SIU SDM’s American Dental Education Association Student Chapter Wins Community Impact Award at International Conference; Faculty Selected for National Leadership Programs

SIU SDM's American Dental Education Association Student Chapter Wins Community Impact Award at International Conference; Faculty Selected for National Leadership Programs

The SIU School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM) student chapter of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) recently returned from ADEA's Annual Session, hosted in Montréal, Canada, as winners of a Silver Chapter Recognition as well as the ADEA Student Chapter Community Impact Award. The Community Impact Award, a monetary gift of $350, recognized the students' involvement with the BESt Healthcare Institute, introducing and inspiring multicultural high school students towards careers in dentistry.

"Congratulations to the SIU SDM ADEA Student Chapter for their recent ADEA Community Impact Award and involvement in the BESt Healthcare Pathways Program to introduce students to the profession of dentistry," said Saulius Drukteinis, DMD, MS, PhD, Dean of SIU SDM. "Special thanks also to Dr. Garcia for helping to orchestrate this important initiative and all faculty involved! Thanks all for representing SIU SDM so well."

"I am incredibly proud of the students from the ADEA Student Chapter at SIU SDM for their outstanding leadership and dedication. They have not only promoted and led numerous initiatives in educational pathways and academic career development within our school but have also made a meaningful impact beyond our campus," said Nathalia Garcia, DDS, MS, Assistant Dean for Career Development at SIU SDM. "Their work with programs like the BESt Healthcare Institute demonstrates their commitment to inspiring multicultural high school students to pursue careers in dentistry, fostering the next generation of oral health professionals. This recognition reflects the creativity, initiative, and service-minded leadership that our students bring to both the SIU SDM community and the broader community we serve."

While the student officers were unable to attend, the award was accepted on behalf of SIU SDM by six students from the ADEA Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program (ADCFP), whose poster presentation was on display.

This is SIU SDM's inaugural year in the program. ADCFP is a national, year-long program designed to encourage interest in academic careers by pairing students and residents with faculty mentors and providing exposure to teaching, scholarship activities and other aspects of academic life.

"The ADEA ADCFP program was an invaluable addition to my dental school experience," said Bhavi Vashi, a D4 dental student. "It challenged me to think critically about the future of dental education while strengthening my communication skills. The program provided a structured way to engage with faculty, learning from their experiences through interviews and shadowing, and gaining firsthand teaching experience with meaningful feedback. It created opportunities to connect with both peers and mentors, and even offered the chance to travel, present, and collaborate with students from other institutions. This experience not only enhanced my preparation for residency applications but also helped me discover a genuine passion for teaching. I am grateful to the faculty and mentors who supported us and look forward to seeing the program continue to grow."

Currently, seven dental students and two residents are participating in the fellowship, with six attending the ADEA Annual Session to represent the school. The participation of the student fellows to present at the ADEA annual session was due to the financial support of the SIUE Graduate School, SIU SDM Office of the Dean and Dean Emeritus Bruce Rotter, DMD, MS.

Residents and students participating in this program include Michael Greaves, D.D.S. Jenna McCarthy, D.M.D., Sanam Talwar, Bhavi Vashi, Jay Niebrugge, Ria Patel, Vivian Finerty, Brooke Juneau, Jasleen Saini. Their mentors are Lily Kytridou, DDS, Katherine Hanser, DMD, Andres Davila, DMD, MSOB, Jennifer Rapini, DDS, Minaal Verma, BDS, DDS, MDS, Kenneth Rawson, DMD, Tom Sotiropulous, DDS, and Manita Grover Utreja, BDS, MDS, DMD, with faculty liaisons Garcia and Jasbir Upadhyaya, BDS, MSC, PhD.

Garcia is also one of two SIU SDM faculty members selected for ADEA national leadership programs: Garcia was selected for the ADEA Council of Deans Fellowship and Achint Utreja, DDS, MS, PhD, will participate in the ADEA Leadership Institute.

"I am honored to be selected for the ADEA Leadership Institute and grateful for the opportunity to engage in focused leadership development alongside colleagues from across dental education," said Achint Utreja, DDS, MS, PhD, Chair of the Department of Biomedical and Craniofacial Sciences at SIU SDM. "The Institute's emphasis on reflection, collaboration and academic leadership will strengthen my ability to contribute thoughtfully as an educator and mentor. I look forward to applying these experiences in ways that enhance the educational environment at SIU SDM and ultimately support our students' learning and professional development."

PHOTO: SIUE ADEA chapter officers Brooke Deters, D4 student, Nate Carmichael, D3, Emily Cretors, D2, and Jane Nam, D1, with faculty advisor Nathalia Garcia, DDS, MS, Assistant Dean for Career Development at SIU SDM