Welcome back, HSDA members and thanks for signing up again! If you did not get a chance to sign up, membership applications will still be available at this week’s language meeting.

The room is TBD so wait for an email but it will take place this Thursday, October 8th. There will be a lot of HSDA announcements at this language class so show up even if you’re not interested in the Spanish language instruction. There’s free lunch, too!

From our Treasurer, Sylvia Cuellar:

Arlington High School
St. Paul, MN

A group of five D1s went to Arlington High School in St. Paul to speak to students in science classes. They spoke about careers in dentistry, general oral hygiene tips, offered some tips about getting into dental school,and of course gave about toothbrushes/toothpaste. The teacher emailed me after and was SO pleased with them and thought the students had really been impacted by them

Arlington High School was established in 1996 to support a small learning community within a large high school—”a science, math, and technology magnet focus” that they call BioSMART. “Students are introduced to the bio industries, one of the largest growth areas in Minnesota, and core coursework emphasizing either medical & health sciences, business & marketing or engineering technology.”

Cinco de Mayo Festival
St. Paul, MN

We gave away tons of toothbrushes and toothpaste to older adults, teens, and kids all of ages. It was a lot of fun! A lot people had questions about where to go to find a dentist, where to find a dentist who spoke Spanish, and many people were surprised to learn that babies need to have their teeth brushed! We also had a lot of interest from mothers with babies and we gave them pamphlets about how to care for teeth of their kids.

El Centro
Wed. June 10th

4 volunteers needed to hand out pamphlets, hygiene supplies, and give oral hygiene instructions. All levels of Spanish-speaking ability welcome but preferably proficient enough to speak with non-English speaking Spanish-speakers.

In previous years, our school’s involvement at this event was usually limited to 3 senior students who would perform dental procedures that day as part of their outreach rotation. This year, however, the HSDA as a group has been invited to attend as a separate entity to represent the school.

Academia Cesar Chavez
Date/time TBA

5-8 volunteers needed to give an oral hygiene presentation to kindergarteners, play games, and answer questions. All levels of Spanish-speaking ability welcome. A kindergarden teacher contacted us asking if we could present to her class on oral hygiene. She would like to have us come sometime this summer but has yet to specify a date.

If either of these opportunities sounds interesting and fun, contact Chris Metcalf (metc0051) before June 5th.

Highlights of today’s wrap-up meeting:  lunch catered by Salsa A La Salsa (chicken and beef fajitas with beans and rice and sheet cake!) and Chris Metcalf’s translation of Suavemente. 

If you missed the meeting and have any ideas, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to email Chris Metcalf (metc0051), Christie Berkseth (berk0086), or Jeni Iburg (ibur0004).

This Saturday, May 2nd, the City of St. Paul will be hosting its annual Cinco de Mayo festival. The HSDA will be out there with a table promoting oral health by passing out toothbrushes, pamphlets, and answering questions. We could use a few good volunteers, either from 9 am – 1 pm or 1-5 pm. Again, please contact Chris, Christie, or Jeni.

Lunchtime meeting at Moos 2-530 tomorrow! Learn about what we’ve accomplished this year and what we have planned for next year.  This is a time for you to discuss, suggest, and become more involved.  Delicious lunch will be provided.

Congratulations to our faculty advisor, Dr. Mike Madden!

He won the Tony Diggs Excellence Award for being an Outstanding Graduate Student Group Adviser of the Year. This award is co-sponsored by the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA).  It recognizes “one outstanding advisor of a graduate or professional student group who has gone above and beyond to help their group accomplish its mission and goals.”

The HSDA nominated Dr. Madden because we  felt that he has been an outstanding faculty adviser. He sat in on many of the early organizing meetings last year when UMN students were working to establish a student chapter and offered valuable guidance. When the HSDA tried to increase its membership this year, he really got involved and offered his beard as an incentive. Membership goals were met and Dr. Madden graciously allowed students to shave off his best friend.

When a teacher cares about students, it shows. Thanks Dr. Madden for being there and spending time with us.

