Morgan S. Celistan, DMD, MMSc (DEN ‘20)
Morgan S. Celistan, DMD, MMSc (DEN ‘20) has been named the 2025 Outstanding New Dentist. Her dedication to patient care, academia and curriculum development, participation in organized dentistry, and mentorship of dental students have set a new benchmark for excellence in the field.
Dr. Celistan’s organization, hard work, and dedication were noticed as she was selected to serve as Chief Resident in her final year in the postdoctoral Endodontics residency program at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Her thesis project on the treatment of post-endodontic pain in patients of different races was presented and won an award at the 2023 AAE Conference. Dr. Celistan’s passion for academia is highlighted through lectures and presentations and her recent appointment to serve as the Director of Predoctoral Endodontics at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine where she spearheads the endodontic curriculum development for predoctoral students. With her guidance and support, third-year students achieved a 100% first-time pass rate on the endodontic portion of the ADEX exam in February of 2025.
While attending CWRU, Dr. Celistan held leadership positions in the Student National Dental Association and was a member of the American Student Dental Association and the Delta Sigma Delta Fraternity. She also co-founded the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association in 2019 and has maintained active roles in organized dentistry ever since. Dr. Celistan served on the Resident Expert Advisory Council for the AAE Foundation and as the ADEA District 1 Board Postgraduate Committee Chair as an endodontic resident. She currently is a member of the CWRU School of Dental Medicine Alumni Association Board of Directors, is secretary of the Massachusetts Association of Endodontists, and is the New Practitioner Trustee for the Foundation for Endodontics. She is also a member of the National Dental Association, American Dental Association, American Association of Endodontists, American Dental Education Association, and the Harvard Odontological Society. Additionally, Dr. Celistan practices clinically in the greater Boston area.
Dr. Celistan has mentored a host of students throughout the years, and currently is working with students from the Biomedical Science Careers Program of Harvard Medical School and the American Association for Women Dentists. She is deeply committed to creating opportunities for mentorship, leadership development, equitable access to specialty training, and providing supportive environments for future generations of underrepresented groups in dentistry.
Kari Cunningham, DMD (DEN ‘10) said, “Dr. Celistan represents our alma mater and our profession with poise, grace, dignity, and respect and has put herself in a position to pay it forward by giving back. She is a shining star as a new dentist and is blazing a trail that many of our new dentist colleagues can follow for years to come.”