CDM Clubs and Student Organizations
Students at CDM have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of clubs and organizations that bring together students with common interests in both professional and leisure activites to create communities that extend beyond dental school.
Academy for Sports Dentistry
Mission Statement: To promote interest in the field of sports dentistry, which is a branch of sports medicine that deals with the prevention and treatment of dental injuries and related oral diseases associated with sport and exercise.
Club Events:
• Sessions with dentists with experience treating sports injuries in practice and for sports teams
• Hands-on events to promote safety in contact sports
Point of Contact: Sam Phillips (uni: snp2140) and Leib Wiener (lyw2103)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Philip Kang
Alpha Omega (AO)
Mission Statement : To offer dentists, oral health professionals and students a welcoming fraternal community that honors the organization’s Judaic heritage, provides opportunities to attain professional excellence and promotes access to oral health care for all. Membership in Columbia's extension of AO dental society will offer a year long commitment focused on attending community outreach events and unique networking opportunities for those interested.
Watch this short video to see a little about us!
Point of Contact: Brianna Margulis (uni: bgm2134)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Louis Jackson
American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD)
Mission Statement: To improve the quality of health care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Club Events/Activities:
- Special Olympics NYC Volunteering- OHI and screenings to athletes
- Lunch & Learns:
- Get to know adults with IDD at the Esperanza Center – WaHi activity center
- Get to know Kids with IDD at the Y Sunday Funday
- Shadowing at NYU’s Clinic for People with Disabilities
- AADMD social events!
- Point of Contact: Sophia Hernandez (sah2259) and Shriya Jain (srj2134)
- Venmo Jason (@jkluong801) $7 to sign up for meals with lunch and learns!
Points of Contact: Sophia Hernandez (uni: sah2259) and Shriya Jain (uni: srj2134)
Faculty mentors: Dr. Marc Michalowicz and Dr. Steve Chussid
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) CDM Chapter
Mission Statement: To promote a better understanding and appreciation of dentistry for children among students at CDM. Its ultimate objective is to foster a relationship between the dental students and the pediatric community.
Club Events/Activities:
• Lunch and Learns
• Scrubs Fundraising Event
• El Nido Outreach
• OHI Events
• Access to externship and pediatric residency information
• Shadowing opportunities at Haven!
Contact: Caroline Hegemann (uni: cfh2128)
Faculty mentor Dr. Steven Chussid
American Dental Education Association (ADEA)
Mission Statement: The mission of ADEA is to lead institutions and individuals in the dental education community to address contemporary issues influencing dental education, research, and delivery of oral health care for the overall health and safety of the public.
Past Club Events/Activities:
For future academics
• Lunch and Learns with diverse faculty, panel with past and current Dual-Degree Students
• Academics as Dental Leaders Presentations: Advocacy, Community Health Dentistry, etc.
For future clinicians
• Presentations and Workshops on Patient Communication (e.g. OHI)
• Bilingual Activity Book Outreach Initiative, Reading Stories to Children, Community Outreach Events, developing patient education material for CDM clinic, Give Kids A Smile day with AAPD etc.
• D4 Wisdom Panel with tips and tricks for getting through dental school!
Point of Contact: Hyerin Yoon (uni:hy2692)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Roseanna Graham
ADEA IG: @CDM.ADEA
American Student Dental Association (ASDA CDM Chapter)
Mission Statement: The American Student Dental Association is a national student-run organization that protects and advances the rights, interests and welfare of dental students.
Fifty years ago dental students first came together to organize what is now known as the American Student Dental Association. Today ASDA connects students on local and national levels and gives them the training they need to be better leaders and professionals. There are a wide range of ways to get incolved: Columbia University College of Dental Medicine chapter has 14 committees.
Past Club Events/Activities:
• Fever Week
•Kayaking
...and more!
You’re already a member!
Point of Contact: Kristen Woo (uni: khw2121)
Academy of General Dentistry (AGD)
Mission Statement: The mission of the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) Student Chapters is to work with AGD constituents to provide dental students with an introduction to organized dentistry, the Fellowship program, and to assist them with transitioning into dental practice with the intent of lifelong learning through affiliation with their local AGD constituent. AGD Student Chapters are educationally-based constituent activities designed to recruit and retain dental students, bring them together with their local AGD constituent, and provide them with an early start toward fellowship.
Club Events/Activities:
• Young Dentist Panel: Tips After Dental School
• NYU AGD Student Chapter Mixer
• D4 AEGD/GPR Residency Panel
• Guest Lectures on GP Business Management
• Lunch & Learns with Various General Dentists
• Panel with our CDM restorative faculty
Points of Contact: Adam Mucci (uni:am5459)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Thomas Boyle
CDM Aesthetics Club
Mission Statement: Our events strive to convey the latest advances in cosmetic dentistry with a strong focus on ethics and responsibility to the patient. Issues surrounding aesthetic dentistry appear in virtually all dental specialties and for this reason, we cater to the interests of students considering any branch of dentistry.