Students at the UMN School of Dentistry are so lucky to be located in the Twin Cities because of its rich and varied cultural offerings. Here is a list of things happening this month that involve Spanish-speaking cultures:

27th Annual Minneapolis St. Paul Film Festival
April 16-30
various venues throughout Twin Cities

Have the best staycation ever this year. Loads of films from all around the world and local filmmakers. This year’s Spanish-language films include:

• Horn of Plenty (Spain)
• I’m Gonna Explode (Mexico)
• Lion’s Den (Argentina)
• Los Bastardos (Mexico)
• My Time Will Come (Ecuador)
• Pachamama (Bolivia)
• Possible Lives (Argentina)
• Rudo Y Cursi (Mexico)
• The Window (Argentina/Spain)
• The Infinite Border (Mexico)
• Shakespeare and Victor Hugo’s Intimacies (Mexico)

Visit the website for movie summaries, times, and dates. Good news, student tickets are $8 (normally $10)!

Sandra Cisneros
live appearance sponsored by MPR/Talking Volumes
April 21, 7:00 pm
Washburn H.S., Minneapolis

You remember “The House on Mango Street.” You read it either in high school or college, right? Could it really be the 25th anniversary of that novella? Come hear Sandra Cisneros speak at Washburn High School. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the MPR website.

Desaparecidos: Mothers of the Disappeared
photographs by Sylvia Horwitz
March 12-April 23 at the Tychman Shapiro Gallery in Minneapolis

The exhibit is a photographic tribute to the Desaparecidos, those who “disappeared” during the military regime of Argentina’s Dirty War (1976–1983). The work of Minnesota-based photographer Sylvia Horwitz chronicles the stories of Jewish women within an organized group of mothers and grandmothers still actively protesting after 30 years. 

For more directions and more information, check the website. There is also a special closing night reception on April 23rd that includes an artist talk, tango lessons, food, and wine!

For many years, Minneapolis was actually a sleepy city.  This was before the Graves Hotel, W, condos, Seven, Solera, and 112 Eatery.  One of the few places where you could go for a bite to eat after a hard night on the town (other than Perkins) was Little Tijuana…or Little T’s, as fans affectionately call it.

Located off Eat Street (Nicollet Ave), Little Tijuana is the location of this month’s Spanish Table!  That’s right.  This Friday, April 3rd at 6:30 pm.  Amy Vibeto will be running the table so look for her happy face or e-mail her for more information vibet002(at)umn.edu.

From the HDA website:

HDA and Colgate Partner for Oral Health Month

Colgate-Palmolive and the Hispanic Dental Association officially declared April El Mes de la Salud Bucal: Un Mundo de Sonrisas Saludables (Oral Health Month: A World of Healthy Smiles®) as part of an ongoing commitment to quality oral care among the Hispanic community. 

Colgate-Palmolive and the HDA will use this program to promote oral health fundamentals among Hispanics. The official kick off will take place in Miami, Florida on April 2nd and three other sites will have events during the month of April – Houston, Texas, Los Angeles, California, and multiple sites in New Jersey. 

HDA Student Chapters taking part in this program are Nova Southeastern University – College of Dental Medicine, University of Texas – Houston Dental Branch, University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, and University of California, Los Angeles and University of Southern California. 

General oral health screenings and patient education will be offered at each of these events. 

A big THANK YOU goes out to our founding corporate sponsor, COLGATE-PALMOLIVE!

Free money!  Want to offset some of that six-figure debt load?  Here are a couple scholarships especially for student members of HDA.  If you are a D4 who has been accepted into a master’s program (like a specialty program) or if you know an incoming dental or hygiene student, it might be worth checking these two scholarships out.  For more information and applications, visit the HDA website.

Colgate-Palmolive  |  HDA Foundation Scholarship
For graduates for dental hygiene or dentistry who intend to pursue master’s programs in a dental-related field, scholarships up to $10,000.  Deadline is May 29.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and a current student member of the HDA.

Proctor & Gamble  |  HDA Foundation Scholarship
For incoming first-year students of dentistry, dental hygiene, dental assisting, or dental technician, scholarships of $1,000.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and a current student member of the HDA. Deadline is May 29.  Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and a current student member of the HDA.