USC Dental Student Earns Top Friends of Dentistry Scholarship

Inspired in part by the late, great Charlie Goldstein, Arman Zograbyan DDS ’27 aims to make a difference as an orthodontist committed to instilling a sense of trust and comfort in his patients.

BY JAMIE WETHERBE MA ’04

THE PATH FOR ARMAN ZOGRABYAN DDS ’27 took an unexpected turn during a routine five-mile run.

At the halfway mark, Arman Zograbyan paused to catch his breath and check his email, where an update about the Friends of Dentistry Scholarship happened to be waiting in his inbox.

One of four finalists delivering presentations to the Friends of Dentistry Scholarship selection committee, Zograbyan had been chosen as the top winner of the 2026 Friends of Dentistry Scholarship, earning $35,000. His fellow finalists also received significant scholarships of at least $15,000.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Zograbyan says of receiving the highly anticipated news. “I think I had my fastest run time ever on the way back. I immediately went home to tell my family, and they were so proud and happy for me.”

Shaped by Experience

Zograbyan’s dental journey began at an early age. His dad’s pizza shop in Pasadena, Calif., shared a plaza with his family’s dentist. Even though inconsistent dental visits and cavities were part of Zograbyan’s childhood, he found comfort in the care.

“I always looked forward to going,” he says. “Everyone was so welcoming, and we bonded over shared interests, family and other things as well.”

Over time, those visits began to mean something more. “There was something powerful about walking into a space where someone could take discomfort or uncertainty and transform it into relief and reassurance,” he says.

As a teenager, Zograbyan again experienced the transformative impact of dentistry when seeking treatment for a severe overbite and crowded teeth. Continual lapses in oral health care made him a late referral to orthodontics and initially, clinicians recommended jaw surgery.

“My mom and I were hesitant and scared to go that route,” he says.

A consultation with a third orthodontist offered a less-invasive treatment plan, relying on orthodontic camouflage over surgical intervention. “It made such a difference in my life and confidence,” Zograbyan says.

Over time, he realized he didn’t just appreciate dentistry as a patient, but he was drawn to becoming the person who could create that same sense of trust and comfort for others.

“Seeing that transformation firsthand is what inspired me,” he adds. “I wanted to give others that same feeling.”

After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of California–Irvine, Zograbyan worked as a dental assistant in a pediatric practice that also offered orthodontic treatment.

“I got to work closely with the orthodontist and the staff, following patients throughout their care,” he says. “I saw myself in those patients and realized this is what I want to do.”

After completing his DDS degree in May 2027, Zograbyan plans to follow his teenage aspirations and pursue an orthodontic residency. While at Ostrow, he remains focused on advancing his research, elevating student voices and expanding care to underserved populations — now with even greater motivation.

“Receiving the Friends of Dentistry Scholarship is very meaningful because beyond the financial support, it provides reassurance at a pivotal moment in our training,” he says. “It creates the space to pursue opportunities that will shape both my training and my long-term impact.”

Beyond the Classroom

Since starting his studies at USC, Zograbyan been actively involved in a diverse array of committees and clubs — from founding Ostrow’s business and hiking clubs to providing care to underserved populations, locally through the Ostrow’s Community Oral Health Programs and globally through the international nonprofit Agape Dental Missions.

“I saw firsthand the power of care, providing treatment to people who may never see a dentist again,” he says of the mission trip to Guatemala. “I was humbled, and this experience reinforced my commitment to launch a humanitarian program one day — one that combines education and outreach to extend dentistry beyond borders.”

He helped co-launch the dental component of Trojan Street Aid, a university-wide nonprofit initiative serving unhoused communities, distributing oral hygiene kits along with other essentials. “I’m very excited to see where that group is headed,” he says. “They’re working to secure more funding for dental supplies so we can expand care where it’s needed most.”

Alongside advisors and faculty, Zograbyan’s research has spanned a range of topics — including sleep apnea, oral squamous cell carcinoma and other areas related to oral health — and he has served as a student body representative as the president of the Class of 2027.

Zograbyan also represents dental students outside of Ostrow. He serves as a student delegate for the California Dental Association, which champions oral health and education, and last year, he became the first student to serve on the Association’s Membership Committee. “I feel fortunate to have been entrusted to represent the voices of my classmates and California dental students,” he says.

Zograbyan credits his professional dedication to his parents, who emigrated from Armenia to the United States in the late 1980s. “They wanted to build a better life for my brother and me,” he says. “Seeing how hard they’ve worked has pushed me to make the most of every opportunity.”

Another principle, from the founder of Ostrow’s Mobile Dental Clinic program, Charlie Goldstein, has shaped Zograbyan’s path: “I believe the most important thing a person can do is to help others have a better life.”

“That quote is next to my locker in the dental school building; I come across it at the start and at the end my day,” he says. “It reminds me that there’s a reason we’re here on this planet, and I believe it’s to make the most of our time, and that’s my goal — to make a difference — not just as a dentist, but as a person as well.”