Reenergizing Self and Students

On a day when Professor of Community Health Jill York needed inspiration, she found it on a sign at the cafeteria. It was a quote from late-Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: “Fight for the things that you care about but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” The message struck a chord, and she decided to step up to kick off the American Dental Education Association’s (ADEA) Student Leaders for Social Change Program.

“This was a great opportunity for me to take a stand and be an inspiration to others,” she said. “I love mentoring people, and we have a responsibility to promote what we're passionate about.”

The ADEA program brings together dental and hygiene students across the US and Canada for six months of engagement focused on leadership and social responsibility. York was chosen as the program’s main facilitator for its one and a half day opening session in Montreal, Canada. Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) Associate Dean for Admissions Rosa Chaviano-Moran also spoke at the event while Madison Ramos was among the 40 students selected to participate.

“Dr. York was selected … given her strong background in dental education, community-based training and dental public health,” said Kristen Wong, director of student engagement and community partnerships at ADEA. “Her expertise in and approach to student development, which are learner-centered and evidence-informed, moved students from theoretical understanding to practical application as she led them through an exploration of current oral health issues and challenges.”

With panels, discussions, and real-world cases, York designed her session to equip students with practical tools for their careers. She emphasized themes like collaboration and hope. Storytelling became a vehicle for building trust and fostering dialogue. York shared formative moments from her path, including seeing a four-year-old who turned out to be HIV positive early in her career. “The parents hadn’t disclosed the diagnosis, not out of neglect, but out of fear,” said York, who devoted her career to advocating for people with HIV and spearheads RSDM’s Community Oriented Dental Education (CODE) Program that has become a national model since 2002 in serving patients living with HIV/AIDS.

“What we do at Rutgers is a best practice for everybody,” she said. “[This event] was one of the highlights of my career.”

For RSDM student Ramos, the experience was equally transformative. With a background in sociology, she entered dental school already interested in social change, but the program sharpened her sense of purpose. “At the end of the day, you can have great skills, but you need to understand how each patient comes from somewhere completely different.”

Ramos currently serves as president of the Dental Association for Equality, an LGBTQIA+-focused student organization she sought out after noticing it had become inactive. That initiative ultimately led her to the ADEA program, which helped her redefine the term “leader.” “You don’t need a big title to influence people,” she said. “It’s how you navigate through life, how you treat people, how you provide care with respect. That still gives you the opportunity to lead, even in a small community.” She strives to do that at RSDM and to leave her club in a better shape than she found it.

“It was so inspiring to be in that room, truly. Even just meeting with the other students and what they're passionate about, how they influence their own school and environment,” she said. “I'm really, really grateful I was able to go.”