Each year, University of Detroit Mercy honors seven alumni — one from each of the colleges and schools at the University — with a Spirit of Detroit Mercy award.
These honorees are alumni who have marked themselves with distinction in their career and in their personal life. They will be honored at a special ceremony on April 27 on the McNichols Campus. Tickets for the event can be purchased here.
Today, we introduce Mary Sue Stonisch, D.D.S., ’87, the honoree from Detroit Mercy Dental. We’ve already written about the honorees from the College of Business Administration, the College of Engineering & Science, the College of Health Professions, the College of Liberal Arts & Education and the School of Architecture. Come back later in the week to read about the final honoree.
Recognized as a leader in the field of cosmetic dentistry, Stonisch is one of just 36 women dentists in the world to be accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. It’s a certification claimed by fewer than 400 dentists worldwide and one she’s held for almost two decades. She is also one of the first dentists in southeastern Michigan to specialize in aesthetic dentistry.
Stonisch is also an innovator, and holds three patents for her SMILE-NOW peel and stick dental templates, which allow dentists and patients to see the end results of treatment in a matter of minutes. Stonisch wrote Smile Fitness, an easy-to-read, step-by-step guide to oral health and common dental dilemmas and its companion the Smile Fitness Workbook.
Stonisch is committed to sharing her expertise through lecturing and mentoring across the country. She is also dedicated to mission work and recently led a team that traveled to Africa to provide dental care for people in underserved areas.
“I was so fortunate to be able to live at home and get a world-class education right in my own back yard,” Stonisch said. “Detroit Mercy Dental gave me the hands-on training which allowed met the confidence I needed to open my own practice upon graduation.”
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