Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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. 

Though it is often a cornerstone of higher educational experiences, international programming and study abroad opportunities have been rare at best throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there is more than one way to embrace a global mindset through education—and a School of Dentistry team has made an international experience possible without leaving campus.