Upcoming Events

Monday, November 10, 2008

11-10-08 update

Our fourth general meeting was held this past Friday (11/7). Professor Coury gave a very informative presentation on dental hygiene. She also gave useful information for those who are pre-dental. Dr. Randy Jones, Director of Admissions and Student Affairs for OU College of Dentistry, was unable to speak at Friday’s meeting, but fortunately, he will speak at the special meeting that will be held this Wednesday (11/12) at 5:30pm. We highly encourage you to attend! This is a great opportunity to hear Dr. Jones’ answers to your questions regarding dental school.

This past Saturday, the Pre-Dental Clinic Simulation Course took place at OU College of Dentistry. We strongly suggest taking it during the Spring semester! It truly helps give you the feel of what it is like to be in dental school. In addition, Dr. Jones and a panel of dental students answered several questions and gave wonderful advice. They give you many opportunities to get any questions that you have answered.

Also, if you took the Kaplan practice DAT, you can call the Oklahoma City Kaplan Center, and they can e-mail you your results.

Please be documenting your shadowing hours so that we can give you points for them.

We hope to see you at Wednesday's meeting! It will be in room 201 (not our usual 202).

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

10-29-08 update

On Friday (10/24) we had our third general meeting.

First, we had two students discuss what they are doing at UCO to help raise money and bring awareness for the Invisible Children movement. More information can be found at this link: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/theMission/schoolsForSchools/

Following their presentation, we had one of our members, Anton, who just recently had his interviews with OU's College of Dentistry speak about his experience.

This year, OU's College of Dentistry changed the format of the interview process. It now consists of three separate interviews instead of one. Anton also went over how points are distributed for each applicant. He shared with us that a maximum of 10 points come from an applicant's GPA and DAT score, and a maximum of 10 points come from the interview.

Next, we had Ms. Brenda Brent, an academic adviser for UCO, speak about what it takes to become a dental hygienist/dentist. She went over the different paths one could take at UCO and gave handouts with useful information. If you have any questions for her or if you are interested in the handouts that were passed out, you can e-mail her at bbrent@uco.edu. She also mentioned the mock interviews that are available for those who want to apply to dental school. This is an excellent tool that helps prepare you for the actual interview with the dental school, and it allows the committee to write a letter of evaluation. If you plan to apply to dental school in the summer of 2009 for the fall of 2010 class, they will only interview those who have taken the DAT at least once by May so that they can discuss your score with you.

Daryn introduced ASDA's podcasts that are available here. This is a great way to keep up with the latest in dentistry.

This past Sunday, Kaplan made a practice DAT available to take at UCO. It was a great opportunity to become familiarized with the format of the exam or just gain some extra practice. If you took the test, your scores can be picked up at the Oklahoma City Kaplan Center.

On another note, we will be having a special meeting with a panel of dental students soon which will most likely be held on a Wednesday (either 11/5 or 11/12) at 5:30. Let us know how that day and time works for you, and please submit any questions that you will have for them.

If you have turned in your membership form, they are now available in the Biology office. Speak with the secretary to schedule an appointment to meet with Dr. Anne Ewing and have her sign the form. Her signature is just to ensure that you are aware of the excellent services that UCO provides you. Please be ready with any questions that you have pertaining to your future career path when you meet with her.

11/7/08 at 3pm - Our next meeting will have Dr. Randy Jones, Director of Admissions and Student Affairs for OU College of Dentistry, and Professor Vicki Coury, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Dental Hygiene as our guest speakers. Please make plans to attend as this will be a very informative meeting.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

**IMPORTANT REMINDER**

The Pre-Dental Clinical Simulation Course is on Saturday, November 8th. It costs $85, but if you are an official member of the Pre-Dental Society, you get $5 off. Attendance is limited to the first 50 students, so if you would like us to submit your application, we ask that you turn in your applications and payments to us by the end of this week!

You can access the application by going here:

http://dentistry.ouhsc.edu/predent/application.html

Monday, October 6, 2008

10-06-08 update

On Friday (10/3) we had our second general meeting!

We first went over the two OU ASDA events that are quickly approaching.

*Dentfest is this Thursday, Oct. 9th, and Pre-Dental Day is Saturday, Nov. 8th.

We passed around a form to see who would be able to attend the two events, so if you did not attend this meeting, please let us know if you know you plan on attending one or both of them.

