![students in the wetlab](/sites/g/files/omnuum6001/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2024-11/Banner-MedSci.jpg?itok=6yuEsEk4) # High school students dive into dentistry November 25, 2024 While some high school students spent their summer break soaking up the sun or working part-time jobs, a group of 13 students in grades 9–12 came to Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) to learn about dentistry. The initiative is part of a partnership with the Harvard Medical School (HMS) MEDscience program, that encourages students with an interest in STEM careers to get a firsthand experience in health care fields. The diverse group of budding dentists came from public and private high schools across the greater Boston area and beyond, including local schools in East Boston, Charlestown, Arlington, Watertown, Newton, Wellesley, Haverhill, and Wilbraham. This is the first summer HSDM has offered an immersive weeklong course for high school students interested in oral health and dentistry. The MEDscience program itself has been active since 2005 when HMS established the first Summer School program focused on science and medicine. “We’ve found that there’s great interest from increasingly younger teens to get a taste of what it’s like to work in health care professions. Part of HSDM’s mission is to foster the next generation of oral health professionals, so this was a wonderful opportunity to give young students early exposure to a pre-dental pathway and show them how rewarding a career in dentistry can be,” said Dr. Sang Park, associate professor of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences and associate dean for Dental Education. ![Students in masks and gowns learn dental techniques in a hands-on workshop at HSDM.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6001/files/styles/hwp_1_1__720x720_scale/public/2024-11/DrChandel-in-lab.jpg?itok=he-ylssV) Dr. Tejasvita Chandel worked with a MEDscience student during a hands-on skill workshop.Dr. Tejasvita Chandel, lecturer in Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, helped build a curriculum for the MEDscience dental summer program that included hands-on skill workshops, simulated cases, career talks, and lectures on topics such as oral carcinoma and endocarditis. > “The MEDscience students were so excited to be part of the program. They loved the hands-on aspects and really grasped the importance of teamwork in health care,” Chandel said. Due to the popularity of the program, Chandel said they expect to offer it each summer. The program included experiencing a day in the life of current dental students at HSDM and learning from faculty and residents. Heidi Shen, DMD27, participated in a panel in which MEDscience students could ask DMD students questions about dental school and get tips on preparing for college applications. ![Smiling students in scrubs proudly display dental models.](/sites/g/files/omnuum6001/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/2024-11/Groupphoto.jpg?itok=lP_zj1r9) MEDscience students showed their handiwork.“I was impressed by how thoroughly they are planning for college and beyond at such a young age, thinking about how to prepare for dental school and residency even,” said Shen. “They asked thoughtful questions that showed a genuine interest to learn about what got us interested in dentistry; how we balanced research, athletics, coursework, and social lives in college; and what a day in our lives in dental school looks like. Multiple students reached out to me after the program with more questions, and it’s been sweet to continue the conversations we started.” The MEDscience students also had the chance to roll up their sleeves during exercises in the wet lab mixing dental stone and pouring a mold of a dental arch. They learned about the delicate combination of art and science that is applied in dentistry. > “During their visit, I used the same techniques we employ with our predoctoral students. I demonstrated artistic tooth morphology by using wax to model an incisor. The students were incredibly excited and creative, thoroughly enjoying every minute of the exercise,” said Mohamed Alaeddin, HSDM laboratory coordinator and instructional dental technologist. In reflections written by the students, it was clear that having the opportunity to be immersed in dentistry made quite an impression. “I LOVED IT,” said one of the students. “Doing this actually made me fall more in love with my passion for dentistry.” ## HMS MEDscienceDental program Learn more about participating in the HMS MedScienceDental program. [ arrow\_forward Program details ](https://www.hmsmedscience.org/medscience-dental-summer) See also:- [ Community ](/news-categories/community)