U-M School of Dentistry: PFS-30Years - A look back
June 27, 2024
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the PFS 30th Anniversary Celebration!
It is my honor to welcome you to Ann Arbor as we commemorate and celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Profile For Success (PFS) program at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. This moment in PFS history owes its origins to many people who had the vision, the foresight and the perseverance to build a unique and sustaining program that focuses on exposing and sharing the profession of dentistry with under-represented and diverse populations.
As you will see in the following pages, there is a rich heritage in the PFS program and so many wonderful stories of the impact that it has made for students across the country. Starting in 1994, each cohort creates a unique bond that forms within their group and allows them to work both individually and collectively to achieve success and reach their goal in the program.
This program underscores the power of representation and makes it clear that “to be a dentist, you need to see a dentist,” and to see someone who embodies your unique identities is transformational. The PFS program provides the opportunity for young, pre-dental students to envision themselves as what they aspire to become. Once the pathway to the profession is illuminated and the steps are clearly identified, they have the confidence and tools they need to attain their dream.
I hope you will spend the next two days enjoying the programs we have prepared and connecting with your fellow alumni and friends of the School of Dentisry and PFS program. I promise we will also have a little fun along the way, too!
I would like to personally thank all of the PFS staff who have served the program, some for all 30 years! Additionally, a special thank-you to all who served as PFS program coordinators and facilitators, your contributions are immeasurable. Finally, I would like to extend a special thank you to those who have made this celebration possible: Gretchen Hannah and Carrie Towns from our Development & Alumni Relations team; Michelle Jones from our Continuing Education team; Dinella Crosby and our DEI team who make PFS a success each year; and our school’s leadership and Dean Jacques Nör, for their continued support of this program. This celebration would not be possible without the amazing PFS participants, dental students, alumni, staff, and faculty. We are honored to be a part of this community of excellence.
Once again, welcome to our celebration. I look forward to the next 30 years of PFS! Go Blue!
Best regards,
Todd V. Ester, DDS, MA Associate Dean for DEI Program Director, PFS U-M School of Dentistry
Profile for 30th Anniversary Success
The University of Michigan School of Dentistry celebrates the enduring legacy and continuing commitment of its Profile For Success (PFS) program as it reaches its 30th anniversary in 2024. Since its establishment in 1994, PFS has been a national leader in meeting the need to diversify the dental profession by encouraging and supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds, historically underrepresented minorities (HURMs) and those who are first-generation college graduates. Each summer, Dr. Todd Ester, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and the DEI team, welcome eager undergraduates from around the country for an intensive six-week exposure to the challenges and rewards of dental education.
Launched with a federal Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) Grant, PFS addressed the lack of diversity in dentistry head-on. As it has since the beginning, it prepares students from disadvantaged backgrounds for the Dental Admission Test (DAT) through robust tutoring. Equally important, the program demystifies the profession through hands-on dental school experiences, such as observing patient treatments in clinics and taking impressions of teeth in order to make mouthguards. These opportunities are enhanced by the personal mentorship of faculty, dental students and practicing dentists who volunteer their time, insight and encouragement.
This strategic initiative dovetails with growing national movements for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) championed by the American Dental Association (ADA), the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), the Michigan Dental Association (MDA) and more. These professional organizations have recognized, and are committed to, the imperative role of DEI in improving healthcare outcomes across the nation.
PFS is more than academic preparation and exposure to draw students to the U-M School of Dentistry. The underlying philosophy, as articulated by Admissions Director Pattie Katcher, transcends institutional self-interest. Whether participants eventually choose to apply to the U-M dental school or elsewhere, the ultimate objective is to aid them in broadening and realizing their professional ambitions. Moreover, inclusivity initiatives like the commitment by MDA focus on building relationships with diverse dental populations, creating a
DEI committee, and providing financial support for PFS to expand the program’s reach. These efforts are in response to data and studies that indicate minorities, particularly HURMs, are significantly underrepresented in the dental care profession in the United States.
The need for diversity encompasses gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and more. University of Michigan leaders have long declared that diversity is a requirement for a great university pursuing academic excellence in an increasingly multicultural society. The dental school’s PFS program stands as a testament to the belief that cultural competency is not optional but essential, where interactions among people of different backgrounds stimulate learning and promote superior academic and professional outcomes.
For dentistry, the implication of a more inclusive profession is profound. It promises better health outcomes as diverse practitioners are more likely to serve diverse communities, improving access to dental care across socio-economic and geographical divides. This is particularly crucial since studies have shown that cost and familiar cultural connection often dictate healthcare decisions by people in underserved communities.
As dentists and educators, from community projects and outreach programs to staff diversity and implicit bias training, every step contributes to a more equitable healthcare landscape.
Ultimately, the PFS initiative at the U-M School of Dentistry symbolizes the ongoing commitment to DEI – it fosters a more representative dental workforce, enriches the profession, improves oral healthcare, and ensures that future generations of Americans of all backgrounds have access to comprehensive dental services. These efforts coalesce into a powerful force, aligning with the long-standing goal that excellence in oral healthcare should be available to all.
PFS At A Glance
Admission Criteria
Program applicants must self-select which one of the following four categories apply.
• Economically disadvantaged: From a low-income family as defined for health profession program by the Department of Health and Human Services.
• Educationally disadvantaged: Numerous criteria can apply, including attending schools with standardized test scores below national norms; attending high school in a low-income district; or parents/guardians who did not graduate from high school.
• Socially disadvantaged: Numerous criteria, including first-generation college students; those from areas or regions with less educational opportunities, such as rural, inner city or reservations; students with learning or physical disabilities; those from single-parent households.
• Demonstrated commitment to improving the health of the underserved and
disadvantaged populations: Local, national or international volunteer work, community service or personal life experiences that have inspired the applicant to focus on helping the underserved.
Who is eligible?
• College juniors and seniors, recent graduates or individuals making a career transition to dentistry.
• Students must have completed prerequisite math and science courses and have a cumulative and science grade point average of at least 2.8.
