University of California President Michael V. Drake and the UC Board of Regents gave the UCSF chapter of the Student National Dental Association (SNDA) the UC President’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership at an awards ceremony at Mission Bay campus on January 23. The award recognized SNDA’s efforts to promote diversity within UCSF School of Dentistry and the greater dental profession.
SNDA activities include a mentorship program where over 80 pre-dental students work with current dental students and practicing professionals with similar backgrounds who provide guidance in preparing for future careers in dentistry.
Third year student and UCSF SNDA president Betty Birbo accepted the award for the organization. Birbo explained the history of SNDA and how it aims to expand the gateway of students into dentistry.
Betty Birbo, President of the SNDA, receives the UC President's Award on behalf of her organization.
“SNDA started as a historically Black dental student organization as an extension of the National Dental Association (NDA). For over 50 years, SNDA has been dedicated to extending dental treatment and education to impoverished, disabled, and minority populations and enhancing the academic and social well-being of all minority students in dentistry. SNDA’s mission is to promote diversity here on the UCSF campus, especially within the dental school, and we encourage undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to consider dentistry as a profession."
SNDA is a thriving student organization. In recent years, they've had an increase in mentorship, outreach, and student-led events. They held the 17th annual Impressions Conference in March 2024. Impressions is the largest pre-dental conference on the UCSF campus and it offers resources to assist students in feeling prepared to apply for dental school and to inspire them to pursue dentistry despite challenges they may face. SNDA also hosted its annual mentorship workshop series to mentor pre-dental students of underrepresented backgrounds as well as students taking non-traditional routes towards dentistry.
"As president, I had the goal of increasing our outreach and impact to not only pre-dental students but also communities in the Bay Area and our own student body. This led to a new initiative of hosting dental outreach events at the Booker T. Washington Center located in San Francisco with the Student National Medical Association (SNMA). This interprofessional collaboration emphasized the important connection of oral health to overall health to a community center that primarily serves African American populations," Birbo said. "SNDA continuously works hard towards showing the diversity within this field and providing a platform for diversity to shine on campus. I am proud of the work SNDA has done this past year and am honored we received an award that highlights our hard work on a UC-wide scale."
In 2025, SNDA plans to increase dental outreach to communities in Oakland by connecting with organizations that have listed dental health as one of their top unmet needs. Due to limited access to affordable care, provider shortages, and oral health disparities, Oakland experiences significant gaps in dental care, especially among low-income, uninsured, and underserved populations. SNDA's hopes to increase access to dental care in by recruiting patients to seek care at the UCSF’s Student General Dentistry Clinic.
UCSF Student National Dental Association
Birbo believes the dedicated people committed to SNDA's goals are the key to its success. "The heart of SNDA lies within the motivated and driven board that continuously works hard to serve diverse communities and diversify this field," she said. "DEI initiatives are incredibly important in promoting equity, fostering inclusive environments, and addressing systemic disparities across education, healthcare, workplaces, and communities. SNDA upholds these values in dentistry and remains committed to driving positive change."
To read the UC News story about the student recognition event, please visit https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/uc-president-regents-recognize-students-outstanding-resilience-leadership-and-service