Seizing an opportunity to explore the world of dentistry – and get a glimpse of life as a dental student – 20 students from across the United States took part in Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine’s new Dive Into Dental Sciences summer program. It was part of a university-wide program that provides high school students an opportunity to experience a week of one of several careers planned by schools across campus. For those who were interested in dentistry, they participated in a variety of hands-on activities in the SDM’s preclinical laboratory, under the tutelage of Stony Brook dental students, staff and faculty.
The week’s activities included using high-speed dental handpieces and other instruments, making cavity preparations, creating typodont impressions and stone models, and fabricating athletic mouth guards, among other tasks.
“The Dive Into Dental Sciences summer program is a wonderful opportunity for students who are considering a career in dentistry to truly experience it first hand,” said Patrick Lloyd, DDS, MS, dean of the School of Dental Medicine. “We are so pleased with the program’s success in its inaugural year, and look forward to providing this window into our world for many years to come.”
During the six-day program, students also watched demonstrations in the school’s state-of-the-art Center for Implant Technology (CIDT), and were introduced to Stony Brook University’s Scholars for Dental Medicine Program, which allows qualified candidates to complete a combined bachelor/Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) course of study. Outside of school, they enjoyed a wide variety of excursions throughout Long Island.
“As a dentist who also knew what I wanted to do at a young age, to see that same focus and enthusiasm in high school students was such a joy for me,” said Jeffrey Seiver, DDS, the program’s director and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of General Dentistry. “The students were a pleasure to work with, and each demonstrated great skill in performing all of the activities throughout the week.”
Applications for the 2026 Dive Into Dental Sciences summer program will be accepted at a later date. Visit our website for the most up-to-date information on pre-college summer offering at the School of Dental Medicine and throughout the university.
