Â鶹ֱ²¥

Why UNE

Choosing UNE had a lot to do with volunteering and service learning. As a future dentist, I want to be able to give back, and at UNE, service learning is put into the curriculum; there’s an entire service learning organization and so many things to get involved with.

From the very beginning of the Doctor of Dental Medicine [D.M.D.] program, you’re integrated quickly. Within the first week, you’re in the simulation clinic — you start your hand skills early, which is something that takes a long time to get used to and good at. By the summer of your second year, you’re upstairs in the clinic with patients. Being able to do that [so early as a student] is amazing.

Making Connections Through Service Learning

I started [my service learning journey] at the prison in Windham. We were able to talk with the residents about their experiences and also build rehabilitation kits with shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, floss, and other essentials. In the fourth year of UNE’s D.M.D. program, students complete a three-month externship. I’m interested in completing mine at a prison, where there is such low access to dentists. It’s really hard for residents to get the care they need. After volunteering at the prison just once, I already felt like I was a better provider. In the future, I would love to work in a prison full time or volunteer to provide more care for them.

I’ve also participated in a service learning event at a community church, where we set up a table with flyers about UNE and activities designed for kids to learn about dental hygiene. We used models like teeth and word searches with dental hygiene terms. We also talked to parents about when to brush their children’s teeth, how long they should help before kids can take over on their own, and general oral health habits. We provided families with packets that included a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. I’ve also participated in an MLK Day reading event with students. It’s volunteering, but it doesn’t feel like it. You’re just spending time with kids and being part of the community. 

All the volunteering opportunities is why I chose UNE, and I love it. Being able to interact with people that are different from me helps me gain empathy, and service learning gives me more of a meaning. Being a dentist is great, but being able to be a light at the end of the tunnel for someone — even outside of the profession — gives me a new way of providing care.