What is OKU

Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) is the national dental honor society, in other words it is the Phi Beta Kappa of dentistry. The organization was founded in 1914 at Northwestern University, and the Greek letters Omicron Kappa Upsilon were selected because together they translate as Teeth and Health. There are now approximately 60 chapters at the dental schools in the U.S. and Canada. The UCLA chapter was founded in 1967 and is called Epsilon Zeta chapter.
Each chapter has faculty members, honorary members, and alumni members. The latter represent our most important membership source because a new group is selected each year from the graduating class.

Graduating Students: Twelve percent of the entire graduating class, who, in addition to scholarship, have demonstrated exemplary traits of character and potential qualities of future professional growth and attainments.

Faculty Members: Dentists in a dental school faculty who have been full-time teachers for three years or part-time teachers for six years. Shall have made outstanding contributions to the art, science, or literature of dentistry.

Honorary Members: Any member of the dental profession who has made outstanding contribution to the art, science, or literature of dentistry and others not members of the dental profession who have made similar contribution to the advancement of dentistry.

What Awards Are Presented

The Robert Wolcott Award

To be awarded to a member of the faculty of the ucla school of dentistry who has fulfilled the following criteria:

1. Through his dedication as a teacher by having shared his knowledge, skills, and professionalism with the students of the ucla school of dentistry.
   
2. Earned the respect and appreciation of his/her colleagures for contributions to the school through active participation in activities which are so essential for its daily operation, in planning for its future and in generating a cooperative intramural relationship.
   
3. Contributed to the school’s stature in the professional community at the local, state, national and international level through research and professional cometencies.
   
4. With each passing year has endeavored to leave the school a legacy of pride, acievement, and ambition.
   

Kramer Award

To honor annually a third year student at all colleges of dentistry in the U.S. and Canada in recognition of scholarship, character and professional promise.

Functions Throughout The Year

Meet the new first year dental students for an informal dinner during the Fall Quarter; Pride in Our School Day in which we pitch in and do some serious housecleaning in the school and then enjoy lunch together; the Thanksgiving Health Fair held In Santa Monica and the end of the year Banquet honoring the new student, faculty and honorary members.