• PFS participants come from colleges and universities throughout Michigan and the United States. A significant proportion have come from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including Alcorn State and Jackson State in Mississippi; Morehouse, Savannah State and Spelman College in Georgia; Oakwood
University in Alabama; Prairie View A&M in Texas; Hampton University in Virginia; Florida A&M; and Howard University in Washington, D.C. Students have also come from all three campuses of the University of Michigan; Michigan State; Eastern and Western Michigan universities; Southern Illinois; Murray State in Kentucky; Clemson in South Carolina; Arkansas-Pine Bluff; and Fort Lewis College in Colorado, to name a few.
• Class sizes have fluctuated over the years, starting with a dozen students in 1994, then growing to as many as 30 for several years in the early 2000s. The last three classes have had 14 students.
What is paid for?
• Travel to and from the PFS summer session.
• Dormitory and meal plan costs.
• A small stipend for other expenses.
A Look Back
The success and longevity of PFS over 30 years is due to the foresight, commitment and hard work of many people. The school’s deans dating back to Dr. William Mann (1962-81) saw the need and found the financial and human resources to support diversity efforts to the present day. Dr. Lee Jones, the dental school’s Director of Minority Affairs for 25 years, and interim director Dr. Emerson Robinson were instrumental in recruiting minority students, as was faculty member Dr. Kenneth May, who was Director of Multicultural Affairs and Recruitment Initiatives from 2007-13.
In the early 1990s, PFS emerged from an initial grant-writing effort led by then-admissions director Jed Jacobson, followed by several re-applications to the federal program in succeeding years. PFS was led early on by Marilyn Woolfolk, Assistant Dean for Student Services; Pattie Katcher, then a staffer in Academic Affairs; and Lisa Tedesco, who was Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and a nationally recognized expert on diversity in health professions.
Medical students were part of the program for many years, sharing some of the tutoring courses with dental students but meeting separately for pre-med sessions. For one year, in 2018, several pharmacy students joined the PFS tutoring sessions; the College of Pharmacy now has its own program modeled after PFS. Another feature of PFS is that even applicants who aren’t selected for the summer residency on campus are provided academic advising, access to webinars and a reduced fee for the Kaplan test prep.
Woolfolk, who was instrumental in starting and guiding PFS for most of its history until she retired from the school in 2013, said students who came to the program needed encouragement about how to succeed in dentistry. “A lot of these students would have found their way to dental school anyway, but I think that the part that Michigan can be the most proud of is helping the PFS students make the connections in many areas. We encouraged them: ‘You need to do research, you need to do these things if you want to get into a certain specialty, you need to talk to these people.’ What we have been able to do is to get them to think about all the possibilities.”
The ongoing legacy of PFS is that it improves not just the individual students but the profession of dentistry. “I think the argument that is hitting home, finally, is the fact that it leads to better outcomes for all patients,” Woolfolk said. “If you are trained within an environment
that is inclusive and if you are looking to be the ultimate professional, then you translate the fact that you are going to be inclusive in your practice and looking for opportunities to make a difference in patient care.”
Ester also praises several long-time contributors to the program. Dr. Geri Markel is an educational psychologist and executive coach who has been with the program from the start. Her presentations supplement the Kaplan test preparation sessions by helping students focus on their individualized learning methods, thus increasing their study productivity and retention. Also from the beginning, Professor Marita Inglehart, the dental school’s only faculty member in the behavioral sciences, has researched various aspects of the program’s effectiveness and how it affects students’ confidence levels. Associate Professor Emeritus Dr. Kenneth May has introduced class after class of PFS students to the hand skills they will need as dental students, teaching them how to make mouth guards and drill plastic teeth, among other hands-on tasks. Dinella Crosby, Student Affairs Program Specialist in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, is program coordinator and handles the countless details necessary for the application process and bringing each class to campus for several weeks each summer.
Ester said it is gratifying to see how the program has grown over 25 years to have a national impact. “If we didn’t have PFS, without question we wouldn’t have as many young people from diverse backgrounds in dentistry, which would have ripple effects in our society,” he said.
“When I think about those who have gone through the program, I think about those dentists who have worked or started clinics in underserved communities and donate some of their services. I think about those who have gone to work on Native American reservations, or those who have gone into urban and rural areas where there aren’t enough dentists to serve those populations. I think about how many young people would not be inspired to the profession without our PFS alumni.”
“So that’s why, for me, I have a passion for recruiting students and keeping Profile For Success strong – because I know it makes a difference. Without this effort, we would not be ‘leaders and best’ in dental education,” Ester said.
Selected DEI history highlights at the U-M School of Dentistry
When the school was founded in 1875, women and racial minorities were far removed from nearly all higher educational opportunities in this country. Yet only five years later, in 1880, the dental school graduated a woman – Alma Fuellgraff – 40 years before women in this country could vote. In 1890, the school achieved the then unheard-of distinction of graduating a Black woman, Ida Gray, who was the first Black female dentist in the country and went on to a long and successful career practicing in Chicago. The school commemorates Gray with an annual diversity award in her name that is presented to students, faculty and staff who demonstrate outstanding commitment to DEI issues.
In the 1970s, the dental school was at the forefront of responding to a developing national discussion about the lack of minority students across higher education and particularly in the professional schools such as medicine and dentistry. In 1973, the dental school established the Office of Minority Affairs that was directed for more than 23 years by Dr. Lee Jones. It became the Office of Multicultural Affairs under the direction of Dr. Todd Ester from 1999-2006, then was refined further from 2007-2013 as the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Recruitment Initiatives, directed by Dr. Kenneth May. In 2014, Ester returned to the
school as Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In 2018, he was appointed Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to further support the school’s numerous initiatives and reaffirm diversity at the senior leadership level. His title is now Associate Dean for DEI.
Research several years ago by Dr. Ester determined that the more than 500 Black dentists who have graduated from the U-M School of Dentistry is the most of any other U.S. dental school with the exception of two Historically Black Colleges and Universities – Meharry Medical College and Howard University. U-M has also graduated 181 Latino dentists and 25 Native American dentists. When Dr. Jessica Rickert earned her DDS in 1975, she was recognized as the first Native American (Potawatomi) female dentist
in the country and third Native American dentist from a federally recognized tribe.