Next, we introduced the ASDA – American Student Dental Association. The ASDA provides many wonderful resources to those who plan on pursuing a career in dentistry. A pre-dental membership offers numerous benefits that will help guide you with preparing for dental school. It also gives you the opportunity to get involved with organized dentistry by providing you with the latest news and publications written by dental students. If you are interested in being a member, visit www.ASDAnet.org.

We also introduced our point system. The purpose of the point system is to encourage your involvement in this organization. We plan to reward the member who receives the most points at the end of the Fall 2008 semester!

- 1 General Meeting = 10 points
- 1 Executive Board Meeting = 15 points
- 1 OU Event = 25 points
- 1 Service Project = 20 points
- Shadowing/Working at an office = 1 point per hour*
- Volunteering at clinic = 3 points per hour
*75 points max for shadowing/volunteering at a clinic

Following the introduction of our point system, we were originally going to have a panel from the Pre-Dental Advisory Committee speak, but they were unfortunately unable to attend. Fortunately, Chris Snyder, a UCO graduate and an aspiring dentist, was available to speak about the interview process. He also shared his own interview experience at OU's College of Dentistry and gave helpful tips and advice.

In addition, Daryn gave a tutorial on how to use the following websites:

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Department of Biology Website - http://biology.ucok.edu

You can access the different health profession pages here. The Pre-Dental/Pre-Dental Hygiene Advisement Worksheets can be accessed by going to this website.
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University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry's Web Site - http://dentistry.ouhsc.edu/
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PreDents.com - http://www.predents.com

This website has various statistics on all of the dental schools such as the average GPA/DAT scores of those admitted.
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The Student Doctor Network - http://www.studentdoctor.net

*From Their Website*
What is SDN?
The Student Doctor Network (SDN) is an independent community of students, advisors, educators, and practicing doctors.

Our membership extends from college students to practicing doctors in every field of healthcare, from allopathic medicine to veterinary medicine.

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RateMyProfessors.com - http://www.ratemyprofessors.com

RateMyProfessors.com is a very helpful tool when the time comes to enroll in your classes as it has reviews for most professors that can help give you an idea on how the professor teaches his/her class, grades, etc.
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If you still need to pay for your dues and want to attend OU ASDA events, please pay your dues by this Wednesday (10/8) because Dentfest is on the 9th!

If you have any questions/comments/suggestions, please contact us!

Monday, September 22, 2008

9-22-08 announcement

We are officially an active organization!


We can start collecting dues now.


You have the option of paying $30 for the entire year or $20 per semester. You can pay anytime during this semester, but remember that in order to attend OU ASDA events, you must pay by October 3rd.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

9-21-08 update

On Friday (9/19) we had our first general meeting!

First, we discussed the purpose of this organization, and then we had everyone introduce themselves.


We handed out surveys for everyone to fill out. It was sent to some of you in an e-mail before. If you haven't filled it out yet, please do so! It can be found here. It will help us out tremendously. Please remember that the Executive Board is wanting to cater this organization to YOUR specific needs! Let us know how we can help you! We also handed out a sign up sheet from the Volunteer and Service Learning Center. We highly recommend that you sign up. They will send you e-mails with volunteer opportunities. They can also track your volunteer hours. You can sign up here.


Next, we went over what the requirements are to be an active member.

To be an active member, you must:

1) Pay your dues sometime during the semester. You have the option of paying $20 per semester or $30 for the entire year. $15 goes towards the events hosted by OU ASDA. *To attend their events, your dues must be paid by October 3rd, 2008. That is when we will be having our next general meeting.

2) Sign the roster.

3) Meet with Dr. Anne Ewing.You may schedule an appointment with her by visiting the Biology office on the 2nd floor of Howell Hall.

4) Attend at least one UCO Pre-Dental Society function per semester. That includes attending a general meeting, an Executive Board meeting, a practice test, or an OU ASDA event.


After we discussed membership requirements, we looked at our calendar of events for the semester. This can always be seen on our website.

