Hebrew University Student Delegation Visits Penn Dental Medicine

Philadelphia- Penn Dental Medicine recently hosted three senior (sixth-year) dental students from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hadassah Ein Kerem Campus for a two-week dental immersion program. The three students – Yuval Shalit, Eva Cohen Solal, and Raphaelle Emram – observed within various clinical care centers, including the general restorative, endodontics, oral surgery, periodontics, pediatrics, oral medicine, orthodontics, and the Care Center for Patients with Disabilities. In addition, they participated in several periodontics lectures and had hands-on experience exploring the Advanced Simulation Lab.

“I was really pleased by my experience here at Penn Dental. We received a warm welcome from everyone — staff, doctors, and students,” says Emram. “I truly believe we can and have to learn from every experience, and this one was way above expectations. It actually is a duty for us as future dentists to be aware of different techniques and to stay updated.”

The students shared that they particularly enjoyed observing patient care in the Care Center for Persons with Disabilities. “It was amazing to see how students treat this population of patients,” says Cohen Solal.

“It was wonderful hosting brilliant and enthusiastic students and building bridges in international oral education,” notes Menty Bayleyen, Associate Director of Admissions and a Hebrew University alumna. “We will surely stay in touch and meet with the students at their campus in Jerusalem during our visit in October and hopefully in the future in a continuing education setting here at Penn Dental Medicine.”

The visitors not only observed in clinics and labs, but also cultivated relationships with students, residents, and faculty at Penn Dental Medicine. Julie Berenblum (D’23) and Byron Hu (D’22, GD’24) took the students on a tour of Penn’s Campus, as well as joined the orientation session and goodbye dinner at a restaurant in University City.

“Our international program is just getting restarted following the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are looking forward to staying in touch with all of our participants and see where the relationship goes from here,” says Dr. Uri Hangorsky, Clinical Professor of Periodontics and Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Penn Dental Medicine renewed its partnership agreement with Hebrew University in 2019 and has hosted multiple faculty and student delegations in connection with the partnership.