Students

Community is everything to Cynthia Duta-Llangari, DDS ’24. It has impacted every aspect of her life, from her memories of childhood to her decision to pursue dentistry—and it has informed every step of her way at the University of Minnesota.

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

First celebrated in 1993 in New York, the White Coat Ceremony marks the moment in which each clinical learner is bestowed with their first white coat, recognizing the professionalism and patient-centered care expected of the wearer.

The decision to pursue a dental degree is not taken lightly. Choosing to invest in a future as an oral health professional, deciding where to attend school and preparing a thorough application are complex tasks, often loaded with stress and uncertainty. A summer program at the School of Dentistry seeks to alleviate that stress and prepare prospective dental students to be great students and dentists.

An occupational therapy student is using her capstone project to improve the health and wellbeing of dental students at the University of Minnesota.

The incoming learners include 105 members of the DDS Class of 2026, 8 members of the Master of Dental Therapy Class of 2025, and 21 members of the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene Class of 2024.

Exposing students to research produces long-lasting value, whether it creates a research faculty, a private practitioner with a deeper understanding of science or a hygienist leading community engaged research.

The School of Dentistry welcomes 35 learners across specialty programs for the upcoming academic year. They include four residents in endodontics, six in general practice residency, three in oral and maxillofacial surgery, four in pediatrics, three in prosthodontics, two in orofacial pain, three in periodontics, six in orthodontics and three graduate students in oral biology.

Mohammed Akl, DDS, MS ’22, received the 2022 University of Minnesota President’s Student Leadership and Service Award.

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.