From the first day a student walks into a classroom to the final day of a long and meaningful career, engaging thoughtfully with issues of access, inclusion, and equity in oral health care is critically important. These aren’t add‑ons to clinical skills; they’re part of what it means to provide safe, respectful, and effective care.

Students who are willing to reflect, question, and advocate help sustain and strengthen the mission of CSDH within their educational institutions and beyond. Click the links below to read the top three entries submitted to our Annual Student Essay Contest.