Student Associations

Albert F. Staples Society American Student Dental Association

The Albert F. Staples Society is the major student-led community service organization within the OU College of Dentistry. Our mission is to provide service to both the community and to the college. Through our different committees, we aim to serve while promoting interaction among students, faculty and staff.

October was a busy month for Staples Society. Earlier in the month, we participated in an annual oral health fair opportunity at Stanley Hupfeld Academy. Student volunteers provided the elementary school community with free oral health supplies, oral hygiene instructions and intraoral/ extraoral screening exams.

In addition, we once again had the honor of hosting an annual Halloween party, where we partnered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma organization. Traditionally, we invite children and their mentors to the college, and this year, 46 children, an outstanding number, attended the event. OUCOD student volunteers donned costumes and set up different activities, such as cookie decorating, basketball, arts and crafts, and face painting for the kids to enjoy.

Both events provided wonderful opportunities, allowing students to interact and give back to the community by using the skills learned at the college and connecting with children beyond the scope of dentistry.

Dentistry, at its core, is a profession that calls for service, and we’re fortunate to have a platform such as Staples Society that constantly reminds us of our duty to serve others in dentistry and beyond.

Pre-Dental Simulation Course This course was designed for pre-dental students to gain insight and learn hands-on what the clinical portion of dental school entails. More importantly, it is an opportunity to begin developing the hand skills that are necessary to succeed. Attendees got to work hands-on with various dental instruments, restore cavity preparations, use high-speed handpieces and much more. Students who complete the course have a better idea of what it takes to be a dental student and become a more competitive applicant.

Casino Royale The fifth annual Casino Royale took place on Oct. 12, 2018, at the Skirvin Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City. Casino Royale is a social and interactive event featuring gaming tables, drinks, dancing, food and great prizes. Students dress up and enjoy a night of fun with classmates, friends, spouses, faculty and staff. It is one of the events students look forward to all year!

Conference The Career Advancement Leadership (CAL) Conference is a leadership conference held for ASDA members. This year, two of ASDA’s title sponsors, Simmons Bank and Patterson Dental, were the morning guest speakers. After, Shelly Short, a practice management consultant, spoke with the executive committee on team-building and leadership skills to prepare them for the upcoming school year. In the afternoon, general ASDA members and pre-dental students join and listen to Drs. James Wanamaker, Tabitha Arias and Loren Israelsen about their experience in dentistry and ASDA.

Miles for Smiles 5K The second-annual Miles for Smiles 5K was held on Nov. 3, 2018, and was powered by 3IG. More than 150 runners attended and around $5,000 was raised for Good Shepherd Ministries. Good Shepherd Ministries has served the Oklahoma City community since 1977, providing medical and dental care for those in need.

Loupes Fair The Loupes Fair is an event that allows dental students and dental hygiene students to try on loupes and light attachments from different vendors and purchase them that day. The event is held in one of the clinics to allow students to get a feel for the loupes in the clinic setting.

DentFest DentFest is a fun event that ASDA coordinates for students to learn more about available options in the dental industry from more than 20 different vendors. Students get the chance to network, try on loupes, get free swag and much more.

Pre-Dental Prep Day Pre-Dental Prep Day was designed for pre-dental students to gain insight on learning about what the application portion of dental school entails. It is an opportunity to discover who pre-dental students are and what makes them unique. Students who attend the event learn tips on writing personal statements and mock interviews and can ask dental students any questions they may have to the dental student panel.

Rural Dentistry Interest Group

On Nov. 16, 2018, the Rural Dentistry Interest Group had the pleasure of having former ODA President Juan Lopez, D.D.S., come and speak about the benefits and lifestyle of practicing in a rural setting. Dr. Lopez discussed his personal experience with practicing in a rural office and then answered any questions students had about rural dentistry. The group was also able to hear from Dr. Winfree and Mr. McCain about the Oklahoma Dental Loan Repayment Program.

Student Council

Each Summer, Student Council hosts a volleyball tournament among teams formed from the college. The entire college enjoyed free food and refreshments, fun music and friendly competition. There never fails to be an abundance of hilarious team names at this event: Volley Llamas, Setting Ducks and the Flossophers are just a few of the creative names used this year.

Of the 10 teams that registered, only one walked away with the cash prize after playing their final game in near pitch darkness after competing for over three hours! Who knew dental professionals had so much pent-up energy? The Drilling Diastemas took the gold this year, and this team was composed of four dental students from the class of 2020—Ashley Long, Blake Neece, Brock Shaw and Chris Hunt—who were decked out in matching T-shirts as testament to how serious they were. This exciting event was organized by our STUCO social chairs, Kate Littlefield (DS3) and Lauren Lewis (DS2), who worked extremely hard to put it all together. We hope this tradition continues for many more years to come!

2019 Kids’ Day

The 2019 Kids’ Day was held in late February at the college. Delta Dental’s Captain Supertooth greeted kids from all over the metro as they arrived for their dental care. Over 130 kids received complimentary cleanings, fillings and crowns provided by dental and dental hygiene students, under the supervision of faculty.

Not only did the kids receive complimentary dental care, but they also got the chance to interact with current students, who taught them about good oral health habits. The student-run program was led by fourth-year students Cooper Pasque, Shelby Steffenhagen and Tara Denton and supervised by Dr. Tim Fagan, Pediatric Dentistry division head.