Welcome to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine Class of 2027’s Dental Central page!
My name is Jorge Bacallao and I am proud to humbly serve as the D27 Class President. I am originally from Hialeah, FL and grew up loving sports, Disney, and family. My favorite sport near and dear to me is hockey (Let’s Go Panthers!). I graduated with a Bachelors in Interdisciplinary Studies (Biomedical sciences/Health Sciences) from UCF and a Masters in Biomedical Sciences from Barry University. My goal is to become a great general dentist and be an active volunteer for those in need. I am so honored to represent the diverse, creative, and vibrant Class of 2027!
My name is Michelle Zak and I’m thrilled to be stepping into the role of Vice President for the D’27 Class! I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and attended CUNY Hunter College during my undergraduate years, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Music. Beyond the classroom, I love to build intricate LEGO designs with moving parts and play the piano in my free time. I’ll take any chance I can get to play volleyball with friends! I am eager to contribute to the vibrant spirit of the D’27 Class, immersed in a sense of community and collaboration. Looking forward to working together to make our school experience enriching and memorable for everyone!
My name is Heidy Acosta and I am honored to be representing the D27 class as secretary. I was originally born in Cuba and raised in southwest Florida, where I attended Florida Gulf Coast University and received my Bachelor’s degree in Biology. I love being out in nature, traveling, and spending time with loved ones. I have enjoyed getting to know my fellow classmates so far and working to build a D27 family of our own. I look forward to making a lasting impact on our class and our school through the collective work of our wonderful executive board!
My name is Elizabeth Bull, and I am excited to serve as the D’27 class Treasurer! I was born and raised in Nashua, New Hampshire. I attended Syracuse University for my undergraduate and continued my education at Barry University to receive my Masters Degree in Biomedical Sciences. During my free time, I love to read, take walks around Boston to explore, snowboard and spend time with my family. I am extremely grateful to be able to work with such an amazing class!
- Patient Care Quality Assurance Committee Representative: Diana Florencio
- Curriculum Committee Representative: Zainab R. Moghul
- Risk Safety and Infection Control Committee Representative: George Azar
- Outcome Assessment Committee Representative: Rochester Alston
- Research Committee Representative: Michael Song
- ASDA Class Representative: Bryce M. Pitts
- ADEA Class Representative: Isabel K. Terrasa
- Student Library Advisory Committee Representative: Ayah Attar
- Community Service Chairs: Katrina Benjamin & Khushi Dave
Advice from Upperclassmen
- Don’t let anyone tell you a class is “hard” just because it was hard for them, doesn’t mean the same for you. Don’t let other opinions stress you out. – Debra, D26
- Pace yourself during the first year! It is a Marathon not a Sprint 💛 – Kentoya, D26
- Don’t forget to take time for yourself through the process! It may feel like you are taking a sip out of a fire hydrant at times but giving yourself time to breath, relax and make memories makes it all the more manageable and so much easier in the long run – Hakeem D26
- One of the biggest advice that I could offer is to trust the process and allow yourself to grow as an individual. Throughout this journey, you will learn so much more about yourself, your unique interests and your strengths and weaknesses. So keep on exploring and working on the best version of yourself! – Aleksja H , D26
- A lot of people, before coming to dental school, they are in the minority being pre-dental and sometimes they make that the cornerstone of their whole personality. When you get to dental school… everyone is a dental student, and it’s definitely weird for a time. Make sure you try to branch out and stay connected to other things you enjoy, hobbies, etc.
Something Upperclassmen wish they would’ve known before starting Dental School
- How everyone is going to deal with hard days, and imposter syndrome and that it’s okay to reach out to people to ask for advice and support! You aren’t alone in this process! It’s also important to realize that while it may seem like everyone is thriving and that you are surrounded by people who are so vastly successful, this isn’t a process meant for everyone and you yourself are one of those vastly successful people since you have made it and are pushing through this process and you are so capable. It’s easy to get lost in the thinking that everyone else is so good but it’s also important to take a step back and realize you are a small portion of a very large world that’s able to enter and get through dental school.
- Your schedule is going to be busy but make sure to take some time for yourself and also for family and friends. Your mental and physical state is much more important, so take good care of yourself and everything else will fall into place exactly how it’s meant to be.
- Being a liaison doesn’t really mean anything in terms of your resume, so don’t sweat it if you don’t get picked. Only apply if you actually enjoy that kind of stuff, not because you think it will look impressive.