The school has conducted school-wide cultural audits/climate studies four times in the last three decades – 1994-95, 2006-07, 2014-15 and 2022-23. The most recent climate study built upon the data collected in the earlier audits and expanded the scope of the assessment to explicitly include an evaluation of the humanistic learning environment for students, faculty and staff. Meeting weekly for months, several committees and consultants from the U-M School of Social Work collaborated to study the school’s climate from the perspectives of students, staff and faculty. They analyzed data, conducted Town Hall meetings and created a comprehensive report that documented strengths, identified weaknesses,
recommended action steps and established metrics for evaluating progress.
The results and recommendations of the most recent climate study were major components of two important reports that quickly followed – a schoolwide Strategic Plan in 2015 and a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 5-Year Plan drafted in 2016 as part of a campus-wide DEI recommitment initiated by U-M leadership. Of the five domains in the dental school Strategic Plan, its People domain has goals, actions and success measures taken directly from the climate study. The DEI Strategic Plan provides a detailed summary of both past efforts and future plans, and will be updated continuously.
The School of Dentistry’s accomplishments were highlighted at the first campus-wide DEI breakfast to launch DEI 1.0 in 2016. Units were charged “to create a five-year strategic plan and propose programming that people would consider significant 100 years from now, like the graduation of Dr. Ida Gray.” Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been major goals for the School of Dentistry throughout its history.
In 2022, DEI 2.0 was launched. U-M President Santa Ono addressed the DEI 2.0 this way: “We believe in and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Diversity and academic excellence go hand in hand. We are committed to integrity. Restoring trust in this university is my job as president.” Importantly, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion are key
elements in the People domain of the School of Dentistry Strategic Plan. The Vision statement for the People domain is “To lead by becoming a dental home for our patients, an employer of choice, and a nurturing environment for current and future leaders in dentistry.” The strategic planning process and the 2014-2015 Climate Study independently produced a common recommendation to increase the number of underrepresented
and other diverse students, faculty, and staff at the school. The strategic plan defines clear action steps and metrics designed to ensure the school achieves this highest priority goal – to increase the number of faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds every year over the next five years. Through DEI 1.0 (2016-2021) the school was able to achieve an increase in dental students and graduate students from diverse backgrounds. The goal in DEI 2.0 is to increase the number of staff, faculty, and dental hygiene students from diverse backgrounds.
This goal remains a focal point for our strategic planning efforts and was captured in our most recent climate survey which was conducted by the school of dentistry in 2022.
To achieve DEI 2.0 goals, we plan to articulate our efforts with our central campus office of DEI and Provost Office. During DEI 1.0 the Dean of the School of Dentistry was our 14th dean and first female dean Dr. Laurie McCauley who began her first term as dean in 2013. The level of support that Dean McCauley provided to our overall strategic planning goals and DEI efforts were extraordinary. During Dean McCauley’s tenure the number of women dental students surpassed the number of male dental students for the first time in dental education in 2017 and we have seen this trend continue locally. This outcome although serendipitous also implicates the role that engaged and supportive leadership plays in achieving DEI goals. Currently, Dr. McCauley serves as Provost of the University of Michigan and our
15th dean of the School of Dentistry is Dr. Jacques Nör. We are certain with the efforts of President Ono, Provost McCauley, CDO Chavous, Dean Jacques Nör, our School of Dentistry Leadership and our DEI office and DEI-MAC we can continue to build on the great foundation of fostering an inclusive community with a great sense of Wellness and Belonging.
In reaffirming the ongoing goals of increasing diversity among students, faculty and staff, the cultural audits and strategic plan developed strategies. One example involves hiring searches. During all faculty and key staff leadership searches, candidates are invited to submit a diversity statement, and search committees are provided a template for rating the statements.
For the last 30 years, the school’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Multicultural Affairs Committee, or DEI-MAC, has brought together students, faculty and staff to generate programs, events and awards that foster an educational and supportive environment for all members of the school community. DEI-MAC emphasizes respect for diversity in its myriad forms – race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, disabilities, socio-economic status and more. “One School – Many Cultures” is the motto on the masthead of the Multicultural Mirror newsletter published three times a year by DEI-MAC. The committee organizes cultural competency training and sessions on how dentists can best treat patients with disabilities or unique needs based on the
patients’ culture, religion or other factors. The committee presents the annual Ida Gray Award and hosts social events celebrating the many cultures represented in the school community. In 2020, the committee sponsored a series of schoolwide discussions on race, anti-racism and racial healing after national and international protests following the murder of George Floyd while in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In 2019, the dental school received the 2019 William J. Gies Award for Vision, Innovation and Achievement from the American Dental Education Association for its initiatives promoting DEI. ADEA honored the school for its commitment and various programs promoting diversity in the education of dental students, treatment of
patients and throughout the broader community of dentistry. The nomination documented that DEI has been a core value of the school since its founding in 1875.
The School of Dentistry embraces its long-standing commitment as a place of respect and equal opportunity for all students, faculty and staff. Key words found in the school’s vision and core value statements – compassion, empathy, respect, accountability – are applied in the school’s daily actions and evidence-based evaluations. The school’s extensive support of its Inclusion core value – to “embrace and celebrate our diverse community” – is a model to emulate not only for other dental schools, but also the wider profession of dentistry.
Pattie Katcher, the school’s Admissions Director who has helped administer PFS since its inception, puts it this way: “Bottom line, we want to help these young people get into dental school. If it’s at Michigan, that’s fantastic. If it’s somewhere else, that’s also fantastic. Because we want to help them reach their goal of being in this profession.”
Since 1994, 545 students have come to U-M for the PFS program. Excluding the approximately 60 PFS students from the last several years who aren’t yet finished with dental school, about 60 percent of all PFS participants went on to become dentists. And 40 percent of the program’s students are graduates of the U-M School of Dentistry. In recent years, the numbers are even better. Out of 126 PFS participants from 2015-23, 82 percent enrolled in U.S. dental schools and 58 percent enrolled at the U-M dental school.
