For this month’s feature “10 Questions With...,” we shine a spotlight on various ADEA members, asking them 10 questions – both professional and personal – that give all a chance to get to know each other better. Recently, we interviewed Ms. Janika James, a third-year dental student at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry (Meharry SOD). 
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In the feature 5 Questions With..., we shine a spotlight on various ADEA members, asking them five questions (both professional and personal), giving us all a chance to get to know one another better. Recently we interviewed Ms. Jessica Poon a fourth-year dental student at University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry. 

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Many dental schools across the United States are integrating interprofessional education (IPE) into their curriculum. The incorporation of IPE leads to interprofessional practice which promotes comprehensive care across health care professions, aiming to strengthen the health care system and reduce disparities and costs. As research continues to provide evidence linking the association of oral and systemic health, the shift toward IPE in dental schools is inevitable. 

Read on as third-year dental students Sara Kashani and Lena Syed share details about Students for Interprofessional Practice and Education, a student-led organization at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine created with a vision of fostering and supporting opportunities for interprofessional collaboration between dental and other health professions. 

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“Whether you’re beginning a predoctoral program leading to a D.M.D. or D.D.S. degree or beginning an allied dental health program leading to a degree in dental hygiene, assisting, therapy or laboratory technology—welcome to the start of your dental school journey,” says Elyse Estra, a third-year dental student at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine.

“The adjustment to dental school, for me, is exciting, yet seemingly familiar. The first day of school means new faces, new lockers, new classrooms and a new workload. You’ve handled this before! Make a friend, ask for directions and welcome each day with an open mind.” Keep reading to learn more about the things Ms. Estra continues to remind herself three years into her own dental school journey.

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“There are many routes and career paths within dentistry. One such route is academic dentistry,” says Sarah Dobson, a second-year dental student at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry.

“Academic dental careers allow individuals to work outside of private clinical practice. These roles may look like part-time or full-time positions at a dental school through involvement in research, teaching a didactic or clinical course, serving as an attending in clinical practice or fulfilling an administrative role.” Read on to learn more about why Ms. Dobson is pursuing a career in academic dentistry and its benefits.  

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Many dental hygiene students search for programs that not only teach the discipline’s essentials, but also help students enter the workforce upon graduation. “My dental hygiene program was very rigorous, not to mention the worldwide pandemic that occurred midway into my training,” says Joel Bautista, a recent graduate of West Coast University’s dental hygiene program. Read on as Bautista reflects on his experience as a dental hygiene student in an accelerated program during a pandemic and shares some words of wisdom for allied dental students entering similar programs.

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“Whether you are in the process of applying to a dental hygiene program, about to start your first semester or maybe even just beginning to think about dental hygiene as a career, you may want to consider what day-to-day life would look like in this academic program,” says

Third-year Dental Hygiene Student Caitlin Gray and Fourth-year Dental Hygiene Student Rachel Schwartz. Both attend the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and want to provide you with some insight on what to expect in a dental hygiene program and how to manage your personal life while in the program. “We’ll walk you through what a typical ‘day in the life of’ looks like for both junior and senior dental hygiene students.”

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“Applying to dental schools typically requires extensive job shadowing hours to submit with your application,” says Brianna Kosecki, a third-year dental student at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. “Generally, people shadow at a handful of private practices before applying to dental school, and while there is nothing wrong with that, shadowing can be a creative and unique aspect of your application! Read on to learn Kosecki’s general ideas on shadowing opportunities outside of general private practice that can help you set yourself apart from your peers. ... See More

“If you are planning to apply to dental school in the United States, ADEA AADSAS^® (ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service) is the main platform that simplifies the application process, allowing you to save time and energy by completing just one application for multiple dental schools,” says Parinaz Esteghamat, a first-year dental student at Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. “If you are aiming to apply for dental school right after your undergraduate degree, ADEA AADSAS should be filled out during your junior year. Otherwise, please keep in mind that the application to dental school is a year-round process which opens in early May and closes in February, and it is on a rolling basis (first come, first served). The earlier you apply by submitting the complete application, the higher your chance of getting an invitation for early interviews.” ... See More

“If you only retain one thing from this article, it should be that when deciding whether to apply to a certain school, ask yourself if you would attend that school if it was the only one that accepted you,” says Brian Chang, a second-year dental student at Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine. “Turning down an acceptance to reapply elsewhere can easily be a red flag!” 

Read on for more advice on how to carefully select your dental school designations ahead of the June ADEA AADSAS^® (ADEA Associated American Dental Schools Application Service) submission date. 

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