From collar fix to career call: how one moment sold Robbie Mense on ATSU-MOSDOH

From collar fix to career call: how one moment sold Robbie Mense on ATSU-MOSDOH

Robert "Robbie" John Mense III, D2, still remembers the exact moment A.T. Still University (ATSU) won him over. Not a lecture or a lab tour, but an admissions team member straightening his collar with a smile on interview day.

That small gesture, paired with what he'd already witnessed firsthand from ATSU-Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-MOSDOH) dental students working in Dexter, Missouri, made this school his first-choice program.

Mense, a St. Louis native, is a 2025 biology graduate (pre-med focus) of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and will graduate from ATSU-MOSDOH in 2029. He is deeply involved on campus, serving as treasurer of the ATSU Student Government Association, pre-dental chair of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA), Social Connections coordinator for the ATSU Student Ambassador program, treasurer of the Catholic Student Association (CSA), a member of Delta Sigma Delta (DSD) fraternity, and a soccer goalkeeper in ATSU intramurals.

Why did you choose ATSU?

"I chose ATSU because I saw its mission in practice in Dexter, Missouri, firsthand. I worked alongside highly competent and skilled D3 and D4 dental students who not only appeared like they had been practicing their whole lives, but were just as friendly as they were skilled. ATSU-MOSDOH and its mission inspired me long before I applied to the program and it was my first choice in schools. This was further amplified through my interview day experience. The interactions with the staff, faculty, students, and Kirksville citizens all stood out to me most in my pre-dental journey.

"One specific memory was when Alice, an admissions team member, came up to me with her bright smile on my interview day and fixed my collar for me. This is what it means to choose ATSU. ATSU resonates with small-town feelings, and an innovative split-program set both in a rural environment in Kirksville, Missouri, as well as an urban environment in St. Louis. The clinical experience is unrivaled to any other program here in the Midwest. I firmly believe that ATSU-MOSDOH is a hidden gem amongst all of the dental schools."

What do you enjoy about being an ATSU student?

"ATSU students are treated very well. We get free toothbrushes from Phillips and Oral-B our first year, and a lot of Lunch and Learns where the food is provided and sometimes free sample products are available. ATSU has initiatives to bring us out into the daylight away from our studying, such as free plants, teas, food trucks, and other activities. I love the variety that the staff thinks of for us. We also get short breaks during longer lectures and I love to spend that time outside.

"ATSU gives us a basket of recreational equipment, such as tennis balls and rackets, soccer balls, footballs, frisbees, and other equipment we use during this time away from lecture. We like to refer to it as mini-recess, when we can pass a ball around for a few minutes before the lecture starts back up again."

What do you hope to achieve professionally, and how is ATSU helping prepare you for your career?

"Professionally, I want to become the best dentist that I can be to serve those in my community. When people think of me, I want them to think of me as a friend and someone that is there to help them in need. I hope to work in private practice after school, grow in advanced clinical skills, and give back to my community as it has given back to me in so many ways. I will volunteer regularly at the place that my passion for dentistry began, Smiles of Hope.

"ATSU has done an excellent job preparing me for the future so far. As a D1, I learned all of the foundations of dental sciences, and as a D2, I am now learning all of the necessary hand skills I need to begin practicing on real patients in D3 year. D4 year will be all about learning new clinical skills and experiencing different clinical settings through rotations!"

Why did you choose to join different student organizations?

"The first organizations that I joined were ASDA, CSA, and intramurals. I joined ASDA as the pre-dental chair because I felt that I had a strong connection with many pre-dental students and could guide them and help them in their applications to dental school. I joined CSA because I am a practicing Catholic and I attend mass every Sunday at Mary Immaculate or St. Rose of Lima in Novinger, Missouri. I joined intramurals because I played goalie in high school and I felt that I needed an exercise-intensive hobby. I began with these three as I love being involved, however, D1 year was very taxing so I limited myself to begin with until I got comfortable and felt that I could take on more positions within ATSU and be more involved!"

Why did you become a Student Ambassador, and what do you enjoy about serving in this role?

"I became a Student Ambassador off of my mentor and friend Abdel Fanous's recommendation. I had never heard of the position before, and on my interview day for ATSU I stayed in town and got lunch at Maxwell's with him. Abdel told me about his experiences and how he helped those who were interested in ATSU-MOSDOH. When the application came out, I made sure to apply and so far, it has been absolutely wonderful. I have the opportunity to meet so many pre-dental students, give my take on MOSDOH to the students, and help admissions whenever I can!"

What are some of your interests, hobbies, or achievements outside of ATSU?

"I love soccer, I often play pickup soccer with Truman State University students, residents, and other ATSU students. I also am a livestream assistant for Mary Immaculate, working to help the church livestream its mass to those who are unable to make it in person to receive the Eucharist.

"I also love camping, and other outdoor activities. Kirksville is home to Thousand Hills State Park, where classmate Landon Rodriguez and I hiked 24 miles in 24 hours on an overnight trip there around Forest Lake. Our legs were sore, but our spirits were super high on this thrilling endeavor! Adair County is also home to some of Missouri's best deer and turkey populations. I love hunting and partake every November and April when I can."