Promoting Smiles and Careers: Dental Students Partner with Youth with Disabilities

In May, a group of dental students including D26s, D27s, and D28s had the rewarding opportunity to collaborate with Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) for an engaging and educational oral health event at Madison Park High School. This event aimed to make learning about oral health accessible, engaging, and inclusive for all students. It also inspired youth to consider future careers in dentistry while promoting healthy habits for life.

The event, led by D26 Community Service Co-Chairs Jamyla Palomar and Rana Sultan, featured a presentation on daily dental care, informational poster boards, and fun, hands-on activities. All the students enjoyed Jeopardy-style trivia games and a visual demonstration showing how much sugar is in everyday drinks.  Students had the opportunity to ask any and all questions related to their dental health and dentistry in general and were excited to receive dental hygiene goodie bags —giving them the tools to put their new oral health knowledge into practice at home.