Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists gives prospective students a look at dental school

Ivianna Phifer adjusted her phone to just the right angle as she held a dental instrument in each hand and awaited instructions. Phifer was decked out in personal protective gear in the Ross Hall simulation lab at the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine.

As Dr. Roopwant Kaur, assistant dean for engagement and clinical associate professor, began her list of instructions, Phifer listened carefully and scrutinized Kaur’s hands on the computer screen in front of her as she followed along.

Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists participant Ivianna Phifer prepares her workstation in the Ross Hall simulation lab ahead of a simulation activity during the program. (Photos by Spaine Stephens)

Before Kaur began her lesson, she told the group that the dental profession is one that requires commitment and heart from those who decide to follow that path.

“The realistic expectations that you have should be geared toward putting your hands in the mouths of those who absolutely need care,” she said. “You may not have any immediate solutions to magically make their pain go away, but you are the crossword-puzzle solver.”

Phifer was one of 50 participants in the 2025 Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists program, an initiative through the school’s Office of Student Affairs that is part of a pathway for prospective students to learn about dental school, what the journey is like and the application process. Many participants have gone on to become ECU dental students.

The two sessions during the first two weeks of June offered one experience for undergraduate students and another for post-graduate and nontraditional students. The students heard from current dental students, residents, faculty and staff on a variety of topics from applying to dental school to the patient care experience.

The simulation lab activity gave the participants a chance to get a feel for dental instruments and try their hands at different exercises.

Allie Popp, a Randolph County native and undergraduate at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill majoring in biology and psychology, said she decided to attend Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists to explore her career options. After the simulation exercise, she said dentistry felt like a perfect fit for her.

“This experience has been great so far; I’ve learned a lot, and the simulation we did really solidified that I wanted to do this,” Popp said of dental school. “I had never been to ECU, and I really wanted to branch out and see what it was about. This may be my No. 1 pick!”

In addition to faculty and staff who lent their expertise to the Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists experience, Rachel Choi, a member of the Class of 2029, assisted in ensuring that the participants had additional peer guidance during the sessions.

The ECU School of Dental Medicine established its Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists program in 2013, in collaboration with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and the Old North State Dental Society. Initially funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as an ADEA Pipeline Program, the program aims to develop activities to enhance students’ awareness of the dental profession and ultimately to increase the number of students seeking to pursue a career in dentistry in North Carolina.

The Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists programming provides a pathway for future dentists who intend to serve patients from underserved communities and rural areas across the state of North Carolina, in alignment with the mission of the School of Dental Medicine.

Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists participant Allie Popp smiles in anticipation as she begins a simulation activity in the Ross Hall simulation lab.

Mary Beth Wadford, admissions coordinator and interim director of student services for the dental school, said the program is part of the school’s efforts to help familiarize interested students at various educational levels with the dental school, what it offers and everything it entails. Wadford led both sessions and enjoyed building rapport and networking with the two groups of participants.

“They get a behind-the-scenes look at dental school to see what it’s like,” Wadford said, “and they talk to students and see what they’re doing, what it’s like to be in a lecture hall and what it’s like to be in a lab.”

Tamara Stephenson, radiology technology specialist and public health hygienist at the school, led the Survivor: Radiology activity in the Comprehensive Care Clinic, where participants learned about dental radiology from third-year students with expertise and knowledge in the area.

“I volunteered because of my experience with reading CBCTs (3D X-rays) from the research I’ve done in the school,” said third-year student Liam Hopfensperger. “This week was fun for me personally, because I was a bit of a nontraditional student myself. I started dental school four years after I graduated undergrad, and a lot of students I met today were in a similar position to how I felt before starting dental school. I could relate to the fact that after being out of school for an extended period of time, they seemed to become quite set on pursuing dentistry but needed some reassurance that they were prepared for the road ahead.”

Courtney Reggans attended the second session of Preparing Tomorrow’s Dentists as a prospective nontraditional student after serving in the military. She was interviewed for WNCT’s feature on the program.

“Don’t let fear stop you from doing what you want to do,” Reggans said. “I listen to the stories of all the people who have, like, came before me and they all say the same thing, like continue to move forward, continue to aim for your goals. And, you know, even if you get discouraged, don’t stop; continue to do it. And that’s what my drive is right now.”