The Office of Multicultural Affairs & Inclusion 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:

Bio-Dental Program

The Bio-Dental Program, unique to Penn Dental Medicine admissions, is an early matriculation program, enabling accepted students from five undergraduate institutions to enter Penn Dental Medicine after their junior year. Hampton University, a historically black institution, is among the participating schools supporting the recruitment of underrepresented minority students.

Summer Mentorship Program

The University of Pennsylvania’s Summer Mentorship Program (SMP) is a month-long, full-day, full-immersion experience on campus for select juniors and seniors from Philadelphia Public and Charter high schools. SMP is administered by the Office of the Vice Provost for University Life, with funding from the Office of the Provost. The program provides classroom instruction, one-on-one sessions with professors, and tours of labs and other facilities. It also includes intensive SAT preparation (provided by Kaplan), writing workshops, and instruction in personal finance.

Once you have completed the Clinic Visitor Waiver Packet and have all required copies of immunizations, please submit here.

Failure to submit all required documentation mandated by the waiver application may delay the start of your observation.

For any questions/ concerns once your application is submitted, please email: pdmdiversity@pobox.upenn.edu

Introduction to Dentistry Summer Program

Introduction to Dentistry Summer Program is a week-long, commuter program that gives undergraduate college students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the type of preclinical coursework encountered in dental school, attend lectures, and learn about the dental school admissions process.

Once you have completed the Clinic Visitor Waiver Packet and have all required copies of immunizations, please submit here.

Failure to submit all required documentation mandated by the waiver application may delay the start of your observation.

For any questions/ concerns once your application is submitted, please email: pdmdiversity@pobox.upenn.edu

PennRSSA

The Penn Rising Scholar Success Academy (PennRSSA) is our free college preparatory and career exploration program for all students across the Philadelphia area: public, suburban, private, charter, and parochial. PennRSSA launched in July 2020 as the Rising Senior Summer Academy, a direct intervention to address pandemic-related disruptions to education in our city. Through our three rigorous and engaging programs (Summer Academy, OpenRSSA, and PennSCAPE), PennRSSA has served over 5,000 students across Philadelphia and seeks to serve over 10,000 students by the end of the academic year 2026.

Impressions Program

The Student National Dental Association (SNDA) Impressions Program is composed of a series of one-day workshops geared towards educating underrepresented minority undergraduate college students about careers in dentistry. The Impressions Program consists of lectures and hands-on activities, which expose students to a typical dental school curriculum. Students are also introduced to various dental procedures and the application process, in addition to financial aid and scholarship opportunities. At the conclusion of the program, students will be familiar with the hosting dental school (Penn Dental Medicine) and have information that can make them stronger dental school applicants.

For any questions/ concerns once your application is submitted, please email: pdmdiversity@pobox.upenn.edu

Penn Residency Education Preparation and Support Programs (PREPS)

The Penn Residency Education Preparation and Support Programs (PREPS) primary objective is to increase the number of students from underrepresented populations applying to specialty programs here at Penn Dental Medicine. This program is also in partnership with Howard University College of Dentistry and Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry. It will provide funding to students from disadvantaged and underrepresented populations, who have demonstrated an interest in specializing. By relieving some of the financial burden and providing mentorship, it is expected that our specialty programs will attract some of the best and brightest. A secondary objective is to recruit post-doctoral students who can become full time faculty. At Penn Dental Medicine, a tenant central to the core mission of the school is to nurture a diverse family, unified to foster a humanistic environment where all individuals are valued, respected, and empowered.

This program welcomes dental students to spend one week with the graduate residents in University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine specialty clinics. Students can attend lectures in Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontic, Orthodontic, Periodontic, Pediatric and Endodontic specialties. Housing in student dorms is provided for one week.

Application form »

Once you have completed the Clinic Visitor Waiver Packet and have all required copies of immunizations, please submit here.

Failure to submit all required documentation mandated by the waiver application may delay the start of your observation.

For any questions/ concerns once your application is submitted, please email: pdmdiversity@pobox.upenn.edu

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. Sign up to be matched with an alumni mentor >>

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.

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

Penn GAPSA Affinity Groups

Penn’s Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access and Leadership) Committee is charged with representing graduate and professional affinity group interests across all of Penn’s 12 graduate schools. Each of these organizations that make up GAPSA’s IDEAL Committee offer a variety of opportunities to connect academically, professionally, and socially. View list of the organizations »

Resources