Upcoming Club Events we are planning:
- Hands on Veneer Prep Workshop
- Hands on Provisional Workshop
- Dental Photography Workshop
- Lunch n Learns
- From residency to cosmetic dentistry on 5 ave
- Facial Reconstruction Aesthetics
Past Events:
- Learn about Cosmetic Dentistry Residency
- Hands on Veneers Workshop
- Facial aesthetics: changing lives
Point of contact: Madina Malik (uni: mm5899) and Drew Bott (uni: ajb2326)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Ezzard Rolle
CDM High Speeds
Mission Statement: Provides a place to de-stress, be active, and socialize with classmates to create a more cohesive running environment at CDM.
Events include:
• Weekly runs (optional) - sometimes will end with a treat!
• Running buddies
• Charity runs with pasta nights before (& walks!)
• Fundraising events to raise money for team
Points of Contacts: Meredith Rogers (uni: mr4039)
Natalia Pardo-Lombo (uni: np2571)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Susan Park
CDM Physical Wellness
Mission Statement: Our organization’s hope is to create countless opportunities for future clinicians to get involved in physical fitness activities that can promote beneficial physical health habits and knowledge that can be utilized in our future careers!
Past events have included:
• Speakers on ergonomics in dentistry!
• Student-led fitness classes
• Hiking trips
• Sports Tournaments
...And so much more!!!
Points of contact: Cameron Callahan (uni: crc2209)
Misha Levit (uni: mml2239)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Ezzard Rolle
CDyuM
Mission Statement: CDyuM aims to bring together those who love to cook, as well as those who love to eat! Whether you have mastered Julia Child’s coq au vin, or are just learning how to cook an egg, we welcome you - and your dietary restrictions - to discover and help others create healthy and delicious foods. We are an in inclusive club seeking to give dental students a mental health break from their stressful academics in a fun and meaningful way.
Past Events Include:
• Schnitz and giggles with Drs. Bernd and Erde
• Earth Day dirt cups
• Lasagna Baking & Cocktail Making
• Look forward to more events like these and weekly newsletters!
Point of contact: Ari Rosen (uni: ar4134)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Julia Tepper
CADA (Chinese American Dental Association)
Mission statement: Uniting Chinese-interested dental students at Columbia University to share and celebrate Chinese culture.
Events:
- Welcome dinner
- CADA mentorship dinner
- Queens Night Market
- Chinatown dessert tour
- Lunar new year dinner
- CADA gala
Point of Contact: Jonathan Wong (Uni: jkw2157)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Yiping Han
Columbia Christian Fellowship
- CCF exists to be a place where people can connect with God, build meaningful community, and love others.
- We do that through Bible studies, socials, and weekend retreats. We also bring in medical professionals each semester who share with us how they have learned how to integrate their faith and work.
- A great way to meet students from other schools
- We meet every week at 7pm in VEC 1302!
- CCF is expanding! CCF International is a new, multilingual community that serves all who wish to experience God’s word in multiple languages. We meet every Friday at 4pm in Hess Commons, ARB!
Points of contact: Kristin Woo (uni: khw2121) and Amy Cheung (uni:aoc9)
Dental Anesthesia Club
Mission: The goal of the Dental Anesthesiology Club (DAC) is to allow our students to explore the opportunities within this new specialty and provide guidance to students to help them succeed in applying to residency programs.
Events Include:
- Panels with current dental anesthesiologists
- Application advice and program information from current residents
- IV Cannulation Lab
Point of Contact: Alice Zhang (uni: alz2133)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Woo
Deseret Dental Society
Mission Statement: To bolster your application to residencies through participation in meaningful experiences in education, community service and fellowship.
Activities:
• Learning opportunities with Gordon J. Christensen, one of the top CE course directors in the country
• Network of practicing professionals and humanitarian organizations who provide multiple international service opportunities every year
• Free pizza night + great networking opportunities with fellow CDM students
Click here to join.
Point of Contact: Sam Cox (uni: soc2110)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Joseph McManus
Endodontics Club
Mission Statement: The Endo Club strives to enrich students’ knowledge in the field of endodontics, to support their interest by providing appropriate resources, and to improve their clinical skills for endodontic treatments.
Club Events/Activities:
- Dr. Solomon & Endo residents panel
- Applications Q&A panel with accepted D4s
- Women in endodontics panel
- Rotary training workshops on special endo typodont teeth
- Seminar with practicing endodontist Dr. Stephanie Tran
Other opportunities include mentorship with upperclassmen, shadowing, assisting PG residents, AAE meeting trip to Seattle
Point of Contact: Matthew Tiberino (uni: mjt2209)
Faculty mentors: Dr. Mona Boside and Dr. Priscilla Konecky
Forensic Dentistry Club at CDM
Mission Statement: The purpose of this club is to promote interest in forensic odontology as a dental specialty, and to provide its members with educational opportunities and additional resources to support those interests.
