IMBWI Ushers in a New Era of Student Self-Care
by Shruthi Aravindan, Communications Student Assistant
As one of five group practice directors at the UCLA School of Dentistry, Dr. Sheila Yaghmai plays a key role in introducing dental students to the clinical environment.
Transitioning from a part-time lecturer to this full-time position in 2022, Dr. Yaghmai observed many students feeling overwhelmed by their demanding schedules. Holding a master’s in public health, she is also keenly aware of the impact that environmental stressors can have on overall well-being.
In response, Dr. Yaghmai proposed a new initiative focused on student wellness.
“I presented a proposal to Dean Paul Krebsbach emphasizing the need for self-care and wellness to enhance students' happiness, motivation, efficiency, and productivity,” she said. “He agreed that a dedicated wellness initiative would complement our dental school curriculum effectively.”
With the Dean’s approval and funding secured through the generosity of Apollonian Society donors, the Integrative Mind-Body Wellness Initiative (IMBWI) was launched in spring 2024. The initiative offers a comprehensive program to support D.D.S. candidates in balancing their intense academic and clinical schedules with personal well-being activities, along with wellness resources both on and off campus, aggregated via a dedicated webpage.
Sarah Donahue, D.D.S. '27, was among the first students to engage with IMBWI last spring.
“A workshop introduced us to a daily practice of reflecting on five small things we appreciated each day,” Donahue said. “My friend and I now discuss these reflections as we walk home from class. I'm grateful for IMBWI's new self-care strategies.”
The initiative has also leveraged existing campus-wide resources, including counseling services through UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). Dr. Yaghmai prioritized having a safe and familiar environment for students to meet and thus organized drop-in sessions with licensed counselors on-site at the School twice a week since May.
Ayato Shigihara, D.D.S. ‘27, who has served as an IMBWI liaison to help promote these services among the student body, notes the initiative’s diverse offerings.
“IMBWI has shown me that wellness is individual, with no one-size-fits-all approach,” Shigihara said. “From mindfulness workshops to yoga sessions, the program helps students find what works for them. Being part of this initiative, which supports individual well-being, has been rewarding.”
Spring’s successes rolled right into the fast-paced summer quarter. IMBWI continued its weekly yoga sessions – averaging 10-15 participants per session – along with:
- Speakers on wellness organized through UCLA’s RISE Center and Learning and Organizational Development
- A visit from the UCLA Health People-Animal Connection Therapy Dogs
- A group hike in collaboration with the Associated Student Body-affiliated club Flossin’ and Fitness and the School’s Culture Coalition
- A Reiki workshop led by UCLA Dentistry Clinic Supervisor Dianne Fuller, open to students, faculty, and staff
Dr. Yaghmai anticipates further collaborations with student organizations this fall.
“Cross-club collaboration is crucial for building a stronger dental school community,” she said. “A supportive community can reduce stress and improve life-work balance.”
Dean Krebsbach is similarly energized by the role IMBWI is playing in bringing School of Dentistry constituent groups together.
“It’s easy to get stuck in a day-to-day routine, and view our interactions with each other as transactional,” he said. “IMBWI allows the Bruin dental community to take an important step back, connect on a humanistic level, and collectively recenter our priorities.”
During the upcoming 2024-25 academic year, IMBWI will not only complement the School’s curriculum but become integrated with it. The incoming D.D.S. Class of 2028 will be the first to enroll in “Wellness Practices in Everyday Life,” a course that will thread through all four years of their dental student experience.
As UCLA School of Dentistry students dedicate themselves to excellence in patient care, their own well-being will continue to be a priority, thanks to support from the Integrative Mind-Body Wellness Initiative.