PFS participants who are now successful dentists and educators around the country are effusive in their praise of the program. They say the test preparation and tutoring helped their DAT scores, but they also cite the connections they made with faculty and dental students as equally important. Particularly for students from families with no experience in higher education or professional graduate schools, having a mentor who provided generous advice and guidance was invaluable, the PFS alumni say.
Buoy Reflections
In 2016, the University of Michigan School of Dentistry's Multicultural Affairs Committee started utilizing inspirational quotes and statements from the community to foster unity, awareness and connection amongst its diverse members. This initiative, documented in a shared booklet, reinforced the similarities and common values within the community.
Simultaneously, at Brown University, Jordan Evans was founding Buoy Inspirations. Derived from the verb meaning to inspire or uplift, Buoy was born from Evans's personal struggle with academic failure and the powerful encouragement he received from peers. The social impact startup aims to empower students through sharing motivational stories and testimonials, encouraging community engagement and a sense of belonging.
The idea resonated with Dr. Todd Ester when he met Evans at the University of Michigan. Sharing a similar philosophy about the power of inspiring stories to unite and build resilience within academic settings, they collaborated to bring Buoy to the Michigan School of Dentistry. In fall 2018, the Buoy UMSD newsletter was launched, featuring personal accounts from students like Carl Buchanon, a DDS candidate who drew motivation from his mother's unfulfilled dreams due to illness, and Said Al-Jazaeri, a dental hygiene student with aspirations of providing dental care to needy members of his community after escaping war in Syria. Through these stories, Buoy aimed to inspire and support the student body by sharing experiences of overcoming challenges and driving positive change.
Buoy & Profile for Success
During the summer of 2020 the Buoy newsletter was launched within the “Profile For Success Summer Program.” Since this time the Buoy PFS newsletter highlighted not only student stories but also introduced stories from faculty and administrators as well. Also introduced during the PFS program was the panel discussion that included Dr. Todd Ester as well as the other program facilitators. The UMSD Buoy publication also played a pivotal role in connecting our dental students during the pandemic.
Dr. Geraldine Markel CEO of Managing Your Mind Coaching & Seminars
How long have you worked with PFS? And in what role?
I was on the team authoring the first HCOP grants. My role was to design the academic support component, including sections on selfreflection, learning to learn, test-taking, reading enhancement, and time/task management.
What has the PFS program meant to you?
Being involved with PFS for 30 years has undoubtedly been one of the highlights of my professional life: promising students and creative, committed faculty, staff, and mentors.
Ever Struggle to Ask for Help?
Dr. Geraldine Markel (Executive Coach) has a long history at the University of Michigan, and without her help, the current iteration of the Profile for Success program would not be possible! While serving on staff, Dr. Markel helped write the original government proposal advocating for greater minority and disadvantaged student representation in dental school, medical school, and pharmacy.
Today, Dr. Markel continues to provide academic support. Following her own struggles with standardized testing, the native New Yorker became humbled to help others achieve success:
“I had never heard of an SAT, so when I started thinking about college, [my high school teachers] said ‘take the SAT’ and I did. Then I had a science subject test and I just walked out, I had never seen anything like that. I was devastated because I was a good student and I realized that I didn’t know what I was doing. It turned out, at that time, that Michigan did not require SATs, so I went to Michigan.
I had met another girl in the neighborhood who had gone to Michigan and she said, ‘Geri, go to Michigan! You’ll have a good time!’ So, I came to Michigan and ended up on the faculty. I think it’s important for people to understand stories like that because everybody is going to have some challenge and it's how you deal with the challenge and reach out to help others and have others help you.”
Though Dr. Markel makes it look easy, reaching out is often easier said than done. If you are having a hard time taking that first step, Dr. Markel has some wise words of advice:
“I look at reaching out as part of a leadership skill set, think of it as the first step. … At some point you are going to be a leader, whether it’s a team or a department, and part of being a leader is reaching out. Here at a university you have the safest place to experiment with reaching out, so I try to get students to develop the habit of if they are taking three or four courses, each week they reach out in some way to a professor of a different course so by the end of the month they have touched base with each person and by the end of the semester they might have had two to four contacts.
I think reaching out is sometimes interpreted as weakness, ‘I need help,’ versus seeing it as ‘I am developing a critical skill in communication and leadership.”
So, what has kept Dr. Markel in the academic support sphere for so many years?
“When you see people making breakthroughs, it’s very inspiring and keeps you motivated to learn more and practice more and keep moving.”
Congrats, Dr. Markel! Keep Going.
Pattie Katcher
Admissions
Director
How long have you worked with PFS? And in what role?
I've worked with PFS since its inception in 1994! I was the first Program Coordinator - for around 7 years. Since that time, I've been involved with PFS as an advisor, application reviewer, and for 20 years - presenting to students about the Admissions process, applying to dental school, preparing for interviews, etc.
What
has
the PFS program meant to you?
PFS represents what I've long worked towards and supported during my career prior to the School of Dentistry and for sure, during my tenure at the School ... which is support for individuals who are trying hard to attain a life goal. Not everyone has a straight path to their goal, e.g., getting into dental school. Some have a zigzag route! Being a part of someone's journey, offering guidance, information, a listening
ear, and sometimes working through difficult decisions gives me great satisfaction. In short, being the helping hand early in a student's journey and later seeing them attain their goal gives me the greatest joy.
Ever had an ‘aha’ moment?
St. Clair Shores, Michigan, native Pattie Katcher (Director of Admissions) has been passionate about helping young adults for most of her life. In fact, it was in her youth that she had that 'aha' moment.
"Growing up, I had friends whom I had known from a young age, who struggled with being children of divorced parents. Knowing that and even reflecting on my own years growing up really put a flashlight on the topic of child development for me. When I was a teenager, I learned that there were professionals who helped young people work through stressful times, and that is when I had that 'aha' moment for what I wanted to pursue in my career.
