A delegation of UAB School of Dentistry students joined faculty in attending the 2024 American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Annual Session & Exhibition in New Orleans, giving SOD students visibility at the national level. The group is forming a student chapter of ADEA at UAB.

Pictured (R-L): Alex Boulay, Toby Liu, Jade Kim, Interim Dean Nico Geurs, Wendy Scripps, Dr. Ramzi Abou-Arraj, Dr. Francesca Velardi, and Kush PatelThe new chapter aims to help SOD students become aware of and learn more about career opportunities in dental education. Inaugural student leadership includes Kush Patel (President), Alex Boulay (Vice President), Jade Kim (Secretary), and Toby Liu (Treasurer), with Francesca Velardi, D.D.S., serving as faculty advisor.

UAB ADEA is in process of being registered as an official dental student organization and Velardi says the group has fun and enriching events in the works.

“Activities being discussed include panel events with current residents to help with understanding residency programs, application processes, and interviews, as well as panels with current full- and part-time faculty on the many opportunities in dentistry, including dental education.”

Membership and participation are open to all SOD students.

Velardi points out that ADEA is a national organization, so it is very easy to become a member. She says, “If students are interested in potentially getting more involved or if they have ideas for events, they can reach out to Kush or me.”

While at the general session, students helped SOD program manager Wendy Scripps with the ADEA GoDental® recruitment event for predental students and advisors. Velardi hopes student representation at the conference will help in recruiting future applicants.

Since the meeting, Liu was elected to the national position of District Commissioner to the ADEA Council of Students, Residents and Fellows Liaisons (COSRF). He will represent District 5.