Friday, October 3rd, 2008 3pm – 2nd General Meeting – Howell Hall – Room #202

Thursday, October 9th, 2008 5pm – Dentfest – OU College of Dentistry

Friday, October 24th, 2008 3pm – 3rd General Meeting – Howell Hall – Room #202

Sunday, October 26th, 2008 1pm – DAT Practice Exam – UCO Business Building

Friday, November 27th, 2008 3pm – 4th General Meeting – Howell Hall – Room #202

Saturday, November 8th, 2008 8am – Pre-Dental Day – OU College of Dentistry

Friday, November 21st, 2008 3pm – 5th General Meeting – Howell Hall – Room #202


In addition, we had a representative from Kaplan speak, and she talked about the DAT and the course that Kaplan offers to help prepare students for the test. She announced that Kaplan would reward the person who receives the most points (based off of the point system that will be introduced at the next meeting) $200 off the Kaplan course and Kaplan's Organic Chemistry Edge (a $499 value).


At our next meeting (10/3), we will have a panel from UCO's Pre-Dental Advisory Committee speak. This Committee is set up to prepare pre-dental students for their interview. It is a wonderful service that UCO offers! If you have any questions that you would like answers, please send them to us via email and we will pass them on to our guest speakers. We will also have a tutorial on how to use online resources such as the Student Doctor Network!

If you have any questions, please contact us! We hope to see you all at our next meeting.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

General Announcements

The Executive Board will meet this Sunday, 9/14, at 2pm at the UCO Library. All prospective members and interested parties are encouraged to attend!

The President and Vice-President will go before the UCOSA Senate on Monday, 9/15/, at 1pm to explain our potential budget and reasons for forming this organization. We will be officially considered an active organization within less than 2 weeks!

Please make plans to attend the upcoming meeting as we will disucss potential events as well as our budget for the remainder of the semester.

Call Daryn Lu at 405-219-1598 for additional details.

Monday, September 1, 2008

9-1-08 update

Yesterday (8/31), an Executive Board meeting was held at the UCO library. We discussed plans for this semester and created a tentative schedule. The UCO Pre-Dental Society plans to meet on the first and third Friday of each month at 3pm beginning September 19th, 2008. As of right now, these are all of the dates for our first semester meetings:

September 19th, 2008
October 3rd, 2008
October 24th, 2008 (4th Friday)
November 7th, 2008
November 21st, 2008

Furthermore, we have found someone to fill the position of Senator. Here is the contact information for the Executive Board of the 2008-2009 school year:

President
Daryn Lu (Graduate Student)
dlu1@uco.edu; 405.219.1598

Vice-President
Kristian Loveridge (Senior)
kloveridge@gmail.com; 405.503.8741

Treasurer
Malori McRae (Senior)
mmcrae1@uco.edu; 405.923.2180

Secretary
Ramina Golshani (Freshman)
rgolshani@gmail.com; 405.200.9521

Senator
Rachel Evans (Freshman)
revans12@uco.edu; 405.255.2926

In addition, this Wednesday (9/3) there will be a Student Organization Informational held from 5-6:00pm in the UC Heritage Room. It will be great for members to attend especially since this is our first year. They will be giving us plenty of important information on the services available to UCO’s organizations.

We hope to see you all at our first meeting! If you have any questions, suggestions, or comments, please contact us.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Important Announcements

Dear prospective members,

These are certainly exciting times for UCO's pre-dental community! All of the requested materials have been submitted to the Student Organizations. The active status of this organization is currently waiting to pass through UCOSA House and Senate.

In the meantime, UCO PDS is extremely pleased to annouce that Ms. Brenda Brent, UCO's Academic Adviser for Biology-related courses, has agreed to accept the role as the UCO Pre-Dental Society organization adviser. We look forward to working with her throughout the semester to establish the UCO Pre-Dental Society as one of UCO's premiere student organizations.

The following is a message from Jared Lamb concerning the availability of Microbiology Teaching Assistant positions.

Attention Students:

Do you need one or two more upper division biology credit hours? If so,the
Introduction to Microbiology lab sections needs teaching assistant.One class
counts as one 4000 Biology level credit hour.

If interested contact:
Mr. Ralph Jones
Microbiology Lab Coordinator
OR
Jared Lamb
Microbiology Preparatory Lab Manager
974-5115
HOH 256


Other than that, we hope that you are all having a good semester. We look forward to meeting with you and serving you in the best way possible. Please be in touch with many comments or concerns. Be sure to check the web page or join the Facebook for regular updates.

