On Saturday October 2, 2021, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) opened its doors to veterans for free dental care and consultations during the School’s first Give Veterans a Smile event.

Similar to HSDM’s annual Give Kids a Smile event, the event was organized by dental students with the goal of providing care to the community and addressing gaps in veterans’ access to oral healthcare. Over 30 predoctoral students volunteered for the event along with residents from AGE specialty programs, faculty, and Harvard Dental Center staff members. Veterans from several branches of...

Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Bridge to Dental School Program has been named a recipient of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine’s 2021 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award. The Award recognizes programs that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The Bridge to Dental School Program, now in its third year, is aimed at helping pre-dental students navigate the process of applying to dental school. HSDM’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) student fellows organize the program and serve...

After an unprecedented year, the arrival of 35 new Doctor of Dental Medicine students on campus last week came with joy and excitement as well as added health precautions to assure a safe and welcoming environment.

“Introduction to the Profession” orientation week kicked off on Monday, August 2, beneath a tent on the Harvard Medical School (HMS) Quad. Dental and medical students, sitting in chairs spaced six feet apart, were welcomed by the deans of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) HMS.

...

As the DMD Class of 2025 arrives on campus this week, among Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s newest students will be Hoda Mahmoud, DMD25, the School’s first recipient of the Freeman, Grant, Franklin Scholarship. Mahmoud is excited to start her studies at HSDM and make an impact for individuals who are underrepresented in the field of dentistry.  She chose Harvard’s DMD program for its unique focus on the integration of oral health and systemic health.... Read more about Scholarship Recipient Inspired to Make a Difference Through Dentistry

Advanced Graduate Education (AGE) student Lama Alabdulaaly, DMSc21, recently completed her advanced degree program in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, graduating from Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) this past spring . Now she will continue her educational journey at HSDM by pursuing a certificate in Oral Medicine. While earning her Doctor of Medical Science degree at HSDM, Alabdulaaly taught pre-doctoral courses and published a number of papers in the fields of Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine, and Bone Biology.... Read more about Dr. Lama Alabdulaaly Combines Art and Science in Dual Postdoctoral Programs

On Thursday, May 27, 2021, family, friends, and Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) community members gathered, both near and far, to celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2021. Virtual Commencement and Class Day exercises, combined with a celebratory outdoor send-off at HSDM, provided the backdrop for a special graduation experience for the School’s newest alumni.

The festivities began in the morning with the University-wide Commencement ceremony, which featured a video of students from across Harvard’s schools chronicling all of the places from which they studied this...

Ashiana Jivraj, DMD21, jokes that she was born in a dental chair. Her mother worked through most of her pregnancy as a general dentist, and Jivraj spent most of her childhood being shuttled to and from the orthodontist’s office. While it would be easy to assume that for these reasons, Jivraj was destined for a career in dentistry, she actually credits a trip to India during her sophomore year of college with her decision to pursue a career in dentistry.

“I wound up working in a dental clinic and saw the immense challenge that the social determinants of...

Prior to his arrival at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) in 2017, you might have found William “Brennan” Arden, DMSc21, jumping out of helicopters, practicing dentistry on an oil tanker-sized hospital ship, or visiting the farthest corners of the globe to deliver humanitarian aid. As a military dentist with the United States Navy, Arden treated service members and organized humanitarian efforts in countries like Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam. At HSDM, he pursued an advanced degree in endodontics and served as...

Zahra Aldawood, DMSc18, MMSc21, recalls the moment in dental school when she realized she wanted to pursue genetic research as one of the most enlightening experiences of her life.

“I conducted research to examine the ‘nature versus nurture’ effect on characteristics of twins' teeth. It was my first time being exposed to the world of genetics,” Aldawood said. “That work shifted my thinking from the simplicity of ‘hereditary versus environment’ toward the complexity of ‘genetic, epigenetic and environment.’”

...

For Kobie Gordon, MMSc21, the ability of dentists to transform lives by fixing smiles was a superpower he wanted to possess.

“There was a young girl in my neighborhood back home who was born with cleft lip and palate,” Gordon said. “Over the years, she received various dental treatments. By the time she got to university, one could hardly tell that she was born with a cleft lip and palate. Her self-esteem went through the roof. I was always impressed that dentistry was able to make such a profound impact on her life,” he said.

This May, when Gordon...

Laura Lin, DMD21, first became curious about dentistry when she overheard a classmate at Cornell University talk about how dentistry is the perfect combination of art and science. Intrigued by the concept, Lin embarked on her dental career with an open mind about where it would take her. She pursued shadowing opportunities at local dentist offices, establishing relationships with mentors who would guide her in the years to come. As she prepares to graduate from Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) in May, her...