Students & Residents

Long in the Tooth: UCLA–Japan Dentistry Exchange Program Marks Three Decades

For 30 years, students and faculty from the UCLA School of Dentistry have made regular journeys across the Pacific to Meikai University, just outside Tokyo, and Asahi University, about 75 miles northeast of Kyoto, to share and absorb the latest in dental techniques and technology — and get a taste of the local culture — with their Japanese counterparts.

Unbreakable Bonds

***This story appears in the UCLA School of Dentistry's Spring 2023 Magazine***

Tiffany Kim’s story exemplifies the many deep connections formed within the UCLA School of Dentistry.

The third-year D.D.S. candidate is the daughter of Steven Kim, D.D.S. ’90, a successful private practice general dentist in Riverside, Calif.

Student Organization Showcase: SNDA (Student National Dental Association)

Jordan Carfino and Lauren Chapman, both third-year D.D.S. candidates, serve as co-presidents of UCLA’s chapter of the Student National Dental Association. A longstanding organization with over 60 nationwide chapters providing a voice and platform for dental students of color, SNDA at UCLA focuses on inclusive educational events and community outreach … With a little bit of fun mixed in!

Celebrating 30 Years of Cross-Cultural Exchange

Following a three-year hiatus necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual educational and cultural exchange between the UCLA School of Dentistry, Meikai University, and Asahi University resumes this week as 10 Japanese dental students and two faculty members visit Westwood. A similarly-sized Bruin delegation, who served as hosts, then crossed the Pacific Ocean from March 23 to April 1.

Student Organization Showcase: SIDE (Students for Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity)

Iman Evans, D.D.S. ‘25, is the current president of SIDE. A native of Charlotte, N.C., Evans earned her B.A. in Spanish from the College of Charleston before making the move to Westwood. As Black History Month begins, Evans shares her organizational goals, and how she’d like to see dentistry make even greater strides toward becoming a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive field of medicine.

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