Dental Therapy

Jackie Callaway-Campbell, MDT ’21, took a big risk when she moved halfway across the country from Delaware to Minnesota to become a dental therapist. “I’m just a humble girl from the East coast, trying to make her way here in Minnesota,” she joked. “I’m surviving the winters, living for the summers, and looking for a cheese steak.” Almost a year out from graduation, Callaway-Campbell is glad she made the leap.
 

On Saturday, February 26, 96 children came to the School of Dentistry to receive free dental care from DDS, dental hygiene and dental therapy students and their faculty. Services included comprehensive examinations, cleanings, sealants and fillings. The event is part of the American Dental Association’s national Give Kids a Smile program aimed at providing oral health services to children who might not otherwise be able to receive them. Give Kids a Smile was established as a national program in 2003, and nearly 1,500 partners host events each February in honor of Children’s Dental Health Month. 

A revolutionary report on the state of oral health in America involves expertise from two School of Dentistry experts on oral health integration and the workforce.

Pedro Lopez Vega’s life seems to have followed a path that feels inevitable. Life has not been easy for the Dental Therapy class of 2024 student, but everything he has experienced has brought him to where he is today—and shaped his vision for the future.

The School of Dentistry’s second-year learners experienced a rite of passage into the profession last week, after a pandemic-induced delay.

The School of Dentistry celebrated 105 DDS learners, 21 Dental Hygiene learners and 7 Dental Therapy learners at their White Coat Ceremony last week, marking their official entrance into the dental profession.

Beginning their orientation work over the summer and starting their classes by September, 133 new students entered the Doctor of Dental Surgery, Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene programs as first year learners. 

Last week, 133 new students made their debut on the University of Minnesota’s campus to attend orientation for their respective programs. The incoming class of 2021 consists of 105 DDS, 21 Dental Hygiene, and seven Dental Therapy students who participated in a hybrid orientation program.

“What would it take to make dentistry painless for all Minnesotans?” asked the narrator of a TPT documentary that aired this weekend.

March 15 marks an exciting day in the School of Dentistry admissions journey: today, Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy students will be invited to join the 2021 incoming classes.