Azizat Adediran is a third-year dental student at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Nashville. She is the president of the American Dental Education Association chapter at the school and vice president of the Class of 2024. Ms. Adediran is passionate about dental education, volunteering and research. Meharry’s motto, “Worship of God through Service of Mankind,” resonates with her and her mission as a dental student and in life. As someone who enjoys doing community service for the Ewell Neil Dental Research Organization, she regularly organizes community service projects in which ..read more

The day we obtain our dental license, our role changes from student to doctor. After a lifetime of being told what to do by “grown-ups,” teachers and professors, the roles reverse. It can be challenging when confronted by patients asking us to do things we are not comfortable with doing, especially if we want to please our patients. However, doing what the patient wants can harm the patient and put our license in jeopardy. In dental school we learned about patient autonomy the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. This means to “recognize the dignity and intrinsic worth o ..read more

Gabriel Perez is currently a fourth-year dental student at the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston and Hispanic Dental Association trustee. He is originally from a small rural town in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Mr. Perez and his family migrated to New Jersey at the age of 11. He earned his bachelors of science in biology from Stockton University in Galloway, New Jersey.  Mr. Perez answered questions about his experiences, the Hispanic Dental Association and how being born with a cleft lip and palate impacted his life and eventual decision to choose dentistry as a profes ..read more

It’s September, which means that many, if not most, dental schools are back in session, teaching, training and preparing the next generation of dentists. ADA News asked Danielle Silver, The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Class of 2023 why she decided to pursue dentistry. Ms. Silver “I have always wanted to be a dentist because I love working with my hands and am very detail-oriented,” she said. “The idea of treating patients and assisting them in protecting their oral health is a privilege to experience ..read more

It’s that time of year again, which means that many, if not most, dental schools are back in session, teaching, training and preparing the next generation of dentists. ADA News asked John Pelton, class of 2023 of the NYU College of Dentistry, why he decided to pursue dentistry. Mr. Pelton “My decision to pursue a career in dentistry has been influenced by so many of my life experiences,” he said. “I want to become a dentist because I am passionate about the health sciences — specifically, the intersection of medicine and dentistry. I care deeply about providing care to those in need and impr ..read more

In February 1970, a group of dental students met in Chicago to form an independent national dental student organization and named themselves the Student American Dental Association (SADA). The following year the ADA embraced this idea and organized a meeting of student representatives from each dental school in the country to help form a new organization called the American Student Dental Association (ASDA). Although scattered all over the world, several of the founders and leaders of those two organizations planned on having a reunion this year in celebration of their 50th anniversary, but it ..read more

I might be branding myself as a super-nerd here, but I love school. So much so that I switched paths in dentistry to be in academia full-time, fulfilling my dream of staying in school forever. For those students currently in dental school, class and clinic probably never stopped, but for our D1s, their journey is just beginning and it’s going to be one heck of a ride. As I reflect on my time in dental school, there are some things I certainly don’t miss (I’m looking at you all-nighters) but there are definitely parts that make me nostalgic and I wonder — what would I do if I could do it all ov ..read more

The barriers for dentists to easily move across state lines, aka “portability”/”reciprocity,” has been a sore issue for the dental profession for many years. Dr. Jonathan Nash, who served as the American Student Dental Association chair of dental licensure reform in 1971, strongly believes that if the profession can summon the will to pursue an anti-trust initiative on a nationwide basis, it has a reasonable chance to topple this archaic and egregious barrier in one fell swoop. Dr. Nash, the founder and chairman of the National Council for Improvement of Dental Licensure 1969-73, examines the ..read more

Dr. Markov (left) with his dental school classmates going out to dinner. What do I miss the most about dental school? Lunch. As a private practice owner and a solo practitioner, it is not uncommon for me to be shoveling a snack down in between patients, trying to squeeze in an emergency patient, or taking care of admin work during my lunch hour. But it is not the food I miss; it is the people. Dental school is a long four years, but something that helped me get through it was the fact that I was in it together with my classmates. I do not miss the 8 a.m. four-hour anatomy lectures. But I do ..read more

Something feels oddly familiar. Sitting in my neighborhood coffee shop with my laptop open, staring at a course syllabus as it ominously lays out what my life will look like for the next several months. Coffee, flash cards, and wild Friday nights are in my future. And if I’m lucky, I’ll get the pleasure of writing a research paper or two while I’m at it. I can only hope as I start my endo residency. Dr. Vaughn I haven’t “studied” in six years. I haven’t even thought about studying. It’s been so long since I’ve studied that I’m not even sure I still know how to do it effectively. But still he ..read more