Meet the GSDM DMD Class of 2019: Student Spotlights
Every student from the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) has a unique story—where they came from, what they’re doing here, and where they’re going next. The Class of 2019 is no exception. Out of about 200 predoctoral DMD and DMD Advanced Standing graduates, we chose 10 students—a diverse group who came to Boston from all corners of the world to attend our GSDM School of Dental Medicine for different reasons—to feature for a series of profiles.
Jimmy Alburquerque DMD AS 19
When it came to moving from the Dominican Republic to the United States, Jimmy Alburquerque DMD AS 19 drew inspiration from his uncle, a physician living and working in Virginia.
“He came to the United States as an immigrant, looking for a better life,” Alburquerque said. “He actually got to, in my eyes, achieve the American dream.”
Alburquerque arrived at GSDM in 2017, and jumped into student organizations, attending ASDA’s National Leadership Conference [NLC] in Chicago, where he caught the “ASDA fever,” as he put it.
“After I came back [from NLC] I started being more involved,” he said. He worked with ASDA both at GSDM and nationally: At GSDM, he served as the vice-chair of the Diversity and Inclusion committee, and nationally, he was on the AS international dental committee, where he advises other international students.
He also currently serves as class representative for GSDM’s student government, and as vice president of the school’s Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) student chapter.
Alburquerque, who hopes to build his own practice after graduating, said that he enjoyed taking on leadership roles while at GSDM. “You can see the change happening,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a small addition—sometimes you can see it snowballing, and becoming something bigger.”
Yousif Al Najafi DMD AS 19
“It was pretty tough at the beginning,” Yousif Al Najafi DMD AS 19 said of his arrival in the United States. “The first year was really hard, on myself, on my parents, on my family.”
Al Najafi and his family left Iraq in 2006, and then while his family stayed in Jordan, he traveled to Syria to study dentistry. His family immigrated to the United States as refugees in 2011, and he followed in 2013.
“The system is completely different from where we used to live. Everything…..traffic lights, and credit cards, and things you never thought of….it’s just overwhelming, at the beginning,” he said.
But, he continued, “Then time went by, and I started acclimating. I never think of going back.”
Al Najafi said that he was surprised at how close he became with his classmates during his time at GSDM.
“I never thought that I would have friends here,” he said. “I just thought that this would be a learning experience—do this, and get out of here. I never thought that I would have such close friends, and build up a relationship that I’m really happy with.”
“I feel like I have someone who supports me here, whenever I need it,” he added.
After graduation, Al Najafi hopes to work in the Washington DC area, where his family lives, and he’s also considering doing an Advanced Education in Pediatric Dentistry residency.
Jeffrey Arbelaez DMD 19
Jeffrey Arbelaez DMD 19 had plans to become a comparative literature professor—but a passage in a book changed his career trajectory.
“I was reading a book by Albert Camus about a plague that had ravaged the city, and, [it captured] the mindset of the doctor: There’s hope for humanity as long you help humanity. So I chose to make my life [a life] of service,” he said.
While Arbelaez’s background in liberal arts helps him to connect with patients, he said adjusting to a new field of study had its challenges.
“Science is a whole different vernacular, a whole different vocabulary, even a whole different mindset,” he said. But he also said that he enjoyed the challenge.
“I’ve become inquisitive,” he said. “More of a go getter—[I’ve] become more of an active learner, in terms of wanting to figure out…not just the basics, but a little more than that.”
Arbelaez said that pushing “above and beyond” has allowed him to experience “lightbulb” moments.
“Those are awesome. Those are my favorites. Because until you understand something, you have an apprehension toward it. You don’t like it. And when I get those lightbulb moments, it’s like…not even just lighting up a room, but like [lighting] a room with solar energy and all these awesome sources that you can use in the future.”
Arbelaez’s future plans include an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Program at New York University in New York City—and he plans on continuing to ask questions and dig deeper.
“I want to challenge myself,” he said. “I don’t want to stay stagnant.”
Rowan Doyle DMD 19
Rowan Doyle DMD 19’s passion for global health began early, thanks to her parents.
“They sponsored a couple of children through World Vision [a nonprofit focused on helping children, families and communities in need world-wide], and every month or so, you write them Christmas cards, write them letters—and they basically became my pen pal.….and that started it,” Doyle said.
