Students Bridging the Gaps of Community Care through Service Program

Philadelphia –This summer, 17 Penn Dental Medicine students joined with students from other health and social service disciplines to serve in the community through Bridging the Gaps (BTG) – the long-standing service and training internship – presenting a poster of their experience at the Bridging the Gaps 34th Annual Symposium, held September 20 at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Philadelphia.
Working with academic health institutions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and approximately 100 community organizations, BTG links the provision of health-related service in under-resourced communities with interprofessional training of health and social service professionals. At the University of Pennsylvania, the participating schools include Dental Medicine, Nursing, Medicine, Social Policy and Practice, and Veterinary Medicine.
Participants are part of a site team that includes students from other health or social service areas and receive community service credit for the seven-week internship. The teams work with their respective sites to develop and present educational and service programming to the individuals they serve.
“Working with youth across Philadelphia through my site gave me the opportunity to engage with diverse communities and build relationships with the teens I mentored,” says Aaditi Diwan, who interned at Educators 4 Education that focuses on youth development and student achievement programs. “My BTG experience was rewarding because the program provided me with the tools to create meaningful connections with the communities we work and live in and effectively manage outreach efforts.”
This summer’s interns included the following second-year DMD students.
- Noah Buzinkai, Southwest Community Development Corporation
- Micaela Chin, HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy
- Reshma Davis, Sankofa Community Farm @ Bartram’s Garden
- Julia Denlinger, Covenant House
- Aaditi Diwan, Educators 4 Education
- Lauren Ghong, Get Fresh Daily
- Sarah Haynes, Students Run Philly Style
- Maison Kennedy, Educators 4 Education
- John Kim, Social Needs Response Team, Penn Medicine Center for Health Equity Advancement
- Sarena Oberoi, Old Pine Community Center
- Nidhi Rao Oruganti, American Heart Association Breathe Free PA
- Adam Paymer, Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse
- Ilana Sacks, HMS School for Children with Cerebral Palsy
- Megan Tirrell, Get Fresh Daily
- Melanie Tsyryulnikov, Mothers in Charge
- Sneha Sara Varghese, No More Secrets Mind Body Spirit Inc.
- Tami Wong, Beyond Literacy
Penn Dental Medicine has been participating in BTG since 1992. Dr. Joan Gluch, Division Chief of Community Oral Health, served as the faculty representative from Penn Dental Medicine for BTG until 2023, providing leadership in integrating oral health education into the overall BTG program. Now, Dr. Abigail Peterson, in the Division of Community Oral Health, manages the School’s participation in BTG.
“The words of Margaret Mead, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has’ apply perfectly to the experience of our Bridging the Gaps interns,” says Peterson. “They are immersed into the ongoing work of a diverse group of community partners, each addressing a specific need in our city. They have the opportunity to learn and grow throughout the summer session, and then bring that interdisciplinary perspective to their practice of dentistry.”
The BTG experience also builds a network for ongoing connection among the program’s 6,259 alumni. “All prior BTG interns are encouraged to join the alumni network to revitalize their call to action and service,” says Dr. Roopali Kulkarni, Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine at Penn Dental Medicine, a 2016 BTG intern and Co-Chair of the BTG Alumni Network. “The Network is an opportunity to stay connected with the BTG community and continue serving others throughout your professional career.”
To learn more on BTG, visit www.bridgingthegaps.info/