You're not just a number at this institution, you are a person. And you are a person who we are helping become the best, safe, competent, confident dental professional that you can be.
We promote a togetherness, an inclusiveness and just a real sense of belonging here at the school.
I have a friend in every single person in my class. I know what a good friend would know about them. I know their dog's names, their cat's names, where they're from, what they did in college.
We are from all around the world, so we have been able to share our cultures, traditions and all that, and it's really nice.
So your D1 year is mainly didactic courses. So we're going to learn why we're doing what we do, why that affects the body, so we can better educate our patients. And then your second year, you really get in on the hands on dentistry. You're in lab a lot. The first years of dental school really do make us confident to enter the clinic. We have every tool we need for our tool belt.
Third and fourth year is when you actually get to use those skills that you've learned your preclinical years, your first and second years, third and fourth years on actual live patients.
That is where the magic of dental education happens. Those are the times when we have "aha" moments.
All the classrooms, labs, and the clinics are up to date.
We have an amazing simulation clinic, which I think really prepares us to go up into clinic. I think it simulates working with a real patient very well.
Almost every private practice is expecting you to know digital dentistry. So that's why here at UofL, we really help teach you that.
We did a crown prep of a tooth, and then we scanned it into a software, and then from there we were able to digitally design a crown to be milled and printed. Doing that project as a D2 was absolutely incredible.
This is a very student first environment. I would say a lot of the faculty really look out for the students here, and they really want you to succeed here.
In the D1 year you are assigned to a team, and you have team leaders.
So that team leader is responsible for that student's development as a professional, as a clinician, and as a person.
We have support services from academic support services to mental health support services, we will do anything and everything that we can possibly do to be sure that students are successful and are able to complete the program in a timely way.
Dentistry is experiential, and the more experiences that you have, the better dentist you're going to be.
ULSD is very involved with the community outside of the school. They have great service and volunteering opportunities for students.
Rotations start D3 and D4 year. So with rotations, we get to really learn more about the different specialties that the dental field has to offer.
Our students have a wonderful opportunity to be able to treat patients not only here in the dental school, but also out in Commonwealth of Kentucky. We have several outreach clinics that students rotate to. It offers a breadth of opportunity for our students to treat patients they wouldn't be able to treat here otherwise.
Outside clinics allow you the opportunity to feel like you are really giving back to the community. You have the opportunity to do what you've all these years have prepared for. It's rewarding.
It's very affordable to live in Louisville, and there are so many activities to do around the city.
The best part about the city is definitely the diversity in their food culture. There's so many different options. There's a lot of outside activities. You have the river, and I think you just have little spots everywhere in Louisville that are so different.
I'm so happy to be here. I really am living the dream. Every day, every challenge, every time I'm learning, it's one step closer to my goal. If I were to tell a future applicant anything, it would be to take the leap and come join us.
