{"id":136292,"date":"2026-10-15T13:25:31","date_gmt":"2026-10-15T18:25:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=136292"},"modified":"2026-10-15T13:25:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T18:25:32","slug":"students-faculty-volunteer-during-busy-september-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2026\/10\/15\/students-faculty-volunteer-during-busy-september-week\/","title":{"rendered":"Students, faculty volunteer during busy September week"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

In one busy week in September, UNMC College of Dentistry students and faculty volunteered at three community outreach events, offering care, screenings and education to Nebraskans who might not otherwise have access to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eighteen dental students and four faculty members took part. They assisted people who are uninsured, underserved or experiencing homelessness at Project Connect, provided oral health screenings at the Harvest Moon Festival and helped screen more than 250 tenth-grade students at Pius X High School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pius
Ella Bennett, Kaitlyn Pilakowski and Katelyn Le recently volunteered to screen students at Pius X High School.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For Frank Lonie, a third-year dental student, volunteering at Project Connect was a return to where his interest in dentistry began. Lonie first volunteered at the event as a high school senior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReturning to Project Connect as a dental student was a meaningful full-circle moment,\u201d Lonie said. \u201cIt reminded me how far I have come since first exploring the profession.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lonie also noticed that many people didn\u2019t know about resources that could help them get dental care. Volunteers connected them with organizations such as Clinic with a Heart, the People\u2019s City Mission and the UNMC College of Dentistry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was especially rewarding to connect community members with these resources and help them take steps toward receiving the oral healthcare that everyone deserves,\u201d Lonie said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinna Abou Ibrahim, a student in the Advanced Standing Dental Program, said her goals were both practical and educational. \u201cAs a Project Connect volunteer, my goal was to provide screenings, promote oral health awareness within the community and help connect individuals with accessible dental care resources,\u201d Abou Ibrahim said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The events also offered lessons beyond the classroom. \u201cThese experiences allow students like me to engage with people from diverse backgrounds and understand how factors such as cost, transportation, access to care and education influence oral health,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abou Ibrahim saw those factors firsthand. \u201cFinancial constraints and limited access to dental services can prevent individuals from receiving regular dental care,\u201d she said. \u201cThis highlights the value of community outreach programs that can help reduce such barriers for underserved populations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UNMC College of Dentistry\u2019s outreach continues next week. On Tuesday, Oct. 20, students Bella Bonneau, Ciera Haynes and Mady Cole will provide oral health education at the UNL Employee Wellness and Community Resource Fair<\/a>, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the UNL Coliseum.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UNMC College of Dentistry held three recent clinical, educational outreach 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