For the third year in a row LLUSD has won the $5,000 E. “Bud” Tarrson Dental School Student Community Leadership Award from the ADA Foundation, in recognition for its excellence in providing oral health care services to underserved populations.
Kyle Leis, D3, is assisted at the Compassion Clinic by Azusa Pacific University nursing students.
Kyle Leis, D3, clinic vice president and chair, Section on Community Outreach, ASDA student government, wrote the proposal for this year’s award that will benefit the School’s Compassion Clinic in nearby Redlands, California.
The award was given in support of the outcomes ascribed to the clinic: Compassion Clinic fulfills an unmet need in the community by harnessing the enthusiasm of dental students to provide access to high quality care to vulnerable populations. Service at the clinic cultivates community involvement and a sense of responsibility to its neighbors, reinforcing a commitment among future dentists to meet the needs of those who lack adequate access to care.
The students affirmed the role of mentor Mark Carpenter, DDS’80, in exemplifying a life of compassionate service to humanity, especially to those in need.