During the earlier part of high school, I decided I wanted to be a child psychologist. I didn't know anyone who was in that profession, but I just knew I wanted to help people and help kids. I knew enough to know that I needed to go to college as the first step, but as a first-generation college student, I had to navigate that path on my own and eventually figured out that behavioral psychology was what interested me. After college, I ended up working at a YWCA where I was able to provide support to survivors of sexual assault as a counselor for several years. My training from back then is applicable to my work today and especially the focus and skill of crisis management. One skill that comes to mind from my work earlier in my career is listening keenly and being non-judgemental. The key is meeting a person where they are in their own space. Some students face moments of being overwhelmed and needing help staying on their path, so my goal is to help encourage students to keep their eye on the prize. It's always about laying the cards on the table because life is not a one size fits all."
What's great about Pattie isn't merely her devotion to her role but also her passion for progress in higher education.
"I'm grateful that people, including alumni, identify me as the conduit to help promote and support the student life cycle. My hope is that no matter what a person's background is they can achieve higher education. If we can level the playing field and reduce the hurdles and barriers for a lot of students I would be a happy person!"
Congrats, Pattie! Keep Going.
Dr. Marita Inglehart
University Diversity and Social Transformation
Professor; Professor of Dentistry & Adjunct Professor of Psychology
How long have you worked with PFS? And in what role?
I started out to help with the PFS program in 1994 as a program evaluator. That meant that I designed beginning and end surveys to evaluate the outcomes of the PFS program so we could document it works when Dr. Woolfolk applied for grants
What has the PFS program meant to you?
I loved this program from the beginning and admired Dr. Woolfolk for being able to pull this off. When Dr. Ester took over and Ms. Crosby joined the program, I was really happy because I saw their dedication and passion for the students. They are wonderful! Everytime a new dental school class started, I looked to see if any PFS students were among the new D1s and if I saw them, it made me happy. If I did not see them – like in 2023 – I was asking myself: what did we do wrong that they are not here? And I have to remind myself: As long as they get to dental school, it is OK – even if they do not come to our school. I carefully watch how they do in dental school and one of the very high points of my year is when I attend the graduation dinner. This is always very emotional, and I am very, very proud of each one of them.
Ever Written a Book?
Inspired by her childhood experiences growing up in post-war Germany, Professor of Dentistry Dr. Marita Inglehart wrote a book titled Reactions to Critical Life Events in 1990. The book was partly fueled by her desire to understand how people could cope with the terrible things that can impact their lives.
"Growing up, we lived in a house with my grandparents, parents and aunt and uncle. My aunt had been sterilized by the Nazis because she had a learning disability. She was an exceptionally bright woman but had a difficult time to learn how to read and write. When she was 14, she was taken from the classroom to a catholic hospital where she was sterilized. I grew up knowing that when you are not perfect, or have a disability, people can do
all types of horrible things to you. This is what formed my whole professional life because I became a psychologist to understand how people can do things to others in this way and how we can cope with these atrocities ."
While this one example played a big role in Dr. Inglehart's work, there are other realities happening today that continue to motivate her.
"To this day, I'm still wondering how people can do such awful things when I hear about police brutality and Anti-Asian hate crimes and why we cannot figure out how to change the world to become a better place for everybody. I am happy with my work in the dental school because it focuses on educating dentists and dental hygienists about the special considerations when treating patients from diverse backgrounds and especially patients with special health care needs. I hope I will be able to continue my efforts to teach and serve in the dental community for a long time."
Congrats, Dr. Inglehart. Keep Going!
Dr. Renée E. Duff Associate Dean for Students
How long have you worked with PFS? And in what role?
13 years, PFS Chair Since 2013, I have been involved in welcoming PFS participants and engaging with them around topics of dental curriculum, dental student life, and dental specialty training. I have also had the privilege of working with many of them as they become dental students and student leaders in the School of Dentistry community.
What has the PFS program meant to you?
Profile For Success has a special place in my heart for many reasons. The program has been instrumental in introducing incredible individuals to the profession, enriching both the field and my own personal and professional life in the process. Its success lies not just in the quality of talent it nurtures but, more importantly, in the Michigan family it has fostered. This community, built on shared values, aspirations, and mutual support, stands as a testament to the program's profound impact.
Ever Taken Yourself Too Seriously?
Hudson, Michigan, native Dr. Renee Duff (Associate Dean for Students) may have come from a small rural town, but she's always been persistent about making a big impact.
"My graduating class in high school had fewer than 100 people and then coming to U-M was a huge change. I went from a small community where I was a high achiever to a really big place where all of a sudden, I wasn't a high achiever. I battled with impostor syndrome, and I had to really work to rebuild my support system. As a first-generation college student and having parents who weren’t exactly sure how to guide my experience, I think I got used to navigating things on my own. It took me about a year to get comfortable and adapt to the environment in college as I found mentors and met friends. I came from an environment where I never had to ask for help, but once I started realizing that I could reach out to instructors for help is when things shifted.
I remember feeling like I was going to fail my chemistry course in my freshman year. It was really out of necessity that I reached out to the discussion session TA and even went to the professor's office hours. It was still challenging for me to ask for help but I ultimately realized the value in it. Even today sometimes it's challenging for me, and I think that's just a part of my personality."
What's great is not only Dr. Duff's persistence to help herself but also to help others!
"Now I don't take myself so seriously. I try to keep more of a sense of humor about things. The truth is that we all need help. I reflect on the positive experiences in my life when reaching out was helpful and now on the flip side, I try to reach out when I see students in need of help."
Congrats, Dr. Duff! Keep Going.
Dinella Crosby Student Affairs Program Specialist
How long have you worked with PFS? And in what role?
I have worked with PFS at the School of Dentistry for 8 years. Prior to coming to the School of Dentistry, I coordinated the PFS program at the Medical School for one year. My role is to coordinate all aspects
of the program. This begins with revising the website and application each year and ends with a final report of that year's program.
What has the PFS program meant to you?
PFS has meant that I have had the honor to play a small role in helping a student along their path to dental school and beyond.
Ever Felt Bullied?
Alabama native Dinella Crosby (Student Affairs Program Specialist) has always found inspiration in the words of Winston Churchill, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." Though she's spent much of her professional life in roles rooted in helping others, it hasn't always been easy.
