The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) recently awarded Mackenzie Bankes, a third-year dental student at Texas A&M College of Dentistry (TAMCOD), the prestigious Avani and Chethan Chetty Scholarship. The scholarship will support Bankes in attending AGD's Annual Scientific Session, one of the premier continuing education events in general dentistry. This year, AGD2026 will be hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada, June 24-27 at Ceasars Palace.

The Avani and Chethan Chetty Scholarship is awarded to an AGD member who is a recent dental school graduate, current resident or enrolled dental student and someone who exemplifies the spirit of lifelong learning and professional dedication that the AGD champions.

Bankes, an Abilene Christian University alumnus, is no stranger to going above and beyond. Earlier this year, she was honored with the Outstanding Professionalism Award at TAMCOD, a recognition that speaks volumes about the kind of dentist she is already becoming. Her peers and faculty have taken notice of her integrity, her compassion for patients and her drive to do right by every person who sits in her chair.

"Mackenzie embodies everything this scholarship is meant to celebrate," said Chethan Chetty, DDS, MAGD, AGD past president. "Her dedication to underserved communities, her tireless involvement in student organizations and her long-term commitment to the AGD make her an exceptional choice. We are thrilled to support her journey."

Bankes is honored not just for her academic record but her concern for others. She has volunteered on dental mission trips both locally and internationally, providing free care including cleanings, fillings and extractions to communities that might otherwise go without. Back on campus, she serves as the dental student representative on the TAMCOD Alumni Association Board and is actively involved with the Texas Association of Women Dentists, the Student Wellness Committee, the Hispanic Student Dentists Association and LIGHT, where she has held officer roles and contributed to membership coordination, financial management and service event planning.

Bankes joined the AGD as a first-year dental student. She has remained consistently engaged through meetings, continuing education courses and her current role on the executive team of her student AGD chapter in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Her goals are just as ambitious as her track record. Bankes plan to earn both her AGD Fellowship and Mastership after graduation, a long-term investment in excellence that few pursue and even fewer achieve.

"I'm incredibly honored to receive this scholarship," Bankes said. "AGD has been a part of my dental school journey since day one, and being able to attend the scientific session is an experience I know will shape the kind of dentist and leader I want to be. I'm grateful to the Chetty family and the AGD for this opportunity."

The AGD scientific session brings together thousands of general dentists for cutting-edge continuing education, hands-on workshops and networking with colleagues from across the country. For a student like Bankes, the meeting includes a full collection of learning and networking experiences for new dentists and dental students.