Page 14 - NYSAGD GP Fall 2018
P. 14

My Year as a Faculty Advisor:

                     7 Steps to Making a Successful Student Chapter

                                              By Seung-Hee Rhee, DDS, MAGD

        For the past one and a half years, I’ve had  Back in January 2017, Dr. Kay Oen (Full-  the year.  Not easy.  With their hectic sched-
        the  privilege  of being  the  faculty  advisor  time faculty at NYU and the reason I have  ules, rotations, and exams, it was not easy
        for the AGD Student Chapter at NYU Col-  no life outside of the AGD), five dedicat-  meeting face-to-face as a group (even with
        lege of Dentistry. Frankly, between my two  ed student leaders (Hae-Lim  Ji,  Amanda  the enticement of pizza – which FYI is hard
        jobs (working full-time  at my practice  in  Muzzio, Seung-Jin Kim, Nicole  Liu  and  currency in dental schools).  We commu-
        Manhattan and working part-time as an As-  later  Ryan Rengifo), and myself set out  nicated mostly via emails, texts, and other
        sociate Clinical Professor at NYU), work-  to establish the AGD  Student Chapter at  social  media.  Google  Docs came  in  very
        ing 45-53 hours a week, and volunteering  NYU College of Dentistry.  I won’t deny  handy when we needed inputs from various
        my time at AGD (Membership Council),  it.  It was a lot of work – not easy with all  members on documents.  And while flyers
        NYSAGD (Board  of  Trustees,  Associate  our busy schedules - especially for our stu-  were  still  used,  Facebook  invites  were  a
        Editor, Chair of New Dentists Committee),  dents. But they did me proud.  Under the  more effective means of letting our student
        and  NYUCD (Part-time  Faculty  Council,  very able and meticulous leadership of our  members know about upcoming events.
        Interviewer  for  Admissions), I  really  did  first student chapter president, Hae-Lim Ji,  Tip: My students tell me that when dealing
        not have time to take on another project,  we filed all the necessary paperwork with  with the administration, things got done a
        but when you care  about something, you  the school to establish the new student or-  lot faster when they cc’ed faculty on the
        make the time, right?  As dentists, I think  ganization,  petitioned  and collected  over  email.  The higher ranked the faculty, the
        we  as  a  group  are  very  efficient  people  60 student signatures required, and created  faster it got done.
        - trained to make the most of every min-  the Constitution and By-Laws to establish
        ute  your patient is in your chair.  If you  the chapter.  In May 2017, we were offi-  Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
        are lucky like I am and surrounded by  cially  recognized  as a  student  group on  As I mentioned before, our chapter’s bud-
        hard-working,  dedicated,  over-achieving  probation, and in September 2017, we were  get for Fall 2017 was $75.  Clearly, we
        peers who make my life look like a day at  given a budget of $75 for the fall semester  needed help.  Thankfully, we submitted
        the beach and are still willing to help you  to fulfill three requirements: 1) Do a Lunch  and received both the Mini Grant in 2017
        out, success is pretty much guaranteed.  As  and Learn 2) Do a Community Outreach  and Fellowtrack Scholarship in 2018 from
        my mom always says, “Many hands make  Program, and 3) Do a joint event with an-  AGD.  In addition,  throughout the  entire
        a big job smaller.”                  other student group.  Now $75 is not a lot  process of establishing and maintaining our
                                             of money – especially in NYC.  But with  chapter, Aleida  Lane  (aleida.lane@agd.
        Several years ago, it dawned on the AGD  a lot of help and funding from NYSAGD  org), Membership Coordinator from AGD,
        leadership  that  our organization  was in  (in the form of pizzas/drinks for Lunch and  provided invaluable service to both myself
        trouble.  Our core members were getting  Learns and our formidable and ever helpful  and the  students. In addition,  NYSAGD
        older and new dentists had no idea what the  Executive Director, Paula Bostick), we got  provided assistance closer to home.  This
