{"id":147794,"date":"2019-03-22T16:52:33","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T20:52:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=147794"},"modified":"2023-06-27T13:02:18","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T17:02:18","slug":"uconn-dental-students-ready-patients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2019\/03\/uconn-dental-students-ready-patients\/","title":{"rendered":"UConn Dental Students Ready for Patients"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s out of the classroom and into the clinic for the UConn School of Dental Medicine Class of 2021.<\/p>\n

The dental school held a ceremony on Friday awarding new white coats to 47 second-year students to represent the milestone of starting their training with actual patients.<\/p>\n

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UConn Health white coats ready to be distributed at a ceremony held at John W. Patterson Auditorium at UConn Health in Farmington on March 22, 2019. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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UConn Health white coats ready to be distributed at a ceremony held at John W. Patterson Auditorium at UConn Health in Farmington on March 22, 2019. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"Second<\/a>
Second year dental students carry their white coats as they enter for a ceremony at John W. Patterson Auditorium at UConn Health in Farmington on March 22, 2019. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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Second year dental students carry their white coats as they enter for a ceremony at John W. Patterson Auditorium at UConn Health in Farmington on March 22, 2019. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"Sharon<\/a>
Sharon Gordon, dean of the School of Dental Medicine, speaks during a white coat ceremony for second year dental students at the John W. Patterson Auditorium at UConn Health. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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Sharon Gordon, dean of the School of Dental Medicine, speaks during a white coat ceremony for second year dental students at the John W. Patterson Auditorium at UConn Health. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"Joseph<\/a>
Joseph Gargano '80 DMD speaks during the white coat ceremony for second year dental students on March 22. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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Joseph Gargano '80 DMD speaks during the white coat ceremony for second year dental students on March 22. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"A<\/a>
A display during the ceremony shows words texted in by second year dental students to describe the symbolism of their white coats. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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A display during the ceremony shows words texted in by second year dental students to describe the symbolism of their white coats. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"Second<\/a>
Second year dental students put on their white coats. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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Second year dental students put on their white coats. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"Sree<\/a>
Sree Raghavendra, pre-doctoral clinic director, leads second year dental students in reciting an American Dental Association pledge during the ceremony on March 22. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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Sree Raghavendra, pre-doctoral clinic director, leads second year dental students in reciting an American Dental Association pledge during the ceremony on March 22. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"Second<\/a>
Second year dental students recite an American Dental Association pledge during the white coat ceremony at John W. Patterson Auditorium on March 22. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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Second year dental students recite an American Dental Association pledge during the white coat ceremony at John W. Patterson Auditorium on March 22. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"Second<\/a>
Second year dental students pose for a photo at the UConn Health academic atrium in Farmington following their white coat ceremony on March 22. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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Second year dental students pose for a photo at the UConn Health academic atrium in Farmington following their white coat ceremony on March 22. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div>\"Julia<\/a>
Julia Lafen, left, and other second year dental students pose for a selfie at the UConn Health academic atrium after their white coat ceremony. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div>
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Julia Lafen, left, and other second year dental students pose for a selfie at the UConn Health academic atrium after their white coat ceremony. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

\u201cBeing in clinic and seeing patients is kind of what we all thought we\u2019d be doing when we got here, and now that we\u2019ve got the book stuff out of the way, it will be nice to actually start learning the skills that we\u2019ll use for the rest of our lives,\u201d says Kenneth MacCormac.<\/p>\n

To this point, the students have been spending their time studying alongside their medical school counterparts.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first 18 months was arduous and very challenging, with the whole biomedical curriculum,\u201d says Shiyuan Mao, who is leaning toward pediatric dentistry but is open to other specialties. \u201cNow we can put it into practice and learn about patients\u2019 medical history and their diseases, and translate it in the way we can perform dentistry and the way we treat their oral health and hygiene. That is really what we came here for.\u201d<\/p>\n

The students already have their patients assigned to them. Each will manage a group of 40 to 50 patients throughout the rest of dental school.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach and every day, even though you may feel challenged and frustrated, please remember why you\u2019re here,\u201d Dr. Sharon Gordon, dean of the UConn School of Dental Medicine, told the students in Patterson Auditorium Friday afternoon. \u201cYou\u2019re here to serve your patients, even if they may be a source of the challenge and frustration before you. Please treat your patients as you would want you and your family members to be treated \u2013 with the utmost respect and compassion. And never forget that there\u2019s a tremendous trust and faith in us among those that we care for.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dental school has traditionally held a white coat ceremony in August for first-year students. The tradition followed by some dental schools of holding a clinical white coat ceremony for second-year students is an idea that Gordon, who arrived last summer, brought to UConn.<\/p>\n

Family and friends did not attend, but video of the ceremony was streamed<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dr. Joseph Gargano, a 1980 graduate of the UConn School of Dental Medicine, member of the school\u2019s alumni board, and an adjunct faculty member, was the invited speaker. He urged the students to let their white coats \u201cremind you of your professional obligations as outlined by Hippocrates: Lead your lives and practice your art with forthrightness and honor.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ceremony concluded with the students reciting an American Dental Association professional pledge derived from the Hippocratic Oath, the Prayer of Maimonides, and the 1947 Declaration of Geneva.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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