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Profile For Success Program Hosts Symposium to Celebrate 30 Years of Success Focusing on Diversity in Dentistry
The school celebrated the 30th anniversary of its Profile For Success (PFS) program with a two-day symposium on June 27-28. Alumni of the program from around the country returned to join faculty, students and PFS staff for sessions focused on the impact of diversity in dentistry and the contributions and history of this U-M dental school initiative, now in its 30th year. Other events were student-alumni networking, continuing education courses, dental school and campus tours, and social events with a concluding dinner and gala.
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 undergraduates from around the country for an intensive six-week exposure to the challenges and rewards of dental education.
Launched in 1994 with a federal Health Careers Opportunity Program Grant, PFS prepares students from disadvantaged backgrounds for the Dental Admission Test (DAT) through robust tutoring. 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. Students are also mentored by faculty, dental students and practicing dentists who volunteer their time, insight and encouragement.
“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 populations,” Ester said in introducing the 30th anniversary event. “The PFS program provides the opportunity for young, predental 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.”
The dental school’s longstanding strategic initiative dovetails with the growing national movements for DEI championed by the American Dental Association, the American Dental Education Association, and the Michigan Dental Association, among others.
In the program booklet, organizers said the PFS initiative at U-M symbolizes an 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 longstanding goal that excellence in oral healthcare should be available to all.”
Dr. Carlos Smith, who attended PFS in 2001 and earned his DDS at U-M in 2007, was the keynote speaker on the second day of the event. He is Associate Dean of Inclusive Excellence, Ethics and Community Engagement and an associate professor in the Department of Dental Public Health and Policy at Virginia Commonwealth University.
His presentation – “Diversity in Dentistry: A Review of Both Education and Practice” – centered upon distinguishing the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and professionalism as well as how they overlap and dovetail with one another. He also discussed the ethical duty of clinicians in dental and dental hygiene practice as advocates for inclusive excellence.
Now a frequent speaker around the country on such issues, Smith said it was an honor to return to his alma mater to celebrate the 30th anniversary. “PFS was my very first introduction to dentistry and dental education 23 years ago,” he said. “To engage with current dental students, faculty and staff, as well as alumni and pre-dental students in delivering the keynote lecture Friday morning, was a joy.”