Please take the time to answer the survey available on the web page. It is EXTREMELY important for us to hear from the pre-dental community.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Executive Board update

UCO PDS is proud to announce the Executive Board for the 2008 - 2009 school year:

President: Daryn Lu, graduate student, dlu1@ucok.edu
Vice-President: Kristian Loveridge, senior, kloveridge@gmail.com
Treasurer: Malori McRae, senior, mmcrae1@ucok.edu
Secretary: Ramina Golshani, freshman, rgolshani@gmail.com

We are looking to fill the remaining Executive Board position of Senator ASAP. If you are able to attend the UCOSA Senate meeting at 1pm every Monday, PLEASE contact me soon.

The new Executive Board will meet on this Sunday (8/31) at 2pm at the Edmond Public Library. We will be outlining our short term and long term goals for the semester as well as continuing to build upon the membership roster.

Executive Board meeting
August 31st, 2008
2pm - 5pm
Edmond Public Library
405.219.1598


An email has been sent out containing a survey. Please find it, take the time to fill it out and return it to us in a prompt manner. This organization's primary function is to cater to the needs of UCO's pre-dental community. Without any feedback, this organization can not help anyone achieve their goals. If you have not received this email, reply to this message with your contact information. A copy of the survey can be found on the web page below:

Name:
Classification:

  1. Are you interested in dentistry or dental hygiene?
  2. Have you met with the Pre-Health Adviser?
  3. What is your status with the Dental Admissions Test?
  4. When do you plan to take the DAT?
  5. Have you shadowed any dentists/dental hygienists? How many hours have you accumulated?
  6. Do you have any related volunteer experience? Do you have any volunteer opportunities to suggest?
  7. Have you applied to dental/dental hygiene school? Where? If not, when and where do you plan to apply?
  8. Do you have any requests for guest speakers? Do you have any recommendations?
  9. Would you be interested in mentoring underclassmen?
  10. Do you have questions/comments/concerns?
  11. What would you expect from this organization?
  12. When would you be available for meetings? We would like to include everyone so writing down multiple dates and times would be helpful.

Monday, August 25, 2008

8-25-08 update

A copy of the final draft of the Constitution will be emailed to everyone who has provided me with their contact information either by signing the roster or messaging me through email/Facebook. All the proper paperwork will hopefully be submitted by the end of the week. It is important to get in touch with me by Wednesday (8/27) at the latest if you are interested in being a founding member of this organization.

There has been great interest in many of the available Executive Board positions. For the initial officers, the most important factors will be the level of time commitment and the willingness to see this organization come into fruition.

Important Notes:
  • Dues: $30/year (this fee will include opportunities to attend events hosted by OU ASDA).
  • Meeting dates/times: Wednesday afternoons are looking to be the most favorable date and time.
  • A calendar of events has been posted on the web page. Be sure to check on it for upcoming dates of importance.

As always, please message me if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

2nd Informational

The UCO PDS will host the second informational this upcoming Sunday (8/24). The meeting will start at 4pm at the Edmond Public Library. If you are interested in a position on the Executive Board, it is important that you attend this meeting. We will be discussing dues and the calendar for the semester including possible meeting dates and OU ASDA activities. This is EXTREMELY important. If you are unable to attend, please message me at uco.pds@gmail.com.

At the informational, we will be discussing and outlining the goals for this semester. Bring your ideas, help brainstorm, meet fellow pre-dental students and get involved! I hope to see you all there.

2nd Informational
August 24th, 2008
4pm - 5pm
Edmond Public Library
405.219.1598

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

8-20-08 update

The UCO Pre-Dental Society made its first official appearance on campus at the Student Involvement Fair. The potential member roster/petition is developing at a great pace.

Today, we plastered Howell Hall and the Night University Center with a promo flier advertising this organization.

If you have NOT signed the membership roster nor the PETITION, please contact me ASAP because it is imperative that we collect enough signatures before we officially apply for active status through UCOSA.

There is a potential event this Satuday (8/23) morning at 9am at OU College of Dentistry. This will serve as an opportunity to meet and interact with dental students who are associated with ASDA. I will create an event either tonight or by tomorrow with detailed information. Clear your schedule and make plans to attend. Car pooling might be a good idea! (edit: I was just informed that the event is only open to the President. I apologize for the misinformation.)

In addition, we have recruited the help of a talented graphic design major who has produced the following flier:

Student Involvement Fair

Today is the University of Central Oklahoma's Student Involvement Fair! The Pre-Dental Society will have a table set up to answer questions about the purpose and goals of this potential organization. The Pre- Dental Society table with be present from 10 am until 1 pm near Broncho Lake.

