The objectives of this project were to create a program that would expose underrepresented minority (URM) and low income (LI) high school students to dental professions and provide an opportunity for dental and dental hygiene students from URM/LI groups to be engaged in teaching activities. Data were collected from participants during the school years 2009-10 (high school students: N=23, dental students: N=21, dental hygiene students: N=5) and 2010-11 (N=27, N=11, N=3, respectively). The students participated in fifteen Saturday sessions from October through March each year. The data showed that, from the beginning, mentees and mentors were very interested in participating in the program and getting to know each other. Lectures, general program activities, and patient-related events such as organizing a health fair and shadowing during two outreach clinics were evaluated positively by mentees and mentors. The end of program evaluations showed that the program and the mentee-mentor relationships were rated very positively and that the mentees had an increased interest in oral health-related careers. In conclusion, creating opportunities for URM/LI high school students to explore dental careers and for dental and dental hygiene students to engage in teaching resulted in positive experiences for both groups.
Keywords: dental education; dental faculty; dental hygiene students; dental students; high school students; student diversity; student recruitment; underrepresented minorities.