Meet the Dental Students Behind Low-Cost Dentistry with Quality Results

Stephanie, Sean, and Aleena are D3 students in the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine’s Class of 2028 who care for patients at Penn Dental Medicine. As they gain hands-on clinical experience under faculty guidance, they’re also helping provide high-quality, low-cost dentistry throughout the Philadelphia community. We spoke with them about what inspired them to pursue dentistry, what they’ve learned from their patients, and what they find most rewarding about their work. Their answers may surprise you and offer a glimpse into the Penn Dental Medicine experience.

Getting To Know the Dentistry Students Caring for You

Stephanie, Sean, and Aleena each took a different path to dentistry and brought something unique to the patients they care for.

Meet Stephanie: Combining Creativity, Science, and Connection

Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Stephanie moved to Baltimore at 18 to study molecular and cellular biology at Johns Hopkins University. But science wasn’t her only interest. Growing up, she was also heavily involved in her high school’s art program and knew she wanted a career that would allow her to be creative, work with her hands, and connect with people.

“Dentistry felt like the perfect combination of these interests,” Stephanie shares. Her interest in dentistry was solidified while volunteering at a Mission of Mercy clinic in Baltimore. As a Spanish-language translator, Stephanie saw firsthand the difference access to dental care could make. The experience motivated her to become a provider who can communicate directly with Spanish-speaking patients, help them feel understood, and “ensure that language is never a barrier to receiving high-quality dental care.”

At Penn Dental Medicine, Stephanie has especially enjoyed getting to know her patients and building relationships based on good communication. She also enjoys treatment planning and considering not only a patient’s oral health needs but also their personal goals.

For Stephanie, one of the greatest rewards comes from seeing a change in a patient’s confidence. “It’s so amazing that within a two-hour appointment we have the ability to make someone feel better and more self-assured!”

Meet Sean: Building a Team Approach to Patient Care

Sean was born and raised in upstate New York, where he grew up with his mother, brother, and sister, who is a general dentist. His father owned a construction company, and watching him transform and renovate people’s homes left a lasting impression on him. Ultimately, Sean decided he also wanted a career where he could change people’s lives, and he pursued a different kind of “interior remodeling” by following in his sister’s footsteps to become a dentist.

After attending Binghamton University, Sean chose Penn Dental Medicine not only for the education but for the opportunity to be part of a larger academic community. He was especially drawn to the chance to interact with professionals from across Penn’s graduate schools.

Sean also brings a lifelong love of sports to his approach to dentistry. “The ‘team’ culture is something I crave,” he says. He hopes to own a private practice one day and sees many parallels between a successful practice and a successful sports team: everyone has a role, everyone contributes, and strong leadership matters.

That team mentality carries over into the way Sean cares for patients. Some of his most rewarding experiences have had little to do with dental procedures themselves. He recalls helping connect a discharged veteran with a bed through a student furniture sale and connecting mothers with resources for their children in West Philadelphia.

For Sean, those experiences demonstrate that caring for patients can extend well beyond their dental needs. “That aspect of patient care has been most rewarding for me,” he says.

Meet Aleena: Combining Patient Care, Research, and Education

Originally from Florida, Aleena earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences before coming to Penn Dental Medicine for its Master of Oral Health Sciences program. That experience introduced her to dental research, and she spent the following year working in a lab before beginning dental school.

Aleena had always envisioned a career serving others in healthcare, but her own experiences as a dental patient helped point her toward dentistry. She particularly remembers the confidence she felt after having her braces removed. “Combining my passion for science, working with my hands, and building relationships with patients made dentistry feel like the perfect fit,” she says.

At Penn Dental Medicine, Aleena has pursued her interests in research, education, and mentorship. She has served on the AADOCR National Student Research Group board and created DentPath at Penn, a virtual summer mentorship program for aspiring dental students. Looking ahead, she is particularly interested in academic dentistry and research, where she could combine patient care with teaching, mentorship, and efforts to improve dental treatment and access to care.

Her experiences in the dental clinic have also shown Aleena how much of an impact education can have on patients. She recalls treating a 55-year-old patient who had never been to a dentist because they lacked access to care. In addition to providing treatment, Aleena taught the patient about brushing, flossing, nutrition, and the connection between oral and overall health.

“Sometimes, the biggest impact we make isn’t just through treatment,” Aleena says. “It’s by giving patients the knowledge and confidence to take care of their health moving forward.”

More Than a Learning Experience

For Stephanie, Sean, and Aleena, working in the PDM dental clinic is not only an important part of becoming dentists. They’re also continuing a long-standing tradition of learning through patient care. Like the dentistry students who have come before them, they know that it’s much more than developing clinical skills. They are:

• Building relationships with patients.
• Learning to understand their individual needs.
• Discovering how meaningful compassionate dental care can be.

Patients also benefit from the support of a collaborative care team. Student dentists work with experienced faculty and have access to specialists across a wide range of dental disciplines. As Stephanie explains, “Penn Dental Medicine is an academic institution; patients also benefit from treatment that is closely supervised and informed by current research and clinical practices.”

Aleena also highlights another benefit: “Our Personalized Care Suite allows patients with disabilities or those who need additional accommodations to receive care in a more supportive environment.”

It’s an environment where students gain invaluable experience while patients receive individualized, comprehensive care.

Ready To Meet Your Student Dentist?

Make an appointment today or call 215-898-8965 to experience the care, collaboration, and commitment you’ve just gotten to know through Stephanie, Sean, and Aleena.