The Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP) offers academic enrichment options for high school graduates who are interested in becoming physicians and dentists to serve communities throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Since the 1980s, PEPP has provided an opportunity for students in underserved Kentucky counties, and minority populations underrepresented in healthcare, to explore a career in medicine or dentistry.

For 2019, the UK College of Dentistry (UKCD) offered a new one-week, hands-on PEPP option, PEPP-DMD (Discover Modern Dentistry), for rising college juniors and seniors. Incoming fall 2019 college freshman were invited to apply to the PEPP-Scholars program, a two-week program providing an opportunity to gain exposure to medical and dental professions. Additionally, rising college sophomores interested in becoming a physician could apply to PEPP-MD, a two-week program providing the chance to gain further understanding of the medical profession and strengthen knowledge about requirements for future admission to medical school.

“Dentistry is a healthcare profession that blends the sciences (the mind) and art (the hands). It was important to me to create a program that would allow participants to be completely immersed in the dental experience through hands-on activities. No amount of shadowing can substitute the experience of learning by doing,” shares Dr. Gitanjali Pinto-Sinai, College of Dentistry, assistant dean of Admissions & Student Affairs.

UKCD welcomed 20 students for PEPP-Scholars and 16 students for its inaugural PEPP-DMD offering. Based on the positive feedback of PEPP-DMD participants, the college hopes to continue offering this activity each summer. 

When asked to speak about the most significant aspect of PEPP-DMD, Anna McCowan, a junior at UK, shared, “It is very hard for me to choose just one aspect! I think there were three main aspects that were most helpful. First, a subtle but important detail that I appreciated: The intentional, long, and exhausting 8-5 days...Making us go 8-5 and alternating between simulation lab activities and lectures allowed us to see what it was like to be a dental student. It taught us to be adaptable, and we had to switch our minds' gears from using our technical fine motor skills to listening intently and taking notes. Another aspect…was access to the hands-on activities in the simulation lab. While most of us were not proficient in these activities just yet, it allowed us to get used to holding a dental handpiece, and we were exposed to things that will one day be a part of our dental curriculum (waxing, class I & II preps, etc.). Finally… the networking. PEPP-DMD introduced us to UKCD faculty, dentists that work in Lexington, and dental students who could potentially turn into authors for our letters of recommendation, shadowing opportunities, and more.”

“My favorite part about PEPP-DMD has been watching the students interact with each other. The 16 PEPP-DMD participants represented 11 counties and eight colleges. Within five days, they had already created their own community. I was also impressed by the faculty and UKCD Alumni, many of whom are also PEPP Alumni, who participated in the program. They were so enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and personal career journeys," said Pinto-Sinai. "Most importantly, they opened their offices and calendars to act as mentors. They did all this voluntarily, and I did not have to ask twice, which speaks to the truly supportive nature of our local dental community. This is the essence of PEPP.” 

For McCowan, PEPP-DMD offered the chance to better prepare for her ultimate goal. She hopes to complete dental school and one day open a general dentistry practice in her hometown of London, Kentucky. “I plan on working towards educating my community and the surrounding area on how important oral health is and why it is so imperative that they see a dentist regularly…I want to work on making a change and improving health outcomes for those who have neglected seeking care.”