In other news, the first flier has been created and will be posted in the Nigh University Center and around Howell Hall once it is officially approved. A preview of the promo flier can be seen below:

Monday, August 18, 2008

Available Executive Board Positions

1. The President shall:

a. Preside at all general and Executive Board meetings.

b. Oversee the Executive Board and promote communication between the officers in order to maintain good relations among the officers.

c. Be responsible for finalizing appropriate speakers for each meeting in coordination with the Executive Board.

d. Be responsible for discussing the purpose and goals of the organization before the start of each semester with the current Executive Board and the organization adviser.

e. Oversee the actions of the officers and any other officers/committees created under his/her jurisdiction.

f. Update the UCO Pre-Dental Society’s Pre-Dental and Pre-Dental Hygiene informational packets.

g. Regularly update the Community List once during his/her term.

h. Act as chief liaison to other groups and organizations.

i. Conduct the spring officer elections following the procedures outlined in Article IV, Section 2.

j. Maintain contact with OU Dental College’s ASDA.

k. Be responsible of updating the UCO Pre-Dental Society’s Constitution once during his/her term.

2. The Vice-President shall:

a. Aid the President in decision making and other responsibilities.

b. Assume the duties of the President in the event of an absence of disability.

c. Help the President promote the best communication possible between the members of the Executive Board in order to ensure that each officer is fulfilling his/her responsibilities.

d. Coordinate with OU Dental College and arrange trips and speakers.

e. To arrange and reserve the meeting room every semester and to acquire the necessary media equipment.

f. Coordinate and encourage community involvement and campus relations through campus leadership and volunteer opportunities and to arrange the proper speakers.

g. Oversee the actions of the officers and any other officers/committees created under his/her jurisdiction.

3. The Secretary shall:

a. Be responsible for recording minutes of each meeting and sending out weekly updates and reminders of upcoming events/meetings to the membership through email and Facebook.

b. Be responsible for the creation and distribution of advertisements and general announcements of the organization.

c. Be responsible for maintaining and updating the UCO Pre-Dental Society web page.

d. Oversee the creation of t-shirts for the current school year.

e. To coordinate with the Oklahoma City Kaplan center and arrange a mock DAT and speakers per semester.

f. Oversee the actions of the officers and any other officers/committees created under his/her jurisdiction.

4. The Treasurer shall:

a. Be responsible for maintaining the finances of the University of Central Oklahoma Pre-Dental Society and to maintain records of all expenditures and ensure that generally accepted accounting practices and monetary controls are in place.

b. Be responsible for maintaining and updating a current roster of active members.

c. Work in conjunction with the Executive Board to propose the budget for the next calendar school year.

d. Be responsible for budgeting and setting up all finances needed to fund events and activities.

e. Ensure the organization does not assess any liabilities.

f. Oversee fundraisers and events as deemed necessary by the rest of the Executive Board.

g. Oversee the actions of the officers and any other officers/committees created under his/her jurisdiction.

5. The Senator shall:

a. Act as a representative of the organization at all UCOSA Senate meetings.

b. Inform the membership of ongoing campus events.

8-18-08 update

The Executive Board will be determined within the week. Positions and official descriptions will be posted on the web page. Check the group for the site address. If you have any questions or concerns with any of the listings, let me know and they may be adjusted accordingly.

The Student Involvement Fair is this Wednesday (8/20) from 10am to 2pm. Our primary goal is to build a membership roster. This may be done by having a sign up sheet at the Involvement Fair in addition to promoting in Howell Hall.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

8-14-08 update

The constitution has reached its third draft and is closely nearing completion. The constitution is expected to be submitted by Friday to Dr. Anne Ewing, UCO's Health Professions Adviser, who will hopefully agree to act as our organization's adviser. If you would like to be involved in the final draft of the Constitution, it is IMPERATIVE that you contact me through Facebook or the organization's email address (uco.pds@gmail.com).

Executive Board positions shall be decided upon soon. If you would like to know the available positions and their respective descriptions, let me know ASAP. The points of importance of the Constitution will be posted soon.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

8-12-08 update

I will be speaking with Dr. Anne Ewing tomorrow afternoon about the feasibility and the potential of this organization. Our first informational will take place tomorrow evening (8/13) at the Edmond Public Library from 6 pm to 7:30 pm. We will discuss the purpose of the organization, the available offices, the specific duties and the goals of this semester. I do not expect the meeting to last that long. Please make plans to attend if you are interested in a leading role in this organization.

