Expanding Representation –One Post at a Time

Getting accepted into dental school is a daunting task; for students of color, it’s even more challenging. The number of Black and African American students admitted into dental school has increased between 2000 and 2019, but they continue to make up a disproportionately small percentage of students, according to the Journal of Dental Education. Following graduation, the American Dental Association reported that only 3.8 percent of U.S. dentists identify as Black.

Dolapo Adeola DMD 24 and Elias Hilaire DMD 25 both followed unconventional paths to GSDM and worked hard to overcome personal hardships and the odds against them. After they were accepted to dental school, they felt an obligation to document publicly on social media their unfiltered personal stories, sharing their unique experiences about being a young person of color in the dental field to help support and encourage the next generation of dental students.

“I have had [predental students] say a lot that they really appreciate my vulnerability because I think a lot of dental students don’t really tell people their failures,” Adeola said. Both Adeola and Hilaire started with YouTube channels –Dolly D.M.D. and Doctor Eli respectively – and now share content on Instagram and TikTok as well.

“Personally, I didn’t meet my first Black dentist until I was 19 years old,” Adeola said. “It gives the [predental students] motivation. Not only is it someone who looks like them, it’s someone who had to overcome adversities and things that a lot of predentals are struggling with."

Hilaire agreed: “I did see a need in the community for someone like me."

As for the future of their social media channels, both want to expand on ways they can best assist and mentor their dental peers.

The key thing Hilaire said he wants to continue making sure he is doing with his platform is demonstrating his realistic day-today life as a Black male dental student.

“I think it is important that I myself am on that platform just to show the people that look like me that it’s possible, and also that you don’t have to be a 4.0 student, or a valedictorian at your college in order to get here,” he said.

For Adeola, the core of her platforms will remain the same: being a positive representative for people of color trying to enter the dental profession.

“My success to me is so crucial because there are people looking up to me that are motivated by seeing me work really hard,” Adeola said.