        AGD was.  The projections were alarming.   through  all  our  requirements  with  flying  project  had the full support of the Board
        At this rate, our emeritus members would  colors.                         of  Trustees  and Paula  Bostick(paulaj@
        outnumber our younger members. That was                                   nysagd.org), our Executive Director, who
        when the AGD decided to focus on recruit-  As we look back and celebrate our one year  was absolutely amazing with the students.
        ing student members.  Hence the AGD’s  anniversary as a student chapter, I must say,  I don’t even want to know how many piz-
        involvement  with ASDA – the American  we did a good job.  Actually, we did REAL-  za pies she has ordered and delivered  to
        Student Dental Association.   They poured  LY well.  We had 10 executive board meet-  us over the past year! I also want to thank
        a lot of time and resources into ASDA.  I  ings, 4 Lunch and Learns, 2 membership  Dr. Ira Levine, our Regional Director, for
        believe we were their platinum sponsor for  meetings, 2 community outreach programs,  all his hard work in supporting the student
        their annual meeting several years running.   2 joint ventures, 2 residency fairs, 1 AGD  chapters.
        AGD officers and staff did their leg work  info  session,  1  fundraiser,  1  installation,
        – they went to  ASDA meetings, shook  and a partridge  in a pear  tree.    We went  Involve Other AGD Faculty and Members
        hands, posed for photos, talked about the  from 75 student members in 2016 to 394  At our very first official Lunch and Learn,
        AGD, and recruited students to join.  Once  in 2018. I must say, I’ve been a faculty at  Dr. Kay Oen (my co-faculty advisor) and
        dental  students  knew  what  the AGD was  NYU for the past 17 years and I’ve always  I gave  a presentation  entitled,  “The  Role
        all  about,  the  next  phase  began:    Estab-  been proud of my students as they grow to  of a General Dentist”.  During the Power-
        lishing an AGD Student Chapter at every  transition from students to doctors. But as  point presentation, I made sure to include
        dental school in the United States, all 66  a faculty advisor, I got to see a whole new  a  list of all NYU faculty who were AGD
        of them.  Thanks to a lot of dedicated and  side to my students.  I got to see them learn  members.  The list was prominent and dis-
        hard-working members, we now have 51  to work together, deal with the administra-  tinguished.  It included the then Chair of
        AGD Student Chapters as of May 2018 and  tion and obstacles, learn to efficiently use  the Department of Cariology and Compre-
        our student membership went from 4656 in  their time, and above all, watch them be-  hensive Care at NYUCD, Dr. Mark Wolff,
        2013 to 5336 in 2018.                come leaders.  Ladies and gentleman, my  DDS, FAGD (who  is  now the  Dean  of
                                             “pride meter” went through the roof!  University of Pennsylvania School of Den-
        In  New  York  State,  we  have  five  dental                             tal Medicine);  Dr. James Keenan, DDS,
        schools:  Buffalo, Columbia,  NYU,  Tou-  The secret to our success?  Well, I guess the  MAGD,  the Immediate  Past President
        ro, and Stony Brook.   There are currently  quick and easy answer would be hard work  of NYSAGD; Dr. Fabiola  Milord, DDS,
        AGD Student  Chapters  at  NYU, Buffalo  and dedication from all those involved.  But  FAGD, the  Immediate  Past  President  of
        and  Columbia,  but  we are  still  working  here are some key factors to our success:   Nassau County Dental Society, and many
        on Touro and Stony Brook.  Of these five                                  other well respected  faculty  members.
        schools, I am proud to say that NYU Col-  Open, Fast, and Clear Communication  Most were  general  dentists,  but  among
        lege of Dentistry was the first to establish a  As mentioned above, we’ve had about 10  them were specialists as well – Dr. Arthur
        student chapter.                     executive board meetings in the course of  H. Kubikian, DDS,  FAGD  (endodontist)

        www.nysagd.org l Fall 2018 l GP 14
   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19