I came to dental school because I wanted to become the dentist that I never had – yet so desperately needed. Growing up, oral health care was absent and inaccessible in my community, and we had little to no Spanish-speaking providers. I seldom saw a dentist and never questioned why until the burdens of tooth-related pain prompted emergency care. For many people in the United States, routine access to preventative oral health care is a harrowing narrative and a luxury.
Growing up in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) compelled me to become a health care professional and a leader who advocates for those who deserve better oral health care.
I am a first generation professional student of Central American descent from Guatemala and El Salvador. After I unsuccessfully applied to dental school, I sought help and took a non-traditional path. I subsequently completed the UCSF Interprofessional Post Baccalaureate Program and matriculated at UCSF School of Dentistry. As someone who knows what it is like to not get things right the first time, I believe it is imperative to talk about alternative paths to careers in dentistry to recruit students from diverse backgrounds into the profession.
Nationwide, Hispanics make up about 19% of residents, reports the U.S. Census Bureau. In California, 40% of its population is Hispanic. It is essential that health care professionals learn how to provide the best care for the Hispanic population, which is expected to continue growing and is currently the largest minority group in our country. Diversifying the dental workforce and recruiting students who are committed to practicing in underserved communities will make a local impact and improve oral health across our country. After all, dentists are the advocates in their communities for oral health and its connection to systemic wellbeing.
Building Bridges Pre-Dental Conference, hosted by the Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA). May 22, 2022.While in the post-baccalaureate program, I attended a life-changing event called Building Bridges, which was organized by the Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA) at UCSF. There, I was surrounded by selfless people who cared about helping others get into dental school. After seeing the impact this event had on the trajectory of my career, I made it a goal to run for HSDA president and was elected during my second year.
HSDA provides oral health services, education, and advocacy to eliminate oral health disparities in Hispanic communities in the Bay Area. We are not exclusively for Hispanic students. We are open to any student or faculty that wants to learn from our individual and diverse cultural upbringings. We run a yearly interactive elective course in Spanish, teaching our colleagues how to conduct a medical dental exam for their Spanish-speaking patients.
Having no formal leadership experience running a student organization, I remained true to my roots and the cause of helping our Hispanic community in the Bay Area. Last May, with the help of my executive board and student volunteers, I spearheaded the first in-person Building Bridges since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We held a memorable community-centered event that recruited 38 pre-dental students from across the Bay.
I often reflect on how far I have come and realize that my experiences are continuing to mold me into the professional dental advocate that I always wanted to become. Lastly, I invite you to practice always trying to leave people and places better than you found them, even if that change happens one tooth or a smile at a time.
– Anthony Castro is a UCSF Dentistry student, Class of 2024, former HSDA president
