The program honors individuals and organizations whose contributions make a lasting impact while encouraging others to follow their example.

"Service is at the heart of everything we do in the School of Dentistry," said Dr. Pia Chatterjee Kirk. "Whether it's caring for patients in our clinics or reaching communities across Mississippi, we are training dentists who understand that improving oral health means meeting people where they are."

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UMMC receives national recognition for maternity care

The University of Mississippi Medical Center has earned national recognition as the only hospital in the state included on Newsweek's list of America's Best Maternity Hospitals 2026. The annual ranking, developed with Statista, honors 460 hospitals nationwide that demonstrate strong clinical outcomes, supportive patient experiences and innovative approaches to advancing maternal and newborn health at a time when access to maternity care is increasingly limited.

"This recognition reflects the level of care our teams provide every day as we care for patients across the full spectrum of pregnancy, including those at highest risk. Our goal is to ensure mothers and babies across Mississippi have access to the expertise, resources and support they need for the best possible outcomes."

The list is based on a comprehensive evaluation of clinical quality indicators such as complication and cesarean section rates, patient experience surveys, and recommendations from physicians and other maternity care professionals.

"This recognition speaks to the dedication of our physicians, nurses and staff who work every day to support mothers and their families," said Dodie McElmurray, CEO of university and community hospitals. "Our goal is to ensure that every patient who comes to UMMC feels supported, informed and cared for throughout their pregnancy, delivery and beyond."