DDS, Students

UNC Dental Students Elected to SNDA National Board of Directors

Three UNC dental students were elected this summer for a second term on the National Executive Board for the Student National Dental Association (SNDA). Of the 14 members of the SNDA Board of Directors, UNC is the only dental school to have multiple board members.

Justin Harlow, Lindsay Moore and Zerita Buchanan, all D.D.S. candidates 2014, will serve on the Board of Directors, which oversees the organization’s daily operations and governs SNDA when the convention is not in session. All three students served in this capacity last year and were reelected with no contest.

“It’s a real honor to be able to represent the SNDA on a national scale,” said Harlow. “It makes me even more proud to be one of three members from our School of Dentistry helping to lead an organization that strives to promote, support and shape a minority presence in dental schools and in underserved communities. It’s a true testament to the type of students that UNC is producing.”

As repeat board members, Harlow, Moore and Buchanan look to continue the impact that each made on the 2011-12 board.

Harlow will again serve as the SNDA national treasurer. In this capacity, he will continue to create the annual operating budget, manage and control all activity to the operating accounts owned by the SNDA, and create the operating budget for the annual National Convention and other special events. His efforts last year led to over $30,000 in corporate sponsorships and unprecedented profits for the SNDA.

Moore continues her appointment of representative to the National Dental Association (NDA) Board of Trustees. She will continue to represent the SNDA at all NDA Board of Trustees meetings, voicing the concerns, proposals and resolutions of the SNDA. In her first year of service, she oversaw the development of a newly adopted three-year SNDA strategic plan, the first of its kind for the organization.

Buchanan will continue to act as the representative to the NDA Foundation. Her role includes being the main liaison to Foundation, the non-profit 501 (c) (3) arm of the NDA. She also aids in the organization, administration and selection of all scholarships and awards given on behalf of the Foundation. These awards include the Darryl Hawkins Scholarship, the Joe Hines Scholarship, and the Colgate-Palmolive Awards. Additionally, Buchanan serves locally as the UNC-SNDA chapter president.

The election took place during the 40th Annual SNDA Convention, at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Fla. on July 19-23, 2012. For the first time, the SNDA co-hosted its annual convention with the Hispanic Dental Association (HDA) and the Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID). The three organizations brought together more than 300 African-American dental students, 120 Hispanic dental students and 50 American-Indian dental students. The SNDA Convention also occurred in conjunction with this year’s NDA Convention.

Representing over 6,000 African American dentists and over 1,000 dental students, the NDA and its student entity, the SNDA, is the largest and oldest organization of minority oral health professionals in the world. For more information on SNDA and NDA, visit www.sndanet.org orwww.ndaonline.org.