Bulletin of Dental Education Article
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MEMBER FOCUS: Southern Illinois University SDM Secures First International Partnership, Hosts International Student Exchange
Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) recently established an international partnership with Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC Barcelona) Faculty of Dentistry. By signing a strategic agreement with the UIC Barcelona Faculty of Dentistry in Spain, both Schools intend to strengthen international cooperation in dental education.
From left to right: Lluís Giner Tarrida, Ph.D., UIC Barcelona Faculty of Dentistry Dean and President of the Conference of Deans and Academic Heads of Dental Schools in Spain; Elisa Sanagustín Sánchez, Ph.D., UIC Barcelona Faculty of Dentistry Executive Manager; and Nathalia Garcia, D.D.S., M.S., SIU SDM Assistant Dean for Career Development.
“This milestone marks the school’s first international partnership, making it especially significant. Our collaboration with UIC Barcelona reflects our commitment to global learning and academic exchange that enriches the entire SIU SDM community,” said Nathalia Garcia, D.D.S., M.S., Assistant Dean for Career Development at SIU SDM. “For students, this initiative offers the chance to experience dentistry in a broader context, learning from diverse teaching approaches, observing varied clinical environments and building connections that expand their perspectives and deepen their understanding of the profession.”
Under this agreement, SIU SDM and UIC Barcelona students will have the opportunity to attend classes, seminars and dental procedures, as well as take part in discussions and academic activities at the host institution. Through these placements, participants will expand their overall understanding of the current challenges in oral health, engage in intercultural learning and international cooperation, discover innovative teaching methodologies in dentistry and explore new avenues for professional development in an international academic context.
Lluís Giner Tarrida, Ph.D., Dean of UIC Barcelona Faculty of Dentistry, underscored the strategic relevance of this agreement for the school, highlighting that “this partnership with the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine strengthens our commitment to internationalization and to offering our students enriching academic experiences. Thanks to this agreement we can continue to promote excellence in dental education and strengthen our ties with leading international institutions.
“This partnership also opens doors for shared innovation and collaborative growth across both institutions. We are proud to take this important step and look forward to the opportunities it will inspire,” added Dr. Garcia.
Among the first opportunities for collaboration, in April, SIU SDM hosted two students as part of the first international student exchange program between SIU SDM and UIC Barcelona. During SIU SDM’s annual research day, the SIU SDM community welcomed Dean Tarrida and Elisa Sanagustín Sanchez, Ph.D., Executive Manager of the UIC Barcelona Faculty of Dentistry. They were joined by two fourth-year dental students from UIC Barcelona—Maria Giner and Alberta Marchan. Ms. Giner and Ms. Marchan spent two weeks immersed in the SIU SDM community, attended clinical sessions, participated in community outreach events, such as Impressions Day, and engaged with faculty and student life.
From left to right: Saulius E. Drukteinis, D.M.D., M.S., Ph.D., SIU SDM Dean; Elisa Sanagustín Sanchez, Ph.D., UIC Barcelona Faculty of Dentistry Executive Manager; Maria Giner and Alberta Marchan, both fourth-year dental students from UIC Barcelona; Nathalia Garcia, D.D.S., M.S., SIU SDM Assistant Dean for Career Development and Lluis Giner Tarrida, Ph.D., UIC Barcelona Faculty of Dentistry Dean.
Dr. Garcia also noted the school’s student community had played its own part in making the exchange a success. “We have a group of student ambassadors, and they have been very welcoming with these two students—taking them to different places, showing them around,” she said. “It has been fantastic.”
The exchange students took part in an outreach event the previous weekend and shared their excitement.
“We went to Impressions Day on Saturday, and it was amazing—we could explain to the kids how to do sutures in the lab,” said Ms. Giner. “And the facilities here are very modern. In advanced clinics, they use microscopy connected to a TV, so you can see exactly what the clinician is doing during treatment. That’s perfect, because otherwise you’re just watching and you don’t know what’s happening,” she added.
“The students are the future of different countries,” said Dean Tarrida. “This kind of collaboration lets students know about other cultures, other people and other ways of doing different things. And networking is very important, because it leads to new opportunities—always.”
“This is our first international collaboration,” said Dr. Garcia. “It has opened so many opportunities for our students and faculty as well. In a more robust way, we want to make this collaboration an opportunity to open doors—to establish other types of initiatives to work together in academic projects and in research collaboration."
Courtesy of Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine
Published on August 12, 2026