Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At the end of our summer donor event last July, I was approached by a donor who took the opportunity to remind me of something; it was a good reminder. The donor was Dr. Anna Hampel.

Kim Mansky, PhD, received a $650,760 grant from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research to implement the Minnesota Craniofacial and Oral Health Research Experience (MnCORE).

Two learners represented the School of Dentistry at a recent interdisciplinary conference on campus, exploring racism and justice in healthcare.

Alex Tabatabai, DDS ’25, did not have a typical start to life—but all of his experiences have informed the person he is today.

The School of Dentistry welcomes 134 new learners to campus this semester in the DDS, Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy programs.

An attribute of a healthy environment, whether personal or professional, is that people feel safe and supported. Creating these environments is the responsibility of every community member. Sometimes members of a community have to help each other in moments that surprise, stun or offend the community’s desired norms.

Everyday tasks that were once simple can sometimes become complicated and stressful for transgender people. Oral health care shouldn’t be one of them—and researchers across the School of Dentistry are doing their part to make sure that’s the case.

In 2016, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Snapshot reported the results of a faculty survey indicating 66% of dental education faculty were male and 34% were female for the 2014-2015 academic year. Three years later the report indicated a similar ratio: 63.2% male and 36.8% female. A deeper look at this data reveals a shifting trend: faculty in the under 30 -39 years age range is more female than male. This faculty trend parallels student enrollment, as many schools similar to us are enrolling more women than men. This is a stark contrast to the 1960’s, when the percentage of women in dental school was approximately 1%.

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. 

One of our core values is “service to all communities.” The educational model of our school has allowed us to fulfill this value and operate our Moos Tower clinics as safety-net clinics. Within our predoctoral clinics, we provide dental care to patients with commercial insurance, public insurance and no insurance at all.  For a variety of reasons, the patients treated in our clinics may have few options of places to seek care. By improving their oral health, we also positively impact their overall health.