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The ɫ�����Ƶ chapter of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA), one of the College of Dental Medicine – Illinois (CDMI) student organizations, held and participated in several events, outreach initiatives, and advocacy efforts. As they gain insight through these diverse opportunities, their well-rounded educational experience will assist them along the journey of becoming future dentists. 

Illinois State Dental Society Annual Session

ASDA attended the Illinois State Dental Society in Peoria for its Annual Session. Dental student and ASDA president Emma Tello (CDMI ’26) also served as a delegate and voted on issues relating to the field of dentistry. “Knowing the different laws going into effect helps protect you and your patients because these laws can affect their care,” Emma said. Student involvement in ASDA with unique experiences like attending and participating in the Illinois State Dental Society Annual Session also offers students a well-rounded educational experience. “It gives you an outlet for representation, and I think the best way that you can represent your patients is also by representing the profession,” Emma said. 

Community Outreach

ASDA took part in the Black and Brown Solidarity: Bridging Communities Through Art and Dialogue event at the Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago, IL. The College of Dental Medicine - Illinois (CDMI) faculty and students gave the community 300 oral hygiene bags containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss along with a pamphlet of information about the ɫ�����Ƶ Dental Institute. 

Dental medicine student Jasmine Murillo (CDMI ’27) described the experience. “Our duties were to promote oral health education by teaching guests how to brush their teeth properly and we also talked to them about foods they should avoid,” she said. They also displayed posters with pictures of commonly consumed food accompanied by containers that showed the amount of sugar in the food, and they informed the attendees about the consequences of consuming highly processed food. The attendees were also informed about the importance of regular dental checkups and proper oral hygiene. 

Community service is an integral aspect of the educational experience at ɫ�����Ƶ and helps aspiring healthcare professionals, including student dentists, prepare for their future roles as healthcare professionals. “It teaches you about the community you live in, you get to know the members of the community, notice the specific trends in healthcare needs, and you’re able to design activities or events that meet the needs of members of the community,” Jasmine said.

ASDA Pre-Dental Day

During the ASDA pre-dental Day, 45 attendees, comprised of mostly undergraduate students, came to learn about the dental medicine program at the University. They also toured the University and had professional photos taken. It was an opportunity for prospective students to experience hands-on dentistry, information about applying to dental school, and listen to the experiences of students and faculty who were once in their position.

Recent graduate of the Biomedical Sciences Program Eve Hansen (CGS-Downers Grove MABS ’24) emphasized, “This is a great day to educate myself on other people’s journeys and implement them into my journey as a healthcare professional. I appreciate all the different insights on dental school. The event confirms my desire to pursue dentistry and solidifies my dream.”

As part of the Pre-Dental Day, attendees experienced hands-on activities in the Dental Simulation Clinic, including drilling and filling a mock cavity in a mold of teeth. The attendees were also shown where the teeth molds are made in the 3D-printing lab.

“I’ll always remember how it felt drilling into a mock tooth for the first time,” said Inayah Rizvi, a junior and health science major at Benedictine University. “I felt reassured that my education would be in good hands. This is meant to be a very solidifying moment. You can tell that this university wants to prepare you for the best by the way the students feel prepared to take on the world,” she added.

“I really enjoyed the hands-on way to do simulations of various procedures on mock teeth,” shared Karim Shah, a senior and health science major at Benedictine University. He discussed his appreciation of the advanced technology offered at ɫ�����Ƶ and his overall appreciation of Pre-Dental Day. “This day offers vast knowledge that an online search will not give you,” he emphasized. Karim also reminisced that he participated in the Mini Medical School at ɫ�����Ƶ in 2016.

The attendees learned about membership in ASDA and the University chapter of the American Dental Association (ADEA). Dental student Erica Sanford (CDMI ’26) highlighted the benefits of joining the student organizations and various opportunities, including research. Erica talked to the attendees about their personal statements when they are interviewed for dental school. “You want to make sure that this is something that they’re going to remember about you.” She emphasized that their first sentence should start off strong and encouraged the attendees to share their reasons for becoming a dentist, their passion for dentistry, and to present themselves as genuine and confident. She also stressed the necessity of reaching out for letters of recommendation early.

Larry Williams, D.D.S., M.P.H., Professor, College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, also offered advice about different types of scholarships, including the National Health Service Corps., where recipients work in underserved areas. Dr. Williams shared with the students that he was in the Navy for 30 years, and that military service is another option for potential students. “They look at your academic record, what you’ve done, the leadership roles you’ve had, and being a team player. They’re looking for people who want to serve others, and they need to see samples of that,” Dr. Williams said, adding examples such as working in a free clinic, coaching sports or academic teams, and volunteering in an underserved area. 

Dental students Bhavik Patel (CDMI ’27), Solomiya Furdas (CDMI ’26), and Jacqueline Wallowitch (CDMI ’25) also held a panel, shared advice, and answered questions. The panelists spoke about gap years, work experience, and various aspects of untraditional routes to dental school. The attendees were reassured that if they have an untraditional route to dental school, then they will likely have a lot of diverse and interesting experiences, which will also make them good candidates for dental school. 

ASDA Takeaway

Through student involvement in organizations like ASDA, ɫ�����Ƶ students have the opportunity to participate in one of ɫ�����Ƶ’s integral values of community service, awareness of current and new laws, and educating others about the path of dentistry.