News

Photos by Jenna Upshaw

Dalhousie Dentistry participated in the 2026 PLANS Health Professions Exploration Day at the North Preston Community Centre on April 24, where more than 60 junior high students of African descent explored careers in health care through hands-on activities and conversations with Black health care professionals.

The event highlighted the importance of representation in the health field. It was hosted by Promoting Leadership in Health for African Nova Scotians (PLANS) and sponsored by the Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation.

The Faculty of Dentistry’s engagement and outreach coordinator, Jenna Upshaw, and dental assistant Ashley Roach told students about the different programs offered in the Faculty of Dentistry and explained the role of each oral health professional. The dentistry station then gave students a glimpse of life as an oral health professional through interactive activities.

Using hand mirrors and explorers, students worked to remove modelling clay  – representing food detritus – from tooth models while learning about indirect vision and clinical techniques used in dentistry. The station quickly became lively, with students competing to complete the challenge in the fastest time.

Future ambitions

The students asked many questions, had a good knowledge of the various health professions, and many had specific fields they hoped to pursue in the future.  One moment that stayed with Upshaw was when her 12-year-old nephew, James Upshaw-Botis, who attended the event, told her, “I can see myself doing this.”

Upshaw explains that Black students have historically not pursued dentistry as a career. "This event allowed them to see themselves represented and to explore different roles," she says. "I can confidently say that some students are now leaning toward dentistry, and I hope to see them learning in our Faculty in the future."