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After learning about the effects of sugar and bacteria on teeth at Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SDM), 16-year-old Dylan Millitello dug out the candy from his pants pocket and threw it away.

“I like the workshop. I’m learning some good things about my teeth and my health,” said Millitello.

Millitello took part in the Friday, Nov. 13 workshop, ‘Dentists for a Day’ at SDM, along with 15 other youth from SIUE’s Upward Bound Math and Science (UBMS) program. Students in the program come from high schools in East St. Louis, Cahokia and Madison. The Nov. 13 program was designated for Cahokia students. UBMS students from East St. Louis and Madison will attend the same workshop at SDM on Friday, Nov. 20.

‘Dentists for a Day’ at SDM is an annual program that exposes and educates high school students to oral health care, said Poonam Jain, BDS, MS, MPH, director of Community Dentistry at SDM. The daylong program consists of a welcome from SDM Dean Bruce Rotter, a presentation on connections between oral and general health from Jain, interactive and informational booths, making alginate impressions and models, interviews with dental students, lunch and a tour of the SDM. 

“This is one of my personal favorite programs, because in a small way, I get the opportunity to directly impact these students,” Jain said. “Upward Bound students are the cream of the crop. They ask such excellent, thought-provoking questions about oral health, smoking, alcohol and drugs.

“We talked about how their mouth is connected to the rest of their body and how inflammation in the mouth affects the heart, lungs, joints and more,” she explained. “We also discussed how sugars, acids, food and snacks affect the mouth and health.”

The ‘Dentist for a Day’ program is just one more way that UBMS is helping students learn about the world of STEM education, said Elke Harris-McIntosh, UBMS program director.

“Whether or not the students are interested in working in dentistry, the program has been popular with our students because of their interest in the sciences. It broadens their minds to career possibilities,” said Harris-McIntosh.

Sixteen-year-old Chanae Ferrell enjoyed spending the day at SDM and getting an introduction to dentistry. “I learned that bacteria, acid and other things that you drink can hurt your teeth, especially too much soda,” said Ferrell, who wants to be a pediatrician.

“The fact that she wants to be a pediatrician is great,” said Denise Hand, Year IV dental student who was paired with Ferrell. “I told her to shadow those in the healthcare field as much as she can.

“I told her when I was in high school, I shadowed my boyfriend’s father, who was a dentist. And I loved it,” Hand said. “I married my boyfriend, and now I will be working with my father-in-law, Burl Hand, at his dentist practice in Freeburg.”

This year marks the seventh year the SDM has hosted UBMS students.

“Seven years ago, I got a grant to fund this program,” Jain said. “It’s been such a big success that when the grant ran out, we decided to keep doing it with money out of our budget.

“We are giving the students valuable information and exposing them to the career and the joys of being a dentist,” she concluded.

The SIUE Upward Bound Math and Science Program is designed to prepare participants for post-secondary education and motivate their exploration of science, mathematics and related educational professions.     

School of Dental Medicine: The SIU School of Dental Medicine students manage approximately 35,000 patient visits each year at its patient clinics in Alton and East St. Louis. In addition, students offer oral health treatment, screenings and education to more than 10,000 people annually through a wide variety of off-campus community outreach events. These opportunities provide students the training they need to graduate and become highly skilled dentists. The School of Dental Medicine is a vital oral health care provider for residents of southern and central Illinois, and the St. Louis metropolitan region.                                       

Photos:

 L-R: Ti’Aja Fairlee, Upward Bound Math and Science student, stirs the mold with the help of Dr. Poonam Jain, director of Community Dentistry at SIU School of Dental Medicine. Assisting Fairlee is Brittany Scanlon, Year IV dental student

Dylan Millitello, Upward Bound Math and Science student, scrapes the rest of the mold from the container.

 L-R: Chanae Ferrell, Upward Bound Math and Science student, works under the direction of Denise Hand, Year IV dental student.