University at Buffalo School of Dentistry Receives 2024 STEM Diversity Award

The Insight Into Diversity Inspiring Programs in STEM Award recognizes individual university programs and initiatives that encourage and support the recruitment and retention of women and underrepresented students in STEM fields, including science and research, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Additionally, the University at Buffalo will be featured in the September 2024 issue of Insight Into Diversity magazine, along with 82 other honorees.

“It is extremely gratifying to receive national recognition for this unique pathway program,” said Marcelo WB Araujo, DDS, MS, PhD, dean of the School of Dentistry. “It is more important than ever to make STEM fields, including dentistry, accessible to students from all backgrounds.”

DDS Founded in 2021

Arian Johnson, DDS, ’21, a UB dentistry graduate, founded Destination Dental School in 2021 after seeing a lack of resources for students like herself when she applied to dental school. In 2022, the DDS program partnered with the Native American Pre-Dental Student Gateway to Dentistry program to combine virtual and in-person events.

DDS received the Inspiring Programs in STEM Award in 2022 and 2023 as well as the Health Professions Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award in 2023.

For more information about the 2024 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award and Insight Into Diversity magazine, visit insightintodiversity.com.