A Legacy of Care

As admission to the UNC School of Dentistry is extremely competitive, one might imagine blind ambition causing classroom discord. But rather than focusing on themselves, students seek to support one another and look for opportunities to serve. Our school and our students embody Carolina’s public-focused mission. Take, for example, our Student National Dental Association (SNDA) Center for Accessible Affordable Health, Research, and Education (CAARE) Clinic in Durham, N.C. The student-led clinic increases access to care and provides quality urgent and preventative oral health services to the city’s underserved populations.

Since 2012, students have provided oral health care and education, nutritional counseling and wellness screenings for free to all patients at the SNDA CAARE Clinic. The value totaled more than $40,000 of in-kind care in 2016 alone. This model of service and learning benefits our community, as well as betters our students’ education and exemplifies their selflessness.

The American Dental Association Foundation honored the SNDA with the E. “Bud” Tarrson Dental School Student Community Leadership Award for its work in the Durham CAARE clinic.

Related Stories

A Teacher Toolkit, Unboxed!

Ringing in the Summer Olympics

Olympic Gold Legacy