"Before coming over to the dental school I was working on a team that was going through a change in leadership. This was a humbling experience as the new Director wanted to introduce a totally new team to the office and it led to several of my peers moving on. It was tough because I felt like the new leadership never really took the time to assess everyone's abilities. I was working with students and academic advising which enabled me to maintain my role, but I quickly felt the culture shift to a more toxic work environment. Not only were my peers going to other places but my work got taken away. I really felt bullied when my responsibilities of academic advising gotten taken away. At that moment I was done! I ended up leaving the office and was basically out of a job for a while. I had time for my family, but it wasn't until I left the office that I realized how stressed I was. I had allowed it to crush my soul."
What's great is not only Ms. Crosby's willingness to talk about a trying season in her life, but also how she leveraged serving to help in her healing.
"After leaving my position I worked at the volunteer center on campus for some time. That time helping interview individuals and making sure they had correct immunization records, helped my healing because people who volunteer are genuine and sincere. It helped me to facilitate something that was really needed. It also taught me even more about different cultures which is something I have always been fascinated by. Especially in my role now I'm constantly learning and out of total respect I try to ask questions about the different cultural backgrounds of students that we have so that I can support them as best as I can."
Congrats, Ms. Crosby! Keep Going
Dr. Todd Ester
Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Partner, Renaissance Endodontics, PLLC
How long have you worked with PFS? And in what role?
More than 20 years, PFS Program Director/Recruiter, 1996-2006; 2014-present.
What has the PFS program meant to you?
The PFS program has been a special blessing to my work and life. The friendships and relationships that I make with each student is real and lasts a lifetime! Each year as I meet our new participants I am amazed to see how excited they are to become a dental professional. Their enthusiasm for dentistry is infectious and positively impacts our entire dental school community, “Iron sharpens iron.” I am honored to serve as the program director of this amazing program and I pray that PFS will exist into perpetuity!
Ever Begged for Extra Credit?
Detroit, Michigan, native Dr. Todd Ester (Clinical Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) might be on the other side of taking exams now, but he isn't shy about sharing the humbling experiences on his journey.
"My journey growing up and being a first-generation college graduate was truly humbling. Both of my parents worked at a bakery, but they always had that dream of going to college. I was also the youngest of four siblings and it meant a lot for my parents to transfer their dream to us. They made huge sacrifices for us, and my father even took out a second mortgage on our home in order for me to fulfill my dream of attending Morehouse College. Despite my mother not initially wanting me to travel 600 miles from home, they believed in me, and my study of Dr. MLK Jr. played a key role in my decision. Once I got to Morehouse, I struggled during my freshman year. Ironically enough I got to take advantage of an opportunity to recite Dr. King's "I have a dream" speech for extra credit and to this day I have that speech still committed to memory."
What's impressive is not merely Dr. Ester's interest in finding inspiration from Dr. King but also his commitment to genuinely align his own life's work with helping others!
"When I was in the second grade, I boldly declared that I would be a doctor although the only doctor I had really known was a pediatrician. Nonetheless, my family and community took note and supported me. By the age of fifteen, I really began researching health professional careers and it was the dentist who came to speak at my high school that helped make it clear for me. I loved the idea of being able to help patients who were not in life/ death situations and be able to teach them how to effectively help themselves.
Ultimately, it's my faith that guides me and the words of Dr. King sum it up that, "If I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody their traveling wrong, then my living will not be in vain."
Congrats Dr. Ester! Keep Going.
Dr. Kenneth May
Associate Professor Emeritus, Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor, The School of Dentistry, Office of DEI, Director of Recruitment
How long have you worked with PFS? And in what role?
I have worked with PFS for 20-25 years. During this time with PFS I have taught the participants dental anatomy, inter- and extra-coronal preparation designs, waxing, alginate impression’s, fabrication of casts and mouthguards. I've presented clinical treatment cases, shared my pathway to dentistry and becoming a clinician-educator.
What has the PFS program meant to you?
There are a few programs available that aid the underrepresented, socially-, economically-, and educationally disadvantaged on how to become a dental school applicant. The PFS Team at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry has a program that is second to none. Based simply on how it cares for the participants of the program before, during, and after they attend PFS, and holds itself responsible for the success of its alumni.
Ever Made Dentures for Your Mom?
Wolfe Project, Arkansas, native Dr. Kenneth May (Associate Professor and ODEI Chief Recruitment Officer) has had many life experiences that inspire his work today. Many of those experiences have involved his education both in adolescence and adulthood.
"I was born in Wolfe Project which was a former plantation that was broken up and sold by the government to sharecroppers. The name itself came from the former plantation owner whose family name was Wolfe. My grandfather got an 80-acre plot, so my parents were farmers and I grew up working on the farm. We did cotton, soybeans, corn, wheat, and oats.
From 1st to 6th grade I was in segregated schools, but when I went to junior high, we desegregated. That experience was humbling because there was definitely the fear of the unknown. For a period of time, desegregation hurt black students largely because there wasn't an equitable representation of black teachers in desegregated schools. Sports are what people really began to rally around. I played football and it had a way of uniting us, focusing everyone's attention on skill and winning as opposed to favoritism or color. I would say much of my work today with outreach and teaching is fueled by my experience going through segregation"
In addition to the trying experience with segregation, Dr. May also endured physical pain that helped guide his life's work in dentistry.
"As a kid, I can remember my mother having problems with her teeth for most of her adult life. I felt like that transferred to me also because there were times where my jaw used to swell up and I would have headaches from tooth issues. That played a big part in my interest in dentistry. One thing that I'm proud of is that when I was a resident in the prosthodontics program at U-M we brought my mom, who was 60 years old, to U-M and did a full mouth rehabilitation. I was fortunate enough to be able to design and model the dentures for her. Afterward, she would smile, and she was one proud lady to have partial dentures that were made by her son. People actually told me at her memorial service in 2004 that my mother was proud of the work that I did for her and that she spoke of it often."
Congrats, Dr. May! Keep Going.
