HOME /

News

Rural New Hampshire

HSDM Secures $3 Million Grant to Expand Dental Public Health in Rural Areas

June 25, 2020

Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s department of Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology (OHPE) in collaboration with the Office of Global and Community Health (OGCH) was recently awarded a $3 million postdoctoral training grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Health Workforce to address gaps in dental education and access to care in underserved and vulnerable populations in rural areas.

The five-year grant titled Catalyzing Oral Health Workforce for Rural and Vulnerable Populations will create the first and only Dental Public Health (DPH) Residency in the country with a dedicated rural track... Read more about HSDM Secures $3 Million Grant to Expand Dental Public Health in Rural Areas

Volunteers distribute much needed supplies to Kenyan villagers via the Towa Kitu Kidogo project, partly initiated by Ashiana Jivraj, DMD21. Photo credit: Towa Kitu Kidogo

Dental Students Combat COVID-19 Through Volunteerism and Action

June 24, 2020

As Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) students and residents learned that the academic year would take an unprecedented turn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several jumped into action, finding different ways to turn the challenges presented by the pandemic into opportunities to help. Whether through community outreach, research, or care, they quickly honed in on ways to aid their local and global communities.... Read more about Dental Students Combat COVID-19 Through Volunteerism and Action

doctor slouched at desk

HSDM Authors Study Suicide Risk Amongst U.S. Healthcare Providers

June 16, 2020

At a time when the nation’s healthcare providers are under increasing stress, a newly published article in JAMA Surgery examines the risk factors contributing to suicide in their professions.

Yisi Daisy Ji, DMD18, clinical fellow in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and lead author of the manuscript, “Assessment of Risk Factors for Suicide Among US Health Care Professionals,” described why it was important to delve deeper into this topic.... Read more about HSDM Authors Study Suicide Risk Amongst U.S. Healthcare Providers

Two providers working on dental patient

Dental Education in a Time of COVID-19

June 1, 2020

In early March 2020, Harvard University and Harvard School of Dental Medicine began closely monitoring the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. As the situation changed rapidly, the top priority remained the health, safety, and well-being of students, faculty and staff, on and off campus. 

The School began working on several contingency scenarios and taking decisive, informed action to limit the spread of COVID-19 while ensuring the continuity of teaching, research and patient care. These efforts involved rapidly moving to virtual learning, ramping down research labs,...

Read more about Dental Education in a Time of COVID-19
Virtual Connections and Celebrations for the Class of 2020

Virtual Connections and Celebrations for the Class of 2020

May 29, 2020

In the midst of a pandemic, celebrating Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s graduating class took on a different look and feel than ever before. For the first time in Harvard’s 384-year history, Commencement and Class Day ceremonies were held virtually due to COVID-19. Graduates and their families, friends, and supporters celebrated from their homes, tuning in from around the country and the globe to watch the virtual festivities and applaud the Class of 2020’s accomplishments.

... Read more about Virtual Connections and Celebrations for the Class of 2020

David Danesh, DMD20

Becoming the Leaders and Thinkers the World Needs

May 22, 2020

A reflection written by David Danesh, DMD20.

“When the world needs leaders, we will be among them; when the world needs solutions, we will help create them.” Reflecting on the class oath that we took with our Harvard Medical School colleagues during our White Coat Ceremony in August of 2016, this line resonates with me today. The knowledge we gained while receiving our education at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) will help us think about creative solutions to the challenges we face today, and new challenges we will ultimately face in the future. Amidst the COVID-...

Read more about Becoming the Leaders and Thinkers the World Needs
Kristin Sweeney, DMD20

Graduate Q&A with Kristin Sweeney, DMD20

May 21, 2020

Kristin Sweeney, a member of the graduating Class of 2020, reflects on her most memorable experiences at HSDM and how they influenced her choice in career path. An active volunteer in many aspects of the HSDM community, Sweeney served as a member of the Admissions committee, as a Vanderbilt Hall residence advisor, and as a member of the Christian Medical and Dental Association. Sweeney also took a special interest in community outreach, volunteering her time with several...

Read more about Graduate Q&A with Kristin Sweeney, DMD20
Dr. Alex Jelicich

Applying Artificial Intelligence to Dentistry

May 20, 2020

Over the last seven years in pre-and-postdoctoral programs at HSDM, Alex Jelicich, DMD17, MMSc20, logged a lot of hours in the clinic. It’s where the MIT graduate found inspiration for a unique business concept that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze clinical dental data with the goal of improving patient care and increasing profitability. As Jelicich prepares to graduate from his Prosthodontics program, he has a chance to launch his concept, Overjet, with funding from the Harvard’s President’s Innovation Challenge, a University-wide venture capital competition in which Overjet is competing as a finalist this week.... Read more about Applying Artificial Intelligence to Dentistry

Jeffrey Taylor, DMD20

A Reason to Smile

May 18, 2020

Jeffrey Taylor’s passion for art and science led him to the field of dentistry where he hopes to combine these interests to make a difference.

After he graduates from Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) in May with his D.M.D., Taylor will pursue a residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery where he’ll one day reconstruct damaged jaws, fix life-altering facial deformities, and give hope to those who need a reason to smile again.... Read more about A Reason to Smile

Kelly Suralik, DMD20

Shaping the Future of Academic Dentistry

May 12, 2020

All roads led to academic dentistry for Kelly Suralik, a 2020 graduate of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry at Middlebury College, followed by a Master of Science in Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin, Suralik set her sights on dentistry, bringing her curiosity, passion, and leadership to the HSDM community. The Wisconsin native will return to the Midwest after graduation to pursue a residency in Prosthodontics at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.

... Read more about Shaping the Future of Academic Dentistry