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Profile
Meharry Medical College, School of Dentistry, Nashville, TN
Dr. Cherae Farmer-Dixon can relate to the students she counsels every day at Meharry Medical College, School of Dentistry. That's because 13 years ago, this associate dean and admissions chairwoman was a student working diligently to complete four years of dental study at the historically black college located in Nashville, Tennessee.
"It's particularly gratifying to watch students enter into the unknown of dental school and graduate as extraordinary dental health providers," said Dr. Farmer-Dixon. Meharry's School of Dentistry, whose mission is to serve the underserved, accepts only 55 dental students each year.
What attracted Dr. Farmer-Dixon to the college in 1986 is what keeps her there today. "It's a place where everyone knows your name," she said. "It's a close-knit family environment. And it's typical that students come to me at all hours, even on the weekends, for advice."
Getting out into the community to serve the underserved is what Meharry students are motivated to do when they enter the college -- particularly those students who are selected as scholars of the National Health Services Corps, a program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. While in school the students participate in numerous dental health programs targeted to the underserved. Upon graduation, each student scholar pledges to dedicate two years of services in underserved communities.
Senior students Talisha Mason and Errol Isaac had the opportunity to provide dental care to the homeless through their outreach in SEARCH -- Student Experiences and Rotations in Community Health. "It was a humbling experience," said Talisha, adding that these opportunities strengthen résumés and provide perspectives on how their career paths will unfold. Errol, who would sometimes see 10 patients before lunch, saw it as an opportunity to put his dental education into practice.
Talisha, who grew up in Newark, New Jersey, will be entering the field of pediatric dentistry upon graduation in May 2004. Errol has accepted a general dentistry residency at the V.A. Hospital in Dayton, Ohio, his home state.
Junior students David Maxwell, Kevin Bolden, Audrey Kemp and Erin Hughes also are taking advantage of extracurricular activities while at Meharry. David, from Holly Springs, Mississippi, worked on research in a north Nashville health center to address the Healthy People 2010 objectives. He aspires to establish a network of comprehensive dental clinics that serve the underserved, as well as the general population.
Kevin, from Mobile, Alabama, has spent many weekends working at the Children's Oral Health Institute, preparing him for a career in pediatric dentistry. He also had the opportunity to work with migrant workers during a summer weekend program hosted at the University of Rochester, New York.
Each year, Erin and Audrey look forward to Community Day at Meharry, where they provide dental screenings to local children; and Healthy Happy Halloween, where they teach children what and what not to eat. "They should eat apples, cheese and parsley to clean their teeth," said one of the students. Erin hopes to go home to California to establish a practice specifically for patients with special needs; while Audrey, from Oviedo, Florida, plans to pursue pediatric dentistry.
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