Doyle knew that she wanted to do humanitarian work. “Being able to help people and get them out of pain, but also develop that connection with people, and learn their culture and learn how they see how they see the world—I think that’s so eye opening,” she said
Doyle was drawn to GSDM for its robust global health program—and a midwinter walk through the North End made the decision to come to Boston from her hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, a little easier.
“You kind of just fall in love with [Boston] when you step foot in it,” she said.
During her time at GSDM, Doyle volunteered doing dental and oral health screenings and was president of the school’s Student National Dental Assocation (SNDA) chapter. She and a student from the medical school also ran the Global Health Equity Program (GHEP), which brought in speakers that specialized in global health.
Last August, Doyle had the chance to visit the top dental schools in Japan (Tokyo Medical & Dental University – TMDU) and Thailand (Faculty of Dentistry Chulalongkorn University – FDCU) as part of the GSDM International Student Exchange Externship program, where she observed different dental methods and techniques. She and the other GSDM students were guided around the schools by dental students enrolled at TMDU and FDCU, repectively, and formed friendships with their international counterparts.
“We got so close to them,” she said “[We] got to be part of their school and their lives for about a week each at TMDU and FDCU.”
Doyle will embark on an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Program at the Dayton VA Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio after graduation – but before she does so, the students from Thailand are coming to visit, and this time, it will be her turn to show them around GSDM and demonstrate the use of digital dentistry and 3-D imaging being used in group practices.
“Showing them different restaurants, different foods that we have here….that’s going to be really exciting [as well],” Doyle said.
Amanda Haar DMD 19
For Amanda Haar DMD 19, applying the skills she’s learned in the classroom to the outside world is one of the more gratifying parts of dental school.
“[It’s] always a really enjoyable experience, being able to provide what I’ve been working hard toward, and using that to help someone.” she said.
During her time at GSDM, Haar has done exactly that—volunteering at various establishments, including Rosie’s Place, and Stand Down, among other places.
But one of the most eye-opening experiences, Haar said, was the trip to Teacapan, Mexico that she took this year, as part of the International Student Externship Program. Working in a pediatric dentistry clinic, Haar was able to see the difference that students can truly make—and what lies ahead.
“It just opened my eyes to…..how we can make a difference, even as students—and then, how the impact can grow once I graduate.” she said.
And that impact will grow—because, having graduated on May 17, Haar will now head to Officer Training in San Antonio, before embarking on an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program in Columbia, South Carolina. She will serve in the U.S. Army Dental Corps as a dentist for four years.
Francini Heidemann DMD 19
After three years of working as a dental hygienist, Francini Heidemann DMD 19 found herself at a crossroads.
“I was financially stable, I was finished with my education, and I was thinking—should I continue to study, and fulfill the desire that I have of becoming a dentist? Or should I start having kids, get married, and start my life?” she recalled.
Heidemann had always planned on being a dentist. After immigrating to the United States at 15, however, she ran into a series of challenges.
“I thought it would be impossible for me to go to dental school,” Heidemann said. She, thus, decided to become a hygienist instead—for her, the next best thing.
“But then I thought, well, what’s going to happen if I don’t do it, 30 years down the line? And I know myself. I know that I would look back on it and say, I should have done it,” she said.
But before dental school, Heidemann first had to earn a bachelor’s degree. She earned her undergraduate degree from UMass Boston and then applied twice to GSDM before being accepted.
Heidemann also had the added challenge of balancing academics, patient care and motherhood, after having a baby at the beginning of her third year at GSDM. She praised the Office of Academic Affairs for helping her manage everything.
Heidemann, who will split her time between private practices in East Boston and Wakefield, said that she got emotional every time she thought of crossing the stage to receive her diploma.
“It feels surreal,” she said. “I can’t believe I was able to achieve this.”
Granit Morina DMD AS 19
Granit Morina DMD AS 19 had finished dental school and his residency in Kosovo, and was in the process of applying to orthodontic residencies when—
“Life happens,” he said, with a smile. “I met this woman [in the United States], and I moved here—so I kind of started, not from zero, but….I had to do the DMD Advanced Standing program, which is a great way to get ready for residency.”
“It’s been a long process, but it’s worth it,” he said.
While studying in Kosovo, Morina gravitated toward the orthodontic specialty. “It’s one of the very few branches of dentistry where patients love to come [in],”he said. “Usually, they dislike coming to the dentist, but … they are so happy because they want to have that beautiful smile.”
“It’s more intriguing,” he added. “The treatment plan includes physics, dentistry, a little art, so it’s all a mesh of things that I love to do.”
