University of California San Francisco
DDS-ASPIRE: Preparing dentists to lead change in their communities
DDS-ASPIRE is a four-year program at the UCSF School of Dentistry that prepares dental students to become skilled clinicians, advocates, and community leaders. Through leadership development, research, public health, advocacy, and community-based experiences, participants gain the skills to improve oral health care access and outcomes in underserved communities.
Interested in DDS-ASPIRE? Contact Admissions: admissions.ucsfdental@ucsf.edu
A new generation of dental leaders
The 10 students in the inaugural DDS-ASPIRE cohort won't just graduate as well-trained dentists. They'll graduate as agents of change, ready to lead.
Improving oral health takes more than providing excellent clinical care. It takes leaders who understand their communities and can address the broader forces that shape access to care.
DDS-ASPIRE brings leadership, research, public health, public policy, and advocacy together within the UCSF DDS experience. Participants learn to understand community priorities, identify barriers to care, use evidence to inform solutions, and advocate for meaningful change.
Over four years, these experiences become part of how participants see themselves as dental professionals: not simply dentists who serve communities, but community leaders who are dentists.
Build the skills to make an impact beyond the clinic
DDS-ASPIRE is a four-year program for UCSF dental students, integrated alongside the DDS curriculum. The inaugural cohort includes 10 students from the Class of 2030. There is no additional cost for students to participate in DDS-ASPIRE.
Interested in DDS-ASPIRE or future opportunities to participate? Contact Admissions: admissions.ucsfdental@ucsf.edu
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1. Develop as a leader
Build personal and institutional leadership skills through workshops and seminars with UCSF faculty, alumni, public health experts, and other leaders.
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2. Learn to advocate
Explore how public policy shapes oral health and learn to advocate for patients and communities, including opportunities for legislative engagement in Sacramento.
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3. Build and apply evidence
Engage in research with UCSF faculty and community partners and learn to use evidence to understand oral health disparities and inform solutions.
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4. Learn in communities
Gain firsthand experience through community dentistry and clinical opportunities in underserved communities and health professional shortage areas.
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5. Lead beyond the clinic
Bring leadership, advocacy and community engagement into your career as a dentist prepared to improve oral health access and outcomes.
Shaping the future of oral health
Dean Michael Reddy, DMD, DMSc
“We want our students to graduate as more than excellent clinicians. DDS-ASPIRE is about developing dentists who understand the communities they serve and see themselves as leaders and advocates—people who are prepared to use their skills, their voices, and evidence to improve oral health and access to care.”
Jean Star, DDS, MPH, Project Director
"DDS-ASPIRE is about preparing the next generation of dentists to lead beyond the clinic. By integrating public health, advocacy, and community engagement into their education, we are helping students see how dentists can be powerful leaders in improving health for entire communities.”
Katrina Herrera, DDS-ASPIRE Class of 2030
“I come from an underserved community that struggles to access health care because of institutional and social barriers, so DDS-ASPIRE is very close to home for me. I hope to learn more about advocacy and continue working directly with communities to improve access to the dental care they need.”
Learn more about DDS-ASPIRE
A New Generation of Dental Leaders for California’s Underserved Communities
Learn how DDS-ASPIRE was developed, why UCSF is investing in a new approach to dental leadership, and how the program aims to strengthen oral health care access and outcomes across California.
School of Dentistry Celebrates Launch of DDS-ASPIRE
UCSF School of Dentistry celebrated the launch of DDS-ASPIRE, a new program committed to expanding access to oral health care and strengthening care in underserved communities.