Tufts Mini-Dental School Fellowship

In one word, it was a “WOW”; you’d think you cannot get so much in 5 days. I was honored to participate in the just-launched program in the first-ever round of the fellowship with other students like me and wonderful dental students from Tufts Dental School who helped us through this competitive program. Special thanks to Dr. Jason Cummins for starting this program and letting us meet with so many different, incredible people in the dental field who all shared a piece of their knowledge and real-life experience with us, and to Dr. Karina Irusa for catching me while I fainted in an anatomy dissecting lab. By the way, I will never forget my first patched banana that I sutured (and proudly ate after) under the supervision of Dr. Lin-Hsin Chuang, who described it as probably the best example of how it was supposed to look. During the Tufts Mini Dental School program, I was introduced to the foundations of dentistry through lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. I learned about oral anatomy, dental specialties, and the role of technology in modern dentistry. I also gained practical exposure by practicing basic skills such as using dental instruments on models and making impressions. This experience not only gave me insight into what dental school training is like but also highlighted the importance of precision, communication, and patient care in the field.