Pathway programs prepare students for dental school

Eliese Maybee graduated in May from UB with a degree in psychology and a minor in Indigenous studies. Now, she’s in the process of applying to dental schools with the hope of returning to UB to don a white coat in fall 2026.

Maybee, who grew up on a Seneca Nation reservation in Cattaraugus County, knows firsthand the crucial need for dentists in rural and Indigenous communities — and especially dentists who reflect the same background as their patients.

“I have five younger sisters and want to help them and others who have little or no access to health care,” said Maybee who attended the pre-dental day June 26 as part of the School of Dental Medicine’s Destination Dental School (DDS) and Native American Pre-Dental Gateway to Dentistry Program.

Maybee was introduced to the dental profession by her grandmother, a dental assistant at the Seneca Nation Health Clinic.

 “When I was young,” Maybee said, “she would let me chat with her co-workers, see behind the scenes and learn more about the profession.”

The in-person programs ran June 23-27 on the South Campus, and 31 college and post-baccalaureate students interested in a career in dentistry participated.

This year was unique because 21 Indigenous college students and recent graduates, such as Maybee who were attending the Society of American Indian Dentists’ (SAID) annual conference in Niagara Falls, were invited to come to UB on June 26 to participate.

“There is a dearth of Native American dentists, and we would like to remedy that through support and encouragement,” said Francis Kim, the student program manager for SAID. “I’m happy we could join UB’s programming this year.”

The award-winning gateway programs aim to remove barriers to careers in dentistry for underrepresented students. Over the week, participants had the chance to watch a root canal in progress, alginate teeth impressions and learn how to perform a suture. With support from faculty and UB dental student volunteers, participants also completed capstone research projects, participated in mock interviews and prepared for the Dental Admission Test (DAT).

“Our participants are amazing,” said Jessica Scates, director of operations in the dental school’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). “Over the past six weeks, they were extremely engaged in all our programming, with many ready to apply to dental school this summer.”

In addition to the in-person event, the Gateway and DDS fellows also participated in five weeks of virtual programming on Saturdays in May and June. The dental school provided all participants with a stipend to cover travel and lodging expenses, reimbursement for one DAT, and a waived application fee to the UB dental school.

Maybee attended the gateway program last summer.

“The program allowed me to meet other students who had very similar career and life goals as myself,” she said. “It gave me insight on the application process, the confidence to apply and constructive feedback on what I need to do to strengthen my application.”

UB dental alumna Arian Johnson founded Destination Dental School in 2021 after recognizing a lack of resources for students like herself when she applied to dental school. She said she received the necessary support from the dental school’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion to make Destination Dental School a reality. In 2022, the DDS program partnered with the Native American Pre-Dental Student Gateway to Dentistry Program to combine virtual and in-person events.

These efforts have garnered national recognition. Earlier this year, UB’s dental school was among only 10 universities in the country to receive the prestigious Institutional Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Prize from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Each institution was awarded an inaugural $100,000 prize for demonstrating exceptional dedication and innovation in fostering DEIA within research environments.

UB was recognized specifically for its pathway programs and its mentoring program, Support, Training, Early-Career Enhancement and Retention (STEER).

In addition, Destination Dental School received both the Inspiring Programs in STEM Award and the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine in 2023.