Penn Dental Medicine Office of Minority Affairs

The Office of Minority Affairs is deeply committed to increasing and celebrating diversity at Penn Dental Medicine. Specific recruitment and retention programs have been developed to attract some of the brightest students who are currently underrepresented in dentistry and support them during their education at Penn. The outreach program consists of the following activities:

1. Short-Term Enrichment Program (STEP)
This biannual program brings high school students to the dental school for hands-on activities that give students a "taste" of the practice of dentistry from taking impressions of teeth, to performing oral screenings. STEP also allows parents of the students to observe the activities and discuss the application process, financial aid resources, and scholarship opportunities with dental faculty and administrators. Current students take an active part in the STEP program, paired with high school students to encourage ongoing communication beyond the school visit.

2. Shadowing Program
This program allows STEP participants to better understand "real world" dentistry. Students are paired with Penn Dental Medicine alumni who practice in the Philadelphia area, visiting offices to observe patient care and interaction and office management.

3. Mentorship Program
Dental students at Penn Dental Medicine are given opportunities to network with alumni for "role modeling" and support during their educational experience or when seeking employment or applying to postgraduate programs.

4. Peer Mentorship Program
A support program for incoming students wherein upper classmen provide support and assistance to ensure a smooth transition to the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Dental Medicine.

5. Pre-health Mentorship Program for Undergraduates at Penn
A partnership between Penn Dental Medicine and the Office of Academic Support Programs of the School of Medicine, Center for Minority Excellence and Research, and Career Services, this program exposes undergraduates to dental medicine as an exciting and viable option among the health careers.

Through these recruitment and retention initiatives, the Penn Dental Medicine is successful creating and sustaining a critical mass of underrepresented students within its student body, building an academically strong and socially supportive environment.