Winthrop’s biology department is primarily focused on helping students go on to the pre-medical route, however, there is a new organization on campus for students seeking a slightly different career path. The Pre-Dental Club is a student run organization designed to support students in the biology major that plan to further their career through dental school.
“They used to have a club for pre-med but it wasn’t inclusive for pre–dental students. So we were all on our own paths trying to get into dental school,” Austin Brewington, a senior biology major, said. “We didn’t have anybody to really talk to so by establishing this club we could all have a place where we could unite together and help one another throughout the whole application process.”
The new organization is not only a way to support students on campus, but members of the club are also helping the community by advocating for healthy smiles. The Pre-Dental Club is hosting a SmileDrive for the month of February. They are collecting dental hygiene products to donate to the local Rock Hill homeless shelters.
“Our SmileDrive is important because we do want to put ourselves out there and show that we want to be involved in the local community,” Sydney Soldner, a senior biology major, said. “[It provides] that sense of community and just being involved in the dental aspect in world health.”
The organization hopes there will be a high turnout of donations — the more donations, the more access to dental products for those people in need.
“I just really hope that people will participate in this drive just because not every child has a toothbrush or toothpaste especially if they are homeless and families who can’t afford to get their oral health,” Soldner said. “That is so important because your oral health if it’s not taken care of that can lead to other issues in your body.”
The organization is taking donations of toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss which will be donated to the homeless shelters and families of Rock Hill. The Pre-Dental Club will be collecting donations for the drive during common time on Feb. 25 and 27.
If students are interested in joining this organization, newcomers are welcome to be a part of the new club.
“Email me; everyone is welcome. There [are] no dues just because we are just here to help each other as an interest organization,” Soldner said.
You can follow the Pre-Dental Club on Instagram @wupredentalclub and email them at predentalclub@mailbox.winthrop.edu.
Photo courtesy of Sydney Soldner
