Students bring excitement, compassionate care to Hmong Health Fair
Students brought expertise and information to the community with a recent health fair.
In collaboration with the Mobile Health Initiative (MHI), School of Dentistry students, faculty and staff attended the Hmong Medical Association Health Fair in St. Paul in May. They hosted a booth to provide information about the school, offer fluoride varnishes and provide dental screenings.
An initiative of the Office of Academic Clinical Affairs, the Mobile Health Initiative "combines multiple healthcare professions, partnering with organizations in the community to offer care to those in the community,” shared Mari Ferrer-Lugo, DDS ’26, dental volunteer coordinator for the initiative. “These events offer health screenings, information and resources. As dental students, we offer community resources, complete dental screenings, hand out essential supplies for oral hygiene, offer preventative measure and share information on oral health care.”
Ferrer-Lugo has volunteered with the initiative throughout her dental school career, including joining the Student Interest Group last year. “It is a wonderful program, and I am grateful to have been a part of these initiatives in the community,” she reflected. “The program has such a great impact, and I always encourage others to join and use their knowledge and passion to engage with the community.”
Keng Cha Vu, current junior at the University of Minnesota's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences, volunteered at the event last year to provide information on Nutritional Studies. "I noticed that a majority of the booths and organizations provided information on the medical field, but there was a lack of information about dental health," he recalled. "I took the initiative to reach out to the School of Dentistry, in partnership with the Hmong Medical Association, to bring educational resources to the Hmong community through this event."
The School of Dentistry both collaborated with MHI to provide care and hosted an informational booth on the school’s educational programs.
The experience was particularly meaningful for Kalina Yang, DDS ’27. Yang, who is Hmong herself, underwent multiple dental procedures as a young child—so she knows how important oral health care is, and how much of an impact outreach can make.
“Serving the Hmong community is incredibly important to me,” she reflected. “I want to provide quality dental care while also giving back to the community that shaped who I am.”
In addition to providing fluoride varnishes and screenings at the event, Yang provided interpretation services—even recording a promotional video in advance of the event to encourage attendance.
“My goal is to bring awareness and education about oral health to the Hmong community and ensure that language barriers and cultural differences do not stand in the way of receiving proper dental care,” she said. “Representation in healthcare matters, and I hope to be someone that people feel comfortable with, because I understand their culture and experiences.”
Yang was inspired at the event—from witnessing the pride of a young child demonstrating how they brush their teeth, to connections with Hmong students who hope to follow her path to dentistry. “Their passion and drive were so motivating, and it reminded me how important it is to support one another,” she reflected.”
Above all, Yang felt the experience reinforced her passion for serving her community and the importance of culturally competent care.
“It’s important for people to understand how valuable it is to have healthcare providers who reflect and understand the communities they serve,” she said. “Being present at events like this builds trust, promotes oral health awareness and strengthens the relationship between providers and patients. This experience deepened my commitment to serving others and reinforced my goal of providing compassionate, culturally competent care to my community.”