Mentorship Webinar: Why Representation in Dentistry Matters

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, DIDM is honored to have the esteemed Dr. Esther Lopez, President of the Greater Chicago Hispanic Dental Association, be our moderator for our October Mentorship Webinar: “Why Representation in Dentistry Matters.”  With 15 years in the field, Esther Lopez, DDS, MPH is a passionate, patient-centered dentist and public health and health equity advocate dedicated to prioritizing people’s overall health and well-being. She divides her time between running her Oak Park, Illinois-based practice, Healthy Tooth Dental, serving as an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois Chicago’s College of Dentistry, and volunteering as a clinician and co-chair of the Dental Advisory Committee at RefugeeOne, a Chicago-based non-profit agency that helps refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants resettle into the U.S.

We’re also excited to have on the panel: Angela Bathija, D2 University of Pennsylvania;  Shelby Ferebee, D2 University of Maryland; Kassidy Brnett, D2 Howard University; and Erendira Palomino-Razo, D3 Midwestern University IL.

Want to learn more and how to become a mentee or a mentor? Visit our website www.diversityindentistry.org for more information!

0:00 Mentorship Webinar: “Why Representation in Dentistry Matters” Panel Introductions

3:43 Why Dr. Lopez wrote the article “Why Representation in Dentistry Matters”

6:49 Training on Cultural Humility

12:42 What does being represented mean to you?

13:42 Is it something that you think we should talk about and if so, why?

17:07 More – What representation means to you and if you feel that it’s important?

18:32 Do you think your school supports representation for the overall population of the United States?

22:42 If you were reapplying to dental schools, would representation and diversity be something that if you felt the school didn’t have, would you have considered still applying there?

26:46 What role do you think the ADA State Dental Society and local dental groups have in making sure that representation matters?

27:20 What role do you think these leadership organizations have to welcome this group of folks that are coming up that are far more represented?

32:47 When you go for your interview, ask what they do. Do they do cultural competency or cultural humility? How does that look like?

35:34 Importance of White Coat Ceremony

37:54 How do you find out about the diversity and inclusion in other schools?

41:31 Talk about DI statewide ban – Words of motivation

45:45 How do you think you can advocate for yourself?