The new academic year has kicked off, but several students have been on campus for most of the summer. From clinical outreach to scientific research, doctoral and dental hygiene students kept a full schedule. The Learning Enhancement for Achievement in Dentistry (LEAD) program is unique among the school’s summer offerings in that it is open to dental and predental students.
Senior dental student, Sofia J. Reyes, has participated in the LEAD program for the past seven years, starting the summer after her first year of college.
“I can confidently say my time in the program has strengthened my love for dentistry and my desire to give back to my community,” she said.
LEAD was established in the School of Dentistry in 2013 by Juanita Lozano-Pineda, DDS, MPH, program director. She and her team have been thoughtfully connecting dental and predental students with educational resources, assisting them academically, clinically, and even with their well-being.
The goal of the program has been to provide a seven-year pathway of experiences leading to academic success in the pursuit of dentistry. LEAD programs 1-3 focus on helping undergraduate college students prepare for the Dental Admission Test and the Texas dental school application process. Content such as gross anatomy case studies, typodont prep labs, mock admission interviews and application workshops provide future applicants access to dental facilities, faculty and, most popular, current dental students.
Source: School of Dentistry LEADs future dentists in South Texas / UT Health San Antonio