By Haley Tenore

Dental care, mentorship and representation were aligned in Richmond this month like a toothy grin, including at a youth summit at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry.

On July 17, the MIND Summit – organized by the nonprofit Mentorships in Dentistry – returned to VCU for a second year. Hosted at dental schools, the summits are immersive, daylong events for middle and high school students with limited exposure to careers in oral health. The youths engage in hands-on lab activities, receive admissions guidance and are matched with dental students or professional mentors.

The Richmond summit coincided with the National Dental Association’s three-day annual convention, held this year at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Founded in 1913, the NDA promotes oral health equity among people of color by advocating for their needs, mentoring dental students and raising the profile of the profession in minority communities.

The MIND Summit’s attendees included members of the Boys and Girls Club of Central Richmond, who were exploring career options.

Laila Hishaw, D.D.S., the MIND founder, said, “Sometimes it just takes that one person to say ‘you’d be a great dentist’ or ‘you’d be a great hygienist’ to spark that interest.” (School of Dentistry)

“It’s always great to simply expose folks to pathways that they may not have otherwise known existed,” said Carlos Smith, D.D.S., associate dean of ethics and community engagement with VCU’s School of Dentistry. “I think it’s really great to be able to expose them to a career like dentistry, where not only are you helping people through service and healthcare, but you’re also using your hands.”

The youth summit program is a key initiative of Arizona-based MIND, which aims to broaden representation in the field: Among U.S. dentists, only about 4% are Black. Laila Hishaw, D.D.S., founded MIND under the original name Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships, and she said simply having conversations with youths is a crucial first step.

“If you don’t have anyone who is in this career that you are affiliated with in your family or in your neighborhood, you don’t know that it’s a career for you,” Hishaw said. “Sometimes it just takes that one person to say ‘you’d be a great dentist’ or ‘you’d be a great hygienist’ to spark that interest. Once we plant that seed of possibility, then they have a route to take, and that’s where our organization, which is anchored in mentorship, comes into play.”

VCU dentistry student Jemia Bellamy, who grew up nearby in Chester, remembers how participating in similar programs during high school and college inspired her to pursue the field – “it had a tremendous impact on me,” she said. Serving as a mentor at this year’s summit was a way of giving back.

“It was nice to be able to interact with a bigger group of students and learn their different stories,” Bellamy said. “It’s nice to pour back into this age group because they’re still learning, and so it’s not too late to change dental habits and learn how to take care of your oral health.”

Each summit ends with a white coat ceremony, with the summit participants donning the coats themselves. (School of Dentistry)

Each summit ends with a white coat ceremony, with the summit participants donning the coats themselves, as well as invitation to continue mentorship through MIND.

“That white coat is not only a symbol of learning and a sort of attainment or achievement, but it’s also a symbol of responsibility,” VCU’s Smith said. “Students can feel connected and have a moment of joy and aspiration connected to that white coat.”

Smith speaks from experience. At the NDA conference, he received the Torchbearer Award that honors members who carried their student commitment into professional service and continued to lead within the association.

Also honored was Randy Adams, D.D.S., who received the NDA's Legacy Award for lifelong dedication to dental education, patient care and community impact. Adams started his pediatric dentistry residency at VCU's School of Dentistry in 1978, and he currently serves as an affiliate faculty member. He spent several decades working in private practice in Richmond’s Jackson Ward neighborhood.

Carlos Smith, D.D.S., associate dean of ethics and community engagement with VCU’s School of Dentistry, said, “It’s always great to simply expose folks to pathways that they may not have otherwise known existed.” (School of Dentistry)

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