Penn Dental Medicine Student Elected to National Research Leadership Role
Philadelphia, PA — Aleena Defreitas (GD’23, D’28, GD’28), a second-year Penn Dental Medicine student in the combined Doctor of Dental Medicine/Master of Science in Oral Biology (DMD/MSOB) program, has been elected to serve as a Councilor on the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AAODCR) National Student Research Group (NSRG) Board.
AADOCR NSRG is a student-run, national organization that represents dental students with an interest in research across all stages of training. The group’s mission is to foster a strong research culture within dental education by providing career development, leadership, and networking opportunities, as well as a national platform for student researchers.
As a Councilor, Aleena will serve on the national board and help represent student members by supporting local student research group chapters, promoting student engagement in research, and contributing to initiatives that advance dental research and academic dentistry. Through this leadership role, she will work alongside nationally elected officers to help strengthen collaboration among dental schools and encourage students to take active roles in addressing current and future challenges in oral health research. Her mission is to expand research exposure and opportunities for dental and predental students, bridging the gap between clinical practice and the scientific innovations that drive improved patient care.
Aleena’s journey at Penn Dental Medicine began in 2021 through the Master of Oral Health Sciences (MOHS) program, a one-year program that provides added preparation to more effectively compete for dental school admissions. She discovered her passion for research during this time, joining the lab of Dr. Kathleen Boesze-Battaglia, Professor in the Department of Basic & Translational Science. Aleena entered Penn Dental Medicine’s DMD program in 2024, and in her first year, she was accepted into the Basic and Translational Sciences Honors Program, which welcomes students eager to explore basic, translational, and clinical sciences through a one- to two- year research project. Since then, she has contributed to multiple projects investigating periodontal disease and strategies to improve oral health outcomes. These opportunities ultimately led her to pursue the combined with DMD/MSOB degree, which prepares students for careers in academia, biomedical research, and clinical practice.
“Research completely changed the way I see dentistry,” says Aleena. “If I can help even one student realize that innovation, access to care, and better patient outcomes all start with someone asking a question, then I’ve done my job.”
Through mentorship, programming, and collaboration with faculty, Aleena aims to foster a culture of inquiry and discovery among dental students nationwide. She has already presented her work at national conferences and developed initiatives to bring predental students into research environments with the goal of ensuring the next generation of clinicians also sees themselves as contributors to scientific advancement.