Points of contact: Alex Krause (uni: ank2171) and Kee Randolph (uni: kar2242)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Amy Herbert
Global Surgery Student Alliance (GSSA)
Mission Statement: Our goal is to bring students together for opportunities to network, raise awareness around global surgery through guest lectures by surgeons, promote international research, & create volunteer work abroad. GSSA in the dental realm represents not only Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery but also all of dentistry, particularly in under-resourced areas (i.e. rural communities in the US and globally).
Current opportuinties include:
Cleft Surgery Research
Those accepted into the research opportunity will be co-authors at publication.
Please note that preference will be given to GSSA members participating in the International Collaboration Exchange Program (ICEP)(link is external and opens in a new window)!
Future Events:
• Lunch-and-Learns on Global Dentistry
• Hands-on Workshops for Emergency Dentistry
• Potential Dental Service Trips Abroad and in the Tri-State Area
… and more!
Point of Contact: Genesis (Ga Young) Seo (uni:gs3199)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Jacob Palma
CDM GSSA IG: @CDM.GSSA
Hispanic Student Dental Association (HSDA)
Mission Statement: Through Service, Education, Advocacy, and Leadership, we aim to create a unified voice for oral health students and faculty and to promote and advance the oral health issues of the Hispanic community.
Past Club Events/Activities:
• Medical/Dental Spanish courses
• Inter-campus and inter-school mixers
• Community Service Events
HDA benefits:
• Eligible to apply for national HDA scholarships
• Eligible to attend national HDA conferences
• Participate in national competitions
• Run for national positions
Point of Contact: Martin Marquez (uni: mrm2284)
Faculty mentors: Daniel Lopez, RDH and Dr. George Jenkins
iDENTity Chapter at CDM
Mission Statement: iDENTity is an organization dedicated to promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity of the LGBTQ+ community in dentistry.
Events include: Stonewall/Christopher Street field trip
LGBTQ+ in Dentistry guest speaker panel
Outreach/volunteer activities
Pride Month fundraiser
Much more!
Points of contact: John Ge (uni: jg4377)
Matthew Tiberino (uni: mjt2209)
Faculty mentors: Dr. Jesse Barrett
Dr. Ezzard Rolle
Korean American Dental Student Association (KADSA)
Mission Statement: KADSA (Korean American Dental Student Association) provides opportunities for student networking to further enhance your learning experience at Columbia.
Club Events/Activities:
● Annual Welcome Party in K-Town
● Columbia grad school mixer
● Networking with other dental schools
Point of Contact: Lisa Ha (uni: ljh2177)
Faculty mentors: Dr. Sahng Kim
Dr. Philip Kang
Membership cost: $25
Laser Club
Mission Statement: The Laser Club aims to educate students about the impact of lasers in dentistry and how they are being integrated into each specialty. This is one of the only times in our pre-doctoral experience where we are given the opportunity to practice using the lasers and become familiar with how the systems operate.
● Lunch & Learns
● Collaboration with Aesthetics Club
Club Events/Activities:
● Guest Lectures with Q&A Session
● Information Sessions
● LASER TAG!
Point of contact: Kiara Infante (uni: kds2171)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Philip Kang
Membership Fee: $10
Mandel Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Club (OMFS)
Mission Statement: Mandel aims to be a resource for students interested in OMFS & help students access information about the residency process. We aim to give students learning opportunities about the broad scope of OMFS, preparing them for a successful career in oral & maxillofacial surgery.
Club Events and Meetings
● How to Study for the CBSE
● Maximizing Externships
● What you should know about PASS/MATCH
● Deciding Between 4 vs 6 year OMFS Programs
● Creating an Effective Personal Statement
● Suturing Workshop
● Private Practice vs Academics
● Resident Meet & Greet
● Guest Lecturers - featuring program directors, department
Point of contact: Shukran Babkir (uni: smb2342)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Sidney Eisig
Membership Fee: $15
Michael Yuan Orthodontic Society
Mission Statement: The Michael Yuan Orthodontics Society’s mission is to provide fellow CDM students with insight and a firsthand look into the Orthodontics field and the application process for residencies.
Club Events/Activities:
● Resident Wine & Cheese Night
● Lunch & Learns with successful orthodontists
● Applying to Residency 101
● Relationships between orthodontics and other specialties
Points of Contact: Julian Mis (Uni:jam2493) and Gajin Lee (uni:gl2740)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Christina O'Hea
Membership Fee: $10
The Michael Yuan Student-Run Free Clinic (CHHMP Dental)
Mission Statement: The Michael Yuan Student Run Free Clinic (MYSRFC) is a community outreach program created and operated by student volunteers from the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. The clinic serves as an initial point-of- care clinic for the uninsured, low-income population of the West Harlem neighborhood in New York City.
