Inclusive Excellence

About the Office

The Office of Inclusive Excellence and Equity Initiatives is responsible for leading the school in creating a safe and inclusive environment for all.

In addition, the office advises the school’s leadership on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) best practices, cultivates partnerships across campus to develop comprehensive initiatives, reports on DEI goals, and offers a safe space for the Adams School of Dentistry community to share ideas and express concerns.

The Office works closely with the Inclusive Excellence Committee on may of these responsibilities.

Click here to read the Office of Inclusive Excellence Annual Report.

Click here to learn more about the award-winning DOCScholars and DOCSpeaks programs. DOCSpeaks was recognized as by INSIGHT Into Diversity as a 2020 “Inspiring Affinity Group.”

To contact the office, click here.

Inclusive Excellence Statement

At the Adams School of Dentistry we are committed to a diverse and inclusive environment for faculty, staff, students, and those we serve.

We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment that welcomes, values, and supports the development and care of all individuals. Intellectual diversity is the foundation of our institution.

We promote inclusivity, irrespective of individual differences including, but not limited to those based on age, culture, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, physical ability, political affiliation, race, regional and national origin, religion, and socioeconomic background.

We continually strive to promote a safe and inclusive environment for all.

Click here to read the University’s commitment to diversity.

Partners

The Adams School of Dentistry is proud to partner with several programs, such as:

  • Medical Education Development (MED) Program:
    Established in 1974 and designed to increase opportunities in the health professions for individuals who demonstrate educational promise and commitment but who have lacked opportunities in the past in moving toward their professional goals. The MED Program is sponsored by the UNC School of Medicine, Adams School of Dentistry, and the State of North Carolina. The program offers a structured summer curriculum at the level of professional education to increase the ability of advanced pre-professional candidates, especially those who are underrepresented, to compete successfully for admission to health professional schools.
  • Project Uplift:
    Every year for more than 50 years, Project Uplift has allowed nearly 1,000 high school seniors to participate in a two-day college experience at Carolina. Participants live on campus, interact with college students, faculty and staff, and engage in social, cultural and educational activities.
  • Science Enrichment Preparation Program (S.E.P.):
    The S.E.P. is an eight-week, honors-level academic enrichment program that targets first-generation, underrepresented minority, rural, and/or socioeconomically disadvantaged undergraduate students who seek admission into medical or dental school. During the program, students engage in more than 150 hours of classroom instruction in physics, organic chemistry, human physiology, and quantitative skills/biostatistics, visit local health facilities and network with health professionals, shadow and working health professional in their field of interest and more.
  • SNDA Impressions Program:
    The hallmark program of the Adams School of Dentistry’s Student National Dental Association (SNDA) Chapter engages undergraduate students to prepare them for applying to dental school. Participants experience mock interviews, learn how to take amalgate impressions, hear from current students, network with representatives in the school’s Office of Admissions, the University’s Office of Scholarships and Student Aid, the MED Program, Kaplan, and more. Last year, SNDA hosted 80 students which represented 11 HBCUs.

Safe Listeners + Learning Opportunities

Inclusive Excellence Committee

The Adams School of Dentistry views its environment of diversity and inclusion as encompassing all of its communities: campus, local, regional and global. Our committee seeks to encourage and facilitate the faculty, staff, residents and students at the Adams School of Dentistry to teach and practice the oral health professions in the context of community in order to equip all to serve the people of NC, the United States and the world.

The Adams School of Dentistry Inclusive Excellence Committee works to accomplish the following activities:

  • Publicly state and display the school’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity
  • Create and promote “safe places” for anyone to discuss and engage in diversity and inclusivity concerns with confidentiality and receptive understanding
  • Provide ongoing opportunities for diversity and inclusivity orientation/training