Five Things
Carol Gomez Summerhays DDS ’78
2026 Ostrow Commencement Speaker
BY YASMINE GRIMBLE MCG ’16
WHEN OSTROW’S CLASS OF 2026 GATHERS for Commencement on May 15 at 4:30 p.m. in the USC Village Great Lawn, graduates will hear from a speaker who knows what it means to build a meaningful career and give back to the school that helped launch it. Carol Gomez Summerhays DDS ’78 has stayed deeply connected to Ostrow as an alumni leader, donor and advocate for the profession. She has led at the highest levels of organized dentistry, created scholarships for students and remained a steady presence in the Trojan Dental Family for decades. Before she takes the stage, here are five things to know about this year’s keynote speaker.
1. A HEALTH PROFESSIONS SCHOLARSHIP MADE HER TROJAN STORY POSSIBLE.
Summerhays’ educational journey at Ostrow was only made possible by a Health Professions Scholarship, a military scholarship that pays for a student’s training in exchange for military service. She was commissioned as an officer prior to starting dental school. She fulfilled her service commitment and then some (four years active duty and 11 years inactive duty) — continuing a proud family tradition of four generations of military service (!) — before returning to civilian life and private practice. That experience shaped the way she thinks about service, opportunity and responsibility. “That scholarship changed my life,” she says. “It opened the door to USC and gave me the chance to build the career I dreamed of.”
2. COMMUNITY SERVICE HAS GUIDED HER FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
One of the things that first drew Summerhays to Ostrow was the Mobile Dental Clinic and the school’s commitment to caring for underserved communities. Decades later, she continues to support the same clinic as well as has supported national and international projects. She credits much of her growth to her mentor, Ostrow professor and former Chair of the Department of Community Dentistry and Public Health, Dr. Clifton Dummett, whose encouragement helped shape her path as a service-minded leader. “He saw something in me before I saw it in myself,” she says. To honor his legacy, she later established an endowed scholarship in his name at Ostrow.
3. SHE BROKE BARRIERS IN ORGANIZED DENTISTRY.
Summerhays built an extraordinary professional record, serving as president of both the California Dental Association and the American Dental Association and currently as an officer at the FDI World Federation based in Geneva, Switzerland. In a profession where women were not always represented in top leadership roles, her rise stands out. Her career shows that success in dentistry is not only about clinical skill. It is also about leadership, service and the willingness to step into spaces where change is needed. “I never set out to chase titles,” she says. “I just wanted to serve well and make a difference.”
4. SHE HAS TURNED GRATITUDE INTO SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FUTURE STUDENTS.
One of the most meaningful ways Summerhays says she’s been able to give back to Ostrow is through scholarships. She helped create two: the Dr. Clifton Dummett Endowed Scholarship and the Dr. Carol Gomez Summerhays and Mr. Soames Summerhays Family Scholarship, which is designed to help attract prospective students to USC. The effort is deeply personal. “Supporting students this way feels like the most meaningful way to give back,” she says. “If a scholarship can open the door for someone the way it did for me, that is incredibly rewarding.”
5. HAWAI’I IS MORE THAN A GETAWAY. IT’S PART OF HER STORY.
Summerhays says her connection to Hawai’i runs deep and has shaped her family’s identity. Her mother’s family emigrated from the Philippines in the early 1900s, her mother was born in Hawai’i and identified as Hawaiian. Having a home there now is more than a lifestyle choice. It is a meaningful connection to family history and the place that keeps her grounded. “Our little piece of paradise,” she says, with a smile.
Carol Summerhays will be the featured speaker at Ostrow’s satellite Commencement ceremony, taking place Friday, May 15 at 4:30 p.m. on the USC Village Great Lawn. For more information, please visit the ceremony page.