Dr. Jacques E. Nör
Dean, U-M School of Dentistry
We appreciate the support of Dean Nör for PFS and look forward to his continued commitment into the future of his leadership at the school. Here is his Buoy story.
Ever Thought About Living into Your 90s?
Porto Alegre, Brazil, native Dean Jacques Nör draws much of his inspiration from his father who passed away at the age of 94. While longevity of life is impressive, for Dean Nör the lessons that his father taught him about purpose and impact stand out the most.
"I was always inspired by my father who was born in 1913 and only had an elementary education. He was one of 13 kids and they were raised in a very remote area in Brazil. He was the first of the 13 siblings to take the leap and move to Porto Alegre in about 1935, which is the largest city in the state. He went there without adequate resources or an education and managed to find a job there where he worked for the bulk of his life as a sacristan taking care of a local church.
Even though he had very little education he made sure that my brother, sister, and I received a great education. Our family lived on what was a little bit more than minimum wage and somehow he still found a way to pay for private school. For my father, the limited job opportunities available to him based on his education really served as the impetus for making sure my siblings and I prioritized going to school."
Motivated by his father's self-determination and commitment to invest in his education, Dean Nör has done the same for his son who is now graduating high school and heading to Princeton. Among other lessons from Dean Nör's father are a few wise words related to achievement.
"My dad would say that 'If you are honest and work hard you will achieve bigger things!' I reflect on that often as I consider some of the present dreams that I have. Today, I dream that our school enables every person in Michigan to have access to oral healthcare. And while currently we have 15 outreach clinics I would love to see that expand across the state. More personally, I have a goal of finding a cure to salivary gland cancer, which has been a research effort that I have had the pleasure of being a part of for about 20 years."
Congrats Dean Nör. Keep Going!
1995
Graciela Alaniz ^ Natalie Barclay ^ Francesca Bell ^
Kristina Biggs ^ Kameshia Gant
Lee Jackson
Muhammad Khalifa
Vernon Myers
Walter Ngaji-Okumu * Wakeshi Scott-Benson * Ayin Valdes
Arlishea Washington *
Class Years 1994-2024 1994 1995
1994
Cynthia Cardenas ^ Clark Chasten
Jana Dickson * Benjamin Dorantes
Janine Epps *
Karen Gill-Jones *
Tori Lee
Rosibel Monserrate
Delia Morales ^ Kristi Sutton *
Teri Wynn *
Benjamin Dorantes
1997
Nela Ballesteros
William Bryan ^ Lisa Cage
Alicia Galvan ^
Danielle Hamilton *
Philnita Hines *
Eddie Jackson
Paulita Llyod *
Lavedita Moore-Parker * Adriana Nunez
Joseph Nunoo
Niurca Rodriguez
Tamika Thompson ^ Gerald Ward ^
Edward Wiggins ^
Robert Young ^
1996
Brian Bernier *
Michael Brennan
Daniel Duroseau ^
Norbert Fernandez *
Bonciel Griffin *
Marc Henderson ^
Sherese Jones
Kevin Lane *
Monica Mendoza ^
Princewell Onwere
Bryan Williams *
* denotes U-M School of Dentistry graduate/student ^ denotes dental school graduate/student at another dental school
1998
Adrienne Andress ^
William Atkinson *
Latoya Barbee ^
Anita Beaty ^
Khary Crymes ^
Kareen Dillard Jr.
Michael Glass *
Dwayne Miller ^ Janeen Moore ^
Tonya Parris-Wilkins ^
Joseph Patrick
Elizabeth Sandoval
Terry Spurlin ^
Shontaya Stevens
Osyria Webster
David White *
1998 1999 2000
1999
Martha DaLatorre
David Dillard *
Ebonee Drew *
Trevor Fraser ^
Margaret Gingrich *
Delante Hamilton
Travon Holt
Mercedes Lau
Marlayne Newman *
Tara Ragland ^
Kyle Steele
Rhonda Stephens *
Carol Thomas ^
Paris Vaughn *
Christopher Williams
Latisha Williams *
2000
Valissia Allen
Juanella Coleman
Soogee Jeon
* denotes U-M School of Dentistry graduate/student ^ denotes dental school graduate/student at another dental school
Jennifer Josephson ^
LeeAnn Kardosh ^
Kahina King ^
Julian Miller *
Max Moncayo ^
Reena Newton
Dong Nguyen *
Shirley Orlu
Ulpa Patel *
2001 2002
Meinda Rhodes (King) *
Denese Shelton ^ Rachelle Valcin *
Belinda Rhodes (King) *
2001
Andrea Bertotto *
Storm Briggs ^
Jordan Brunson *
Khalil Cumberbatch *
Michael Daccahe *
Julio Escobar *
Michelle Griffith ^
Shelly Hayes ^
Jason Loop ^
Kenisha Manning *
Ervin Fard Simmons Jr
Carlos Smith *
Aimee Snell *
Ganga Tamdji *
Victoria Tran
Veronica Wilkins
2002
Aimee Abrahim
DeAndre Alexander *
Tammara Bell ^
Kisty Caples
Adrienne Carmichael ^
April Flowers
Rosa Hayes
Francois Herard
Sadeq Ismail
Sam James
Terri Johnson Constantinos Kakavitsas
Jana Lampley *
Rachel Legros
J'nelle Leslie ^ Imani Lewis *
Cemeron Longstreet *
Ashla Martin
Fariba Neumann
Irmide Olibris
Brenda Paige
Afua Richardson *
Jennifer Sanders
Maria Santiago
2003
Julia Banks
Calysta Beatty ^ Erica Bell
Nia Bigby
Ogbonna Bowden *
Lesley Broadnex ^ Eileen Buckle *
Erin Ealba *
Brent Frey *
Jonathan Hardy
Brenda Herrera
Caroline Hong *
