March 2021 – Dental students from throughout the United States' northeast region recently participated in the American Dental Education Association's (ADEA) first-ever "I Have an ADEA" virtual event. Students were tasked with acting as the dean for a day, developing a dental curriculum, and competing through an oral presentation of their work. Diverse working groups allowed students to be paired with peers from other academic institutions with interest in academic dentistry. According to ADEA, the event was intended to "ignite a conversation that includStony Brook Students Recognized in American Dental Education Association's Curriculum Development Event es the student voice and ideas on the future of dental education."
Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine was represented by students Sonia Bhutra, Diana Kim, Joseph Masselli, and Viviana Torres Rizo. Reflecting on their own dental school experiences and adhering to guidelines set forth by ADEA, both Diana Kim and Viviana Torres helped lead their teams to success with first- and second-place wins, respectively. In total, twelve teams participated in the event, with Stony Brook leading the way in conversation toward integrating student voices into ideas on the future of dental education.
"It was a great opportunity to participate in the 'I Have an ADEA' event alongside peers from other nearby dental schools," said student Diana Kim. "Reflecting upon my experiences as a dental student helped inspire the ideas for the future that we included in our presentation. Whether deciding on a practice model for our hypothetical curriculum or talking through promoting teamwork, it was an enriching and collaborative experience that enhanced my outlook on the key components of dental education."
Dr. Allan Kucine, Interim Dean, served among a team of faculty judges, helping to review students' ideas and presentations. "I am so proud to see Stony Brook recognized for the talent and vision of our students," he said. "Our students are the future of our profession, and events like these shed light on the valuable insight that they have on what is – and should be – next on the horizon within our clinics and classrooms."
