UK College of Dentistry provides career options to local students

UK College of Dentistry has been working on a pilot program involving three school districts from Western Kentucky and one, Lawrence County, from Eastern Kentucky in an effort to recruit high school students into the field of dentistry in rural areas where dentists and dental hygienists are in high demand. 

Fulton County, Fulton Independent, and Hickman County Schools are the three schools in the pilot program with support from UK graduates Dr. Mike Hawks, Dr. Alan Jones, and Dr. Rick Canty working with representatives from the three schools, and UK College of Dentistry’s Linda Eppling to organize this event. Prior to the summit, the three dentists visited the schools and spoke to students in their biology classes about dental careers generating interest in the summit.

Hickman County High School’s principal, Jeff Boaz, volunteered to host the three school event that brought UK College of Dentistry’s Assistant Dean of Recruitment, as well as college professors and dental students from across the state to work with approximately 25 students from the three schools who were divided into groups that met with college professors, recruiters, and dental students to learn how to prepare and apply for dental school, and what each career in dentistry requires. 

Dr. Mike Hawks was at the summit and met with student groups throughout the day. Dr. James with the KARE Mobile Dental Clinic out of Louisville that serves five schools—Fulton Independent, Fulton County, Hickman County, Lyon County, and Murray Independent—through a USDA Rural Health grant submitted through the Purchase Area District gave each group a tour of the mobile unit and spoke about mobile dentistry. 

Rachel Elkins, the grant’s coordinator attended the event as well as recruiters from the West Kentucky Community and Technical College to talk to students about enrolling in their dental hygienist program at WKCTC. “It was a great event and we are so appreciative to Dr. Hawks for attending the summit, Principal Boaz for allowing us the use the gym and for the UK College of Dentistry for coming to far Western Kentucky to show our students that careers in dentistry are in high demand in our region,” stated Dianne Owen, Chairman of the Four Rivers Foundation who worked with the schools to organize the event.