Student Spotlight: Mother-and-Son Duo are Making Dental School a Family Affair
Fatema Abdo DMD AS 26 and Mohamed Hussein DMD 26 are taking the phrase “like mother, like son” to the next level. In a rare twist of fate, Fatema Abdo DMD AS 26 and Mohamed Hussein DMD 26, a mother-and-son duo, found themselves attending GSDM at the same time, both expecting to graduate in 2026.
This overlapping educational journey was not the original plan.
Abdo completed her initial dental education in her home country of Syria before moving to Saudi Arabia in 2001, where she worked as a general dentist before becoming the head of a hospital dental department. Abdo always pictured her son following in her footsteps and studying dentistry in Syria.
Abdo, her husband, Dr. Ahmad Alhussen, and Hussein planned to move back to Syria in 2015 to prepare for Hussein’s post-secondary education. However, the ongoing Syrian Civil War made this impossible. As a family, they decided that the U.S. would be the best next location for Hussein to study. Hussein moved by himself the U.S. for his senior year of high school and then enrolled at UMASS Amherst for his undergraduate degree.
When Hussein was looking at dental schools, he fell in love with GSDM for many reasons, he said, including the school’s innovative Simulation Learning Center, its strong didactic courses, and its community outreach programs—as well as the school’s location in the city of Boston with its vibrant history. He knew he was going to follow in his mother’s footsteps, albeit in a different location, but he had no idea how their footsteps would overlap.
“I saw her dedication and commitment to providing quality healthcare and that commitment inspired me also to pursue the industry,” Hussein said. “Now, we don’t just share a profession but also a passion together.”
When Abdo and Alhussen moved from Saudi Arabia to the U.S. in 2019 to join Hussein, she was determined to do what she needed to do to practice in the U.S.—ideally in Boston. When she was growing up in Syria, she said Boston had a reputation as the premier city of education. After watching her son begin his dental journey at GSDM, and knowing about the school’s experienced faculty and diverse student population, she decided GSDM was the perfect place for her as well.
“My relationship with my son was so strong,” Abdo said. “I believe in him. I am so proud of him. These feelings and this communication really encouraged me to pursue my education and this journey.”
Hussein, now in his third year at GSDM, said he was surprised when Abdo expressed interest in applying to GSDM for the DMD AS Class of 2026. It was an unexpected update—but a joyful one.
“I was like, ‘Alright, yeah, let’s do it,’” Hussein said. “Sharing the same experience and having someone that knows what you’re going through is very valuable.”
When Abdo was accepted, she said she couldn’t believe her dream of studying dentistry in the U.S. was becoming a reality, one made exponentially better with her son by her side.
“It was a feeling of a mix of joy, happiness, and disbelief,” Abdo said.
During their first joint semester, they are sharing many things: an apartment with Alhussen, a commute, and even the same oral pathology class. From homework to home-cooked meals, they both said it’s been incredibly helpful to lean on each other.
“When we start studying, we discuss, try and answer each other’s questions and that encourages us to do our best and support each other,” Hussein said. “It’s very good support.”
Although she is only a few months into her advanced standing program, Abdo said she couldn’t imagine being at GSDM without Hussein. She is excited for the two years they will spend together at the school.
“You don’t know how much I love BU,” Abdo said. “BU really provides me a super amazing chance to be with my son to pursue my education journey and to be a dentist in the USA. That is amazing.”
When he first came to the U.S. in 2015, Hussein said he never would have imagined that he and his mom would be in dental classes together nine years later. Nowadays, being at GSDM with his mom reminds him that no one ever knows what the future is going to be like—and those surprises are what makes life so interesting.
“It’s not every day that a son and a mom [go to school together], but we are very proud to be part of this story,” Hussein said.