Alumni spark momentum during UIC’s first-ever annual day of giving

Three circles of images with Dr. Kaiyun Chen at podium, Ruoyu Pang and baby with Dr. Susan Rowan and Dr. Chen and Dr. Terry Parsons with a golden apple

Drs. Kaiyun (Kevin) Chen and Ruoyu (Joy) Pang proudly demonstrated their UIC College of Dentistry pride by making a leadership gift during Give a Spark, the university’s inaugural annual day of giving. Their generosity helped ignite momentum for this new tradition of philanthropy.

The married couple, both 2013 graduates of the college’s former International Dentists Degree Program (now the DMD Advanced Standing program), have deep ties to UIC. After earning their dental degrees and completing specialty residency training at West China University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Chen began his UIC academic career as a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Biology’s neuroscience program. Ultimately, his passion for patient care led him back to clinical dentistry, where he also served as class president for the Class of 2013.

Since acquiring their practice in 2017, Drs. Chen and Pang have continued to refine their skills in orthodontics and periodontics, respectively. When they learned about Give a Spark, they saw it as a meaningful opportunity to give back to the college that shaped their careers. Their commitment to service extends beyond philanthropy—they routinely offer free dental exams and consultations within their community.

“It’s important to help current dental students and to support the college overall,” said Dr. Chen.

Their advice to current and prospective students is simple and heartfelt: Stay focused on your personal goals. And be patient.

To learn how you can ignite the spark, contact DentAdvancement@uic.edu.