Help is needed with the Organization Fair that will take place on the 20th of August. I would like to claim a booth as well as promote this organization and collect names and contact information of potential members. If you would like to assist in creating fliers and pamphlets, please let me know.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

8-10-08 update

The first unofficial meeting took place today at the Edmond Public Library where potential members worked on editing the constitution and discussed key points of the organization. If you would like to assist in the drafting of the constitution, please contact Daryn Lu at uco.pds@gmail.com.

The next informational meeting will take place on August 13th at 6 pm. The location is TBA.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Steps to Forming a New Student Organization

  1. Discuss the purpose of the new student organization with the Student Organizations Coordinator in the NUC room 150. (COMPLETE)
  2. Schedule and advertise an informational meeting to inform the campus community about your new student organization and meet with potential members. (not required) (COMPLETE)
  3. Complete the Petition for Consideration of Campus Student Organizations. (PENDING)

  4. Create a constitution for your organization. A listing of required wording in the constitution can be found in this packet. The Vice President for Student Affairs must authorize exceptions to this wording. (COMPLETE)

  5. Identify an advisor and have them sign the advisor agreement form. Main advisor must be a full-time faculty or staff member at UCO. (PENDING)

  6. If any affiliation will exist with a department or national organization, obtain a letter from the national organization or academic department requesting approval. In addition, for social Greek letter organizations, a letter from the UCO Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Panhellenic Council and/or the Greek Advisor approving the colonization of a new chapter on campus. (N/A)

  7. Submit all of the following required materials to the UCOSA office. (PENDING)

    a. Petition for Consideration of Student Organizations

    b. An organization constitution

    c. An Advisor Agreement Form, listing at least one full-time faculty or staff member who will be serving as advisor. Additional advisors may be added from on and off campus.

  8. Once all the materials have been submitted, the Student Organizations Coordinator will review the application packet. If all is in order, he or she will approve the application and forward all materials to the UCO Student Association (UCOSA) with a recommendation of recognition of the organization. (PENDING)

  9. Organizations should allow up to a 60-day consideration and facilitation period by UCOSA. Once received, the Senate will propose a bill asking for the organization to be recognized. The bill is first approved through the Senate, followed by the House of Representatives. If there are no issues or questions, the bodies approve the organization for recognition. Once approved, a letter requesting university recognition will be written by UCOSA to the Vice President for Student Affairs. (PENDING)
  10. The Vice President for Student Affairs will give final written administrative approval. (PENDING)

  11. Once everything is approved, the organization must submit the Officer Update Form to UCOSA to initiate active status. (PENDING)

Remember, for an organization to remain active, UCOSA must have current versions of the following on file at all times: 1) Organization constitution, 2) Officer Update form, and 3) Advisor Agreement form. If any of these become out-of-date, the organization can be placed into “inactive status.” In addition, an officer and the faculty/staff advisor of the organization must attend an annual Student Organization Orientation (for updates on policy, etc.).

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Welcome

UCO already offers a pre-med/health professions club and the club's goal includes guiding and informing students who are planning to enter various of fields of health care ranging from medicine and dentistry to physical therapy and speech pathology. The club's format consists of bi-monthly meetings with guest speakers from various organizations and fields along with various volunteer opportunities. People with busy schedules are able to come and go while attending the meetings that only interest them. The current format promotes accessibility for undergraduates who are unsure and still open to the possibility of other health care professions. While I fully support the organization's broad attempt to encompass any and all health-related fields, I strongly feel a narrower scope would be considerably more advantageous and beneficial to students demonstrating a propensity towards dentistry.

I am not without the understanding that a sizable student body would be required to generate a group of dedicated individuals. I still full-heartedly believe that this is accomplishable. Along with several other willing students, I feel that such an organization would be a wonderful addition to UCO's diverse group of organizations. The single purpose pre-dental club that I envision does not intend to duplicate nor encroach on the services that the pre-med/health professions club already offers, but to provide more in-depth programming. In addition, a more cohesive group would be able to promote dental health care awareness among UCO's student body and the neighboring community of Edmond. Guest speakers would include admissions advisers, dental hygiene students, dental students and residents, practicing dentists involving as many specialties as possible and dental hygienists , Kaplan representatives, volunteer opportunities as well as any other individuals willing and able to contribute information and knowledge pertaining to our interests.