Morina conducted orthodontics research in Kosovo, which he continued at GSDM. He second-authored a study, “Condylar Changes after Rapid Maxillary Expansion,” that required 30 hours of research each week. He presented the findings at the North East Society of Orthodontists, and the study is now in the publication process.
Morina said that he enjoys research because it allows him to find answers to previously unanswered questions. “You do all this work, and sometimes, you get surprised,” he said.
Morina, who was also involved with ASDA and spent time volunteering in the Greater Boston community, plans on applying to Advanced Education in Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics residencies.
Matthew Orlando DMD 19
“I’ve had the opportunity to race in so many cool places but, truthfully, I don’t think there’s a better atmosphere [than the Boston Marathon]….especially those last couple miles,” said Matthew Orlando DMD 19.
“There’s nothing really better than the Boylston Street atmosphere.”
Orlando completed the Boston Marathon three times while a student at GSDM—in 2017, 2018, and 2019. A former college track and field athlete and cross country runner, he said running was a welcome release from the pressures that dental school can create.
“Running kept me sane—kept my vision toward the finish line,” he said. “It’s kind of my time each day, away from all the rigors of the academic and clinical aspects of dental school.”
During his time at GSDM, Orlando served as vice-chair of the ASDA Health and Wellness Committee. He also worked with ADEA, helping younger students with fixed and removable prosthodontics and introducing them to the Patient Treatment Center. Upon graduating, he will begin a General Practice Residency (GPR) at Loyola University Medical Center, in Maywood, Illinois.
Orlando likened four years of dental school to running a marathon.
“There’s going to be high points where you feel really good, and there’s going to be some points where you feel like you’re going to doubt yourself. But if you keep the end goal in mind, being able to say, you finished—it’s rewarding.”
Divya Puri DMD 19
During the first two years Divya Puri DMD 19 spent at GSDM, the South Asian Student Dental Association (SASDA) was largely dormant. That all change in Puri’s third year, when she attended a meeting held by the Office of Student Affairs, which wanted to revive the organization.
“We [now] have such a huge presence on campus,” Puri said. “Our organization grew a lot, and I’m really excited to see what they do now.”
Puri’s group practice leader and SASDA’s faculty mentor, Dr. Samira Sheikh, suggested she run to be SASDA president—a role that Puri held for her third and fourth years at GSDM.
In the two years since being re-established, SASDA has organized several events, from Gift of Life bone marrow registries to a samosa and mango lassi fundraiser to celebrate Diwali, a Hindu festival of light. Puri said that she enjoyed the networking that the organization provided.
“I got to meet so many people and formed so many friendships,” Puri said.
In addition to SASDA, Puri volunteered at various community organizations, including Rosie’s Place, the Greater Boston Food Bank, and the Boston Children’s Museum. During her fourth year, she participated in the International Elective Externship Program, traveling to Teacapan, Mexico, to work in a pediatric dentistry clinic as part of Project Stretch. After graduation, Puri will be embarking on an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) Program at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Bowen Zhou DMD 19
Bowen Zhou DMD 19 was drawn to dentistry because it was a combination of the things he wanted to do: work in healthcare, work with his hands, and do something beneficial for others’ overall well-being.
“Dentistry provided an avenue for all three,” Zhou said.
During his time at GSDM, Zhou worked with the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Student Chapter on campus, helping students explore different options within dentistry.
“When I joined, the student group was pretty small, and young as well,” Zhou remarked. “Together with the students who came before us and then the students in our class, we were really able to establish ADEA into the significant group that it is today.”
Zhou said that ADEA runs many different programs and events for dental students, aimed at introducing students to different career options after graduation, including private practice, Advanced Education Programs, or faculty positions.
“It’s [about] providing more avenues for careers in life after dental school,” he explained.
In addition to ADEA, Zhou also participated in an International Student Exchange Externship to China, where he visited three different universities with three other classmates and a faculty member over a three-week period. The schools visited were Shanghai Jiatong University College of Stomatology in Shanghai, the Air Force Medical University School of Stomatology in Xi’an and the Peking University School of Stomatology in Beijing.
Zhou, who will move to New York City to complete a General Practice Residency (GPR) at St. Barnabas Hospital after graduation, said that both ADEA and GSDM allowed him to see ideas become established programs.
“That’s what I appreciate most about GSDM,” said Zhou. “If you wanted to make some sort of contribution, or change….there’s opportunities to do so. That was really empowering.”