Alumna paves the way for more diversity in oral health care

Buchanan liked being at a school that offered every specialty and included international trips, as well, creating a well-rounded educational environment for her.

For Zerita Buchanan, DDS, MPH, oral health care is a family affair. Buchanan, an Adams School of Dentistry alumna, has taken over the private practice established by her parents in Atlanta – Dental Dreams LLC – and made it her own, expanding to not only create a dental assisting school, but more importantly, a path forward for people interested in pursuing careers in oral health. Her efforts have also been recognized nationally, and Buchanan received an ADA 10 under 10 award, which honors those who inspire others and make an impact. 

“Dental Dreams LLC has evolved into something greater,” Buchanan said. “Through mentorship, I train the next generation of culturally competent and diverse dental assistants. I was discouraged by the statistic that African Americans make up 13.6% of the U.S. population, but only 3.8% of the dental workforce, so I launched the “Dental Dreams, LLC – Dental Assisting School” to further diversify the dental workforce.” 

Buchanan’s interest in dentistry stemmed from growing up in a health care family, and where a love of anatomy, biology and science piqued her curiosity. She was a biology major at Spelman College in Atlanta and based her course loads on suggestions from her parents and other oral health care practitioners she admired. She was first introduced to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill through UNC’s Claudis Polk, director of the office of Scholastic Enrichment and Equity, who was at a recruitment event, sharing information on the Medical Education Development (MED) program at UNC. 

“I felt like the SNDA chapter and the Old North State Dental Society [at ASOD] really welcomed me and proved that UNC was an inclusive environment. I really loved the support I got at UNC. It was a family environment,” she said.”

Buchanan focuses on reaching diverse audiences to spark new interest in the oral health care profession.

Buchanan liked being at a school that offered every specialty and included international trips, as well, creating a well-rounded educational environment for her. She enjoyed participating in the Schweitzer Fellowship and learning from mentors like Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque, DDS, PhD. She wants other students who look like her to have the same opportunities she did, which is a goal for the dental assisting school. Since the launch of her school, she has helped more than 20 students gain acceptance into dental school. 

Buchanan expanded her horizons when she got a master’s degree in public health.

“They have a leg up with this advanced training. They are more prepared and more comfortable at dental school. Having the language to talk about dentistry has been helpful for these students. It’s a pipeline program, and I love that.,” she said.

Her ASOD education and her experiences have inspired the next chapter for Buchanan – exploring more about health policy, diversifying the workforce and inequities in health care. Buchanan had been in private practice for nearly 10 years when she stepped away for a year to move to Boston and pursue her master’s degree in public health from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she was exposed to more mentors who opened her eyes to new possibilities. 

“While at Harvard, I concentrated my coursework on health policy. I also did a fellowship with Harvard School of Dental Medicine in honor of Joseph Henry, DDS, PhD. Dr. Henry was a pioneer in diversifying the health professions and carried the civil rights movement into the health professions. Dr. Henry’s legacy ignited my passion to carry forward his mission. I am committed to leveraging policy to dismantle systemic barriers that have prevented marginalized communities from achieving health equity,” she said.