Once a month, I used to walk from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine down Washington Street to the New England Center and Home for Veterans to serve dinner. Although the vaccine offers new hope, in-person outreach is still on hold for Tufts ASDA. Most dental students enjoy giving back.
ASDA District 4 leadership brainstormed ways to help New Yorkers as COVID-19 wreaked havoc on the city.
The University of Kentucky College of Dentistry’s chapter of ASDA has a rich history of giving back to the people of Lexington and Central Kentucky. One of the unique ways we do this is by organizing monthly, student-run, free dental clinics for children ages 4–12. Saturday Morning Clinic (SMC) was started over 40 years ago by dental students who wanted to promote good oral health and give back to the community.
Terrible winds and harsh rain battered Puerto Rico in September 2017 as Hurricane Maria ravaged the island, leaving destruction in its path. Thousands of residents were affected as homes and businesses were destroyed, with many left without access to food, drinkable water or electricity for months at a time.
As dental students, we are uniquely positioned to give back to our communities in various ways. We can join with a few friends, our entire class or, during ASDA’s Week of Service, with thousands of other dental students to volunteer.
This past spring, Indiana University School of Dentistry’s ASDA chapter was awarded one of the Dentistry in the Community Grants presented by Colgate. Our goal was to create a new event and partnership, targeting our local veteran population.
Volunteering abroad can be a great chance to contribute to the advancement of global oral health. However, did you know that service trips could potentially do more harm than good? Before you pack your bags, make sure that you are prepared to volunteer responsibly. Set yourself up to be an ethical advocate of global health by reviewing these important topics.