Jennifer Johnson
Kenisha Manning *
Huy Justin Nguyen *
Orlando Robinson
Lisette Rosa
Asia Smith
Montressor Upshaw ^
Tamisha Valcin ^
Nam Vu ^
Nefesa Walker
Jeron Winslow
Aisha Woods
Alice Yuen
2003 2004 2005
2004
Nejay Ananaba *
Breah Burkhalter
Brandon Callaway
Renard Descallar
Keli Duerson
Steven Fletcher * Matthew Gray *
Qiara Haynes
Eijah Holness
Arlene Kewallal *
Debbie Lee *
Renettra Morris
Victoria Moultrie
Amyre Muhammad
Jimani Mwendo
Jerrond Parker ^
Allen Robinson *
Anwar Robinson
Kyre Roper *
Philippe Rouchon *
Safiyah Salih ^
Kamilah Sanford
Mya Shabazz
Lavaughn St.Hillaire
Yasmina Wright
2005
Nicole Baugh
Duane Bennett *
Cameron Blair
Edna Buckle ^
Chimere Callaway
Tyffani Carbage
* denotes U-M School of Dentistry graduate/student ^ denotes dental school graduate/student at another dental school
Manuel Carranza *
Ayana Cartwright
Stacy Cousin
Darah Crutcher
Nickolas Garcia
Chavala Harris ^
Javier Johnson *
Ebone Jordan-Njari *
Kristen Kilgore *
2006 2007
Brandon Knockum
Bryan Lockhart ^
Evelyn Lucas-Perry *
Shelley Martinets
Lull Mengesha
Elise Newsome
Shanika Nichols
Erin Norman Anthony Sewell ^ James Slaughter III ^ So Song
Jonathan Tanner
LaToya Walton
Jared Williams
Warren Woodruff *
2006
Charles Barquet *
Jacqlyn Baylis ^
Jabrea Bennett
Bryan Carmichael *
Albert Coombs ^
Mariel Cruz
Johnna Daniels *
Ashlee Franklin
Lajoyous Hayes
Lauren Jefferson
Sherise Johns
Shana Jones *
Shernell Lespier
Victoria Lucas-Perry *
Bridget Maclin *
Amira May*
Terrell Mitchell *
Tiffani Mitchell *
Spencer Monroe
Shaun Newsome ^
Jennifer Nguyen
Joyce Pressley-Bellamy *
Ryan Reyes
Senta Reyes *
Stevie Reynolds
Affaf Saddy *
Joi Stallworth
Kurrie Stennis
Yetunde Tyehimba
Latasha Washington
2007
Chanel Barnes
Tarranay Bozorg *
Alijah Bradley *
Charlton Conner ^
Shayla Deal ^ Tony Giang
Kris Givan ^
Jessica Harris *
Caroline Hwang *
Tameka Knight ^ Edward Lee * Allen Mayon
Deshara Merkerson *
Jantraveus Merritt ^ Diem Nguyen *
Anh Pham *
Saba Raheem
Nija Rivera
Crystal Rosser *
LaTonya Waller
2008
Abisola Aduroja
Elom Agbottah
Trudy-Ann Frazer ^ Marilyn Hawkins ^
Latoya Hicks
Candace Hollis
Natasha Husband
Jenny Jeong *
Priscilla Johnson *
Samantha Klipp *
Diana Maldonado *
Jaccqueline Mendoza *
Mirian Montano
Irvin Osborne
Willard Osibin *
Chris Rae *
Tracy Tat ^
Kaisha Thomas
Tamasha Triplett ^
Faith White
2009
Christopher Ammons *
Anthony Brown Jr. ^
Isabel Castillo *
Chaina Cooper
Sarah Cordero ^
RaAnaa Davis
Mathias Dunwoody ^
Abdullah Faiq
Edward Heath *
Regina Hollis
Mahzarine Irani *
Kenya McCalebb ^
Charlesia McLin
Alicia Mickles
John Nwosu ^
Keyoko Payne
Andres Setaputri *
Nikka Sorrells
Noble Swint
Elise Webb ^
Rochelle Young
2010
Dele Ajagbe ^
Anthony Baldwin ^
Brema Beltinor
Christy Bieber
* denotes U-M School of Dentistry graduate/student ^ denotes dental school graduate/student at another dental school
Thank-you for your time, talent and treasure provided to our PFS thirty year Symposium and Celebration planning. Many of you have asked, "How can I help?" and we are happy to say that we have established an endowed fund to go along with this momentous occasion: the Dr. Ida Gray Legacy Dental Student Fund.
In 1890, Ida Gray Nelson Rollins graduated from the University of Michigan College of Dentistry. She became the very first African-American woman dentist in the United States. Honoring her legacy to the profession, the Dr. Ida Gray Legacy Student Fund will reduce barriers to entry, enhance the student experience and cover expenses not covered by scholarships or other funding. Supporting items include, but are not limited to: Profile For Success (PFS) student costs, support Student National Dental Association student costs, Ida Gray Legacy Senior Celebration and support for pre-dental students in the PFS pathway.
Leading the charge for this new fund are Dr. Todd Ester, Dr. Jordan Brunson, Dr. Mike Dacacche and Dr. Ozzie Smith. Each has made a multi-year pledge to the new Ida Gray Student Support Fund. The newly Endowed Dr. Ida Gray Legacy Dental Student Fund along with our existing endowed funds will guarantee another 30 years of excellence in the PFS.
We would like to thank all alumni, friends and supporters who have given generously to our three endowed funds that support our DEI efforts, including the Dr. Lee Jones Endowed Scholarship Fund, Dr. Lee Jones Endowment for Dentistry Diversity Programs, and the newly established Dr. Ida Gray Legacy Fund. The previous funds were established with lead gifts from Dr. Darnell Kaigler, Sr., Dr. Lee Jones Family, Dr. Ray Gist, Dr. Dennis Lopatin, Dr. Norman Clement, Dr. Jane Plasman (in honor of father, Dr. Gilbert Plasman) and Dr. Charles Goodis. We are grateful to all who graciously gave to these funds. They are indeed making a difference.
For further information or to discuss other ways of supporting PFS into perpetuity, please contact:
Dr. Todd Ester
Associate Dean, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion tvester@umich.edu
Carrie Towns Chief Development Officer clarkca@umich.edu
