The collaborative effort of a group of periodontal researchers from Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, and the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine has landed their article on the January 2023 cover of Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry.

Today’s dental students will need to be prepared to treat the most rapidly growing demographic in the United States—older adults. The population over the age of 65 is expanding significantly with 10,000 adults reaching this milestone each day. Despite older adults living longer, many have health issues, including on average two or more chronic health conditions.

While the number of older adults in the U.S. is increasing, the number of health professionals who specialize in their care is decreasing. Oral health providers who care for older adults must not only be open to...

Kateryna Turenko’s world was turned upside down on February 24, 2022. It’s a day she remembers vividly, and it still brings tears to her eyes. The 21-year-old Ukrainian dental student was studying at Bukovinian State Medical University in Chernivtsi, Ukraine when Russia invaded her country.

“I first heard of the attack on Telegram, and immediately called my family,” she said. Turenko pleaded with her mother and father to leave their home city of Odessa to come to stay with her in Chernivtsi, a smaller city on the southwestern edge of the country close to the Romanian border....

For fourth-generation dentist Dr. Zerita Buchanan dentistry runs in the family, but it is so much more than the family business—it is what inspires her to make a difference in the lives of young students as a mentor and cheerleader for the next generation of diverse dental professionals. This summer, she began the Joseph L. Henry Oral Health Fellowship which will give her the opportunity to expand on her work as a mentor and an advocate for health equity.

“Every student I encourage to pursue dentistry will result in one more dental provider who can return to their local...

Veterans from all branches of the U.S. military came to the Harvard Dental Center on Saturday, October 22 for a day of free dental care provided by Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) students and faculty. The second annual Give Veterans a Smile event, organized by HSDM students, was a chance to give back to those who served their country by providing them with dental exams, oral cancer screenings, and specialty consultations at no cost.

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Four Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) students have been awarded Harvard Presidential Scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year. The full-tuition scholarship provides support to individuals committed to careers in public service or academia. Recipients must be currently pursuing a DMSc degree in an Advanced Graduate Education program or are predoctoral HSDM students with intentions to apply for a DMSc program at the School. This year’s talented recipients’ interests range from academic dentistry and research, to improving access to oral health care....

Along with an early August heat wave in Boston, came a wave of new dental students who arrived on campus for a weeklong Introduction to the Profession. Excitement ran as high as the 90-degree temperatures, as the students got to meet their classmates for the first time and learn more about what to expect in the first year of their program.

The week began with a welcome from the deans of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) and Harvard Medical School (HMS). Dean William Giannobile, and Dean George Daley addressed the incoming class of dental and medical students at a...

On the morning of Thursday, May 26 the pageantry and jubilance of Commencement returned to Harvard Yard for the first time since 2019, before the onset of the pandemic. Harvard School of Dental Medicine’s Class of 2022 graduates proudly marched into the Yard and took their places amongst graduates from across the University for Harvard’s 371st Commencement ceremony.

“Being here—being together at long last—is frankly moving beyond words,” said President Lawrence Bacow in his welcoming remarks.... Read more about Celebrating the Perseverance and Determination of the Class of 2022

If it wasn’t for dentistry, Elizabeth Durham, DMD22, probably would have been an illustrator. Growing up in central Massachusetts, she knew from a young age she wanted a career involving art in some way. It wasn’t until her regular checkups with the pediatric dentist where she looked forward to going to the office that she realized she wanted to pursue a career in dentistry.

“I started shadowing there from a young age and was...

When Natalie Wen, DMD22, graduates with her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree this May, a promise between eighth grade friends will be fulfilled.

“My friend’s mom was a dentist and we always said we should become dentists and open our own practice someday,” Wen said. “At an early age I knew that I wanted a career in healthcare.”

While both Wen and her childhood friend, who attends dental school in Wen’s home state of Wisconsin, will become dentists, after graduation the two will take different paths in their careers.... Read more about Fulfilling a Promise: Serving with Confidence and Care