Cultivating Diversity in Dentistry: 2025 Summer Mentorship Program

By Rachel Boutet

102 high school students recently spent the day exploring what a day in the life of a dental student is like.

On July 16, the Faculty of Dentistry welcomed these students through U of T’s Summer Mentorship Program (SMP). The program was created to help address concerns about the under-representation of Black and Indigenous people within the health sciences. These students from various part of Ontario are given the chance to explore the health professions at the University of Toronto. Participating students earn a credit toward their high school diploma. As part of the selection process, students submit a written application expressing interest in the program, their transcripts and also undergo an interview with an admissions committee prior to being selected.

The day is very hands on – high school students were given the opportunity to train with electronic health records and charting, use a patient simulator to practice cleaning and polishing on practice teeth, learn how to fill a prep tooth, and try placing a rubber dam. They were also able to talk directly with DDS student volunteers who answered questions about their journeys both to dental school and in it, so far.

Dean Anil Kishen welcomed the group of students, sharing his own experience of how he became interested in a career in dentistry.

“I was around 12 years old when my father asked me, ‘Anil, what do you want to be when you grow up?’ I said, ‘I want to become a doctor,’” says Kishen. “My dad asked me why and my reply was ‘I like the way a doctor helps patients and cures diseases.’ What my dad told me then, changed my perspective thereafter. He said ‘What if you became a scientist? If you became a scientist and invent something new, then all doctors in the world could use it, and many patients around the world can benefit from you - probably much more than you could ever help by treating yourself.’”

The students got a chance to get a better understanding of this impact dentistry can have on the lives of patients.

The feedback from this program every year exemplifies how important this day is and how it inspires high school students to consider a career in dentistry and health sciences: 

• “The dentistry day was amazing, best interactive session of the whole program. Also helps that they gave out free stuff.”
• “Dentistry was amazing, I need more events like this as it was the most memorable and interactive with ACTUAL dentistry students.”
• “Dentistry day was a nice experience and there was a lot of hands-on opportunities.”
• “Dentist day was definitely one of the most fun if not the best cause it was really cool working with teeth. 10/10.”
• “I really loved it. The dentistry day was my favourite. It was interactive and I got some souvenirs!”

Lucy Ferraro, administrative clinical program coordinator at the Faculty, and her team are what makes this day a success, year over year, with their hard work and dedication.

“Our dental students that volunteer act as role models and mentors as this plays a vital role in encouraging the SMP students that any career is possible,” says Ferraro. “This event is inspiring not only to the SMP students, but by all our dental team and especially our dental students' volunteers that assist in making this day possible and successful.”

Top photo: SMP at the Faculty of Dentistry (Jeff Comber)