The University of Arizona

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency - Current Residents

Residents – PGY1	Brief Bio
Sam Macwan, DDS	Undergraduate: Gujarat University, India Dental School: Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry Personal Interests: Cooking and sharing meals with friends, motorbikes, reading Gujarati novels, community outreach Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: After training and working across India and Canada, I was looking for a program that could challenge me clinically while offering a truly supportive culture. From the first day of my rotation here, it was clear that Banner OMFS embodied everything I value in a surgical team—collaboration, humility, and excellence. The volume and complexity of cases here are unmatched, and I feel privileged to be learning in an environment where residents are trusted and expected to grow into capable, independent surgeons. We treat patients across the full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery, and our exposure spans clinics, trauma bays, inpatient units, and ORs every week. I feel at home here, learning from incredible mentors and teammates who push each other to be better every day.
Nipun Mahajan, DDS	Undergraduate: Christian Medical College, Punjab, India Dental School: UCSF School of Dentistry Personal Interests: Spending time with my wife and dog, hiking, cycling, Soccer, watch enthusiast. Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: The OMFS service at UofA/BUMC is a busy Trauma service and provides a well-rounded exposure to all aspects of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The program has a culture of professionalism, respect and collegiality which is hard to come by in surgical programs across the country. I love the southwest and the cultural diversity it provides. I feel fortunate and proud to continue my training here.
Lucy Schlink, DDS	Undergraduate: Ave Maria University Dental School: University of Connecticut Personal Interests: Spending time with family, friends, and dog, hiking, boating, swimming, tennis and traveling. Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: Some of my fondest childhood memories are of climbing the red rocks of Sedona during family vacations - moments that first connected me to Arizona. While the location felt like a natural fit, what truly drew me to the University of Arizona – Banner OMFS program was a personal phone call from the chiefs. Their warmth and authenticity perfectly reflected the programs culture. Every day begins with a sense of purpose, knowing I’m surrounded by attendings and residents who genuinely support one another. Mutual respect defines the team, and mentorship here feels deeply personal rooted in a shared goal of shaping each resident into the best surgeon they can become. What stands out most is the sincere dedication to patient care, consistently demonstrated not only in clinical decisions but in everyday interactions. Being part of this program feels like both a privilege and a home.
Daniel Shin, DMD	Undergraduate: University of California, Berkeley Dental School: A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health Personal Interest: Eating good food with family and friends, finding new TV series to watch, building Legos. Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: I have spent the past four years in Arizona for dental school, and during that time, I grew to love the area. It has become my second home and continuing to stay in Arizona just made sense especially after seeing what the program had to offer. What stood out to me was how the attendings truly created an environment for learning and how the program cares about the well-being of the residents. The program also provides great exposure to trauma and management of medically complex patients. Lastly, the residents all work together and genuinely help each other succeed.
PGY2	Brief Bio
Daniel Jameson, DMD	Undergraduate: Loyola University Chicago Dental School: Tufts University School of Dental Medicine Personal Interests: Spending time with my fiancé and cats, photography, hunting, fishing, cooking, hiking, golf Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: I’ve had ties to AZ since the early 2000’s; my father commuted frequently for work. I fell in love with the area over the years, and it is a welcome change of pace. I could tell through speaking to the residents and attendings while interviewing this program has a phenomenal culture with everyone having strong values. Every person was so welcoming and truly showed they were happy to be a part of this team. Hearing about the responsibilities and exposure each resident has demonstrated that this program clearly prepares surgeons well. From day one, I felt like I was trusted to make decisions and provide quality care, while knowing I have a support system at my disposal whenever I need it. On a weekly basis, you can expect patient exposure within the clinic, emergency department, trauma bay, inpatient rooms and operating room. Our resident team works so well together — I never feel isolated. I am learning at a pace I never thought possible, and I am so grateful for my time here thus far!
Sydney Woods, DDS	Undergraduate: Washington University in St. Louis Dental School: University of Iowa College of Dentistry Personal Interests: College volleyball, Nebraska Football, hiking with my dog, trying new restaurants around Phoenix Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: I loved University of Arizona's blend of excellent surgical experience, comradery between the residents and attendings, and promoting academic excellence. It's such an amazing opportunity to see trauma cases I thought I would only ever see in academic journals. Phoenix is a great place to work hard and learn a lot but also get sunshine all year round!
PGY3	Brief Bio
Justin Cerrito, DDS	Undergraduate: North Carolina State University Dental School: University of Maryland School of Dentistry Personal Interests: Sports, cooking, spending time outdoors, traveling, finding new ways to beat the Arizona heat Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: One aspect that stood out to me was the blend of excellent surgical experience with a residency environment that encourages camaraderie and collaboration amongst residents and attendings. One part of our training that appeals to me is the high volume of trauma cases that we get to treat. They expose the residents to a wide variety of complex surgeries. All of that combined with year-round sunshine and warm temperatures makes for a great overall residency experience.
Travis Pero, DDS	Undergraduate: The University of Akron Dental School: The Ohio State University College of Dentistry Personal Interests: Dog-lover, Ohio State Buckeyes Football, cooking, restaurant hopping with friends, exploring nearby Arizona towns and parks. Why Arizona and the U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: Having spent a year as non-categorical intern in a heavy dentoalveolar program, I was excited by the opportunity to expand my surgical education with a fuller scope residency experience. I was lucky enough to find both in this program—major pathology cases, a high volume of trauma, TMJ, in office Botox, pre-prosthetic surgery, extractions, and complex implant cases. The part time faculty here are also a huge benefit, always willing to teach, inviting residents to join interesting cases, hosting journal clubs, etc... And the best part is, I honestly believe the best is yet to come at Banner University OMFS!
PGY4	Brief Bio
Seongnoh Lee, DDS	Undergraduate: University of Detroit Mercy Dental School: University of Detroit Mercy Personal Interests: Soccer, other outdoor activities Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: Coming from East Asia and living in the East coast for more than 10 years, I have always been in the east side. It was about time for me to explore the west. Too many places to explore in this small place we call Earth, yet life is too short. In my opinion, just like everything in life, residency is truly what you make of it. It doesn’t matter who you work with, there is always something to learn from. Even better when people around you are willing to teach. Arizona is the best place because we are all here for the same reason. Constant challenge to grow — not only as a surgeon, but also as a person. That is what I love about our program.
Lauren A. Lill, DDS	Undergraduate: UCLA Dental School: UCLA School of Dentistry Personal Interests: Outdoor activities like hiking and biking, reading books Why Arizona and U of A College of Medicine – Phoenix: I lovedCollege of Medicine – Phoenix during my interview because I felt like the residents and attendings were very friendly and easy to talk to. Now that I have been working here, I appreciate how the program genuinely cares about the wellbeing of its residents. We are very busy and work hard every day, but fellow residents, attendings and staff are always there to lend a helping hand if needed. Teamwork and a supportive environment are a strong emphasis here! I have gained so much experience in all aspects of OMFS, and I am truly thankful that I matched with this program.