Transylvania student Bobby Payne ’22 participated in the University of Kentucky’s Professional Education Preparation Program — Discover Modern Dentistry. In this Q&A, he discusses the program, which is geared to those “who are interested in the field of dentistry and in becoming dentists treating underserved populations in rural or urban areas throughout the Commonwealth.”
Why did you apply to be part of this program?
As someone interested in remaining in Kentucky to practice dentistry, PEPP’s mission really appealed to me. Because Kentucky has some of the worst dental health per capita of any state, learning more about current Kentucky dentists’ experiences was helpful in informing me about what treating underserved populations in my home state will be like.
You’ve had hands-on experience at the Refuge Clinic. In what essential ways was the PEPP-DMD program helpful to you and your future as a dentist?
PEPP not only provided students with an inside look into what a day in the life of a dental student is like, but it also gave us a chance to practice some of the hand skills that we will need to be experts at when enrolled in dental school. Having that experience at PEPP I believe was essential in laying a solid foundation for my success as a dental student.
In what way did your Transylvania experience prepare you to make the most of the opportunity?
At Transy, we are constantly pushed to ask more questions about an area of study. At PEPP, that practice allowed me to pull useful information out of some of the presenting dentists that I believe non-Transy students would not have the skills to do.
Can you explain to other Transy pre-dental students why this experience was of such value to you?
PEPP was essential in introducing me to the world of modern dentistry and has laid the foundation for me to be a successful dental student. The program solidified my passion and aptitude for the field.