Services Provided:
● Extraoral exams and oral cancer screenings
● Intraoral exams (including dental exams)
● Referrals to appropriate dental clinics and advisement on
Medicaid/Medicare guidelines towards dental coverage
● Oral hygiene instruction and provision of toothbrushes,
toothpaste, and dental floss
● Emergency interventions when appropriate (fluoride varnish,
extraction)
Points of contact: Jason Lee (uni: jcl2238)
Atman Soni (uni: aps2219)
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Holly Shaw
Dr. Susan Park
Dr. Ezzard Rolle
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Journal Club (OMSJC)
Club Structure
● Members are placed into small groups with a range of class levels.
● Small groups will meet regularly to discuss journal articles related to oral surgery.
● Engage with and learn about oral surgery!
Point of contact: Abrar Shamim (as6107)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Sidney Eisig
Membership Fee: $10
Oral-Systemic Journal Club
Mission: OSJC will keep members abreast of the latest advancements in research, fostering a culture of continuous learning and evidence based practice.
Students will take turns presenting research articles, clinical studies, and literature reviews that explore the intricate relationships between oral and systemic health, for examples, how jaw morphology impacts respiration/sleep; how the oral microbiome impacts risk of Type II diabetes; how estrogen signaling impacts TMJ disease, etc. The Oral-Systemic Journal Club may expand to include presentations from providers or professionals who focus on this intersection between dentistry and total-body care.
Point of contact: Gabriella Trama (uni:gpt2109)
Faculty mentors: Dr. Yiping W. Han
Dr. Michael Gelb (CDM Alumnus)
The Perio Club
Mission Statement: The Periodontics Club aims to increase awareness of periodontics as a specialty, provide members with opportunities to gain hands-on experience in the field, and assist students in the application process.
Student Business Organization
● Lunch and Learns with business-oriented dentists
● CV/LinkedIn workshop
● Leadership and Practice management workshop
Point of contact: Anthony Sulvettaa (ajs2423)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Joseph McManus
Student National Dental Association (SNDA)
Mission Statement: SNDA is a national organization that strives to promote both inclusivity and excellence by teaching its members the importance of both community outreach and professional development.
Club Events/Activities:
● Impressions Day
● Lessons in a Lunchbox
● Oral Cancer 5K
● Community Services Events
● Clinic Mentorship Events
● SNDA Benefits:
○ Eligible to apply for national SNDA scholarships
○ Eligible to attend national SNDA conference
○ Participate in national research competitions
○ Run for national e-board positions!
Point of Contact: Mofaramoluwa (Fara) Omilabu (uni: mno2109)
Faculty mentors: Dr. Adele Washington and Dr. Ezzard Rolle
Membership Fees
New Members - $20
Returning Members - $25
Students Professionalism & Ethics Association in Dentistry (SPEA)
Mission Statement: The Student Professionalism and Ethics Association in Dentistry is a national, student-driven association that was established to promote and support student’s lifelong commitment to ethical behavior in order to benefit the patients they serve and to further the dental profession.
Club Events/Activities:
● Ethics in the COVID-era (October)
● SPEA Annual Session (October
● Safe Zone (October/January)
● Mock Case Review (November)
● Yankee Dental Conference (January)
● Ethics Debate (February)
● Leadership/Mindfulness Retreat (April/May)
Points of Contact: Tamara Kahn-Hoffman (uni: trk2126)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Julie Connolly
Sustainability Committee
Points of Contact: Sahar Oliaei (uni: sao2149) and Kiara Infante (uni: kds2171)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bianna Roykh
Tau Sigma TriService Military Club
Mission Statement: For military-sponsored dental students, Tau Sigma serves as a source of information for its members, to prepare them for their active duty commitment. In addition, the club supports the charitable cause of helping homeless veterans.
Point of Contact: Michael Levit (uni: mml2239) [Air Force]
Faculty mentor: Dr. Joseph McManus
William Jarvie Research Society
Mission Statement: The William Jarvie Research Society (WJRS) is the Columbia chapter of the American Association of Dental Research National Student Research Group (NSRG), a student-run organization whose main purpose is to foster an environment in every dental school whereby students interested in enriching their dental education through research are encouraged to do so.
● How to Find a Research Fellowship & Mentor
● CV Workshop
● Jarvie Journal and Newsletters
● How to Write a Poster/Abstract
● Birnberg Research Symposium
● AADOCR Advocacy Day & General Session
● How to apply for fellowships/research funding
...and more!
Points of Contact: Maya Jeremias (uni: maj2190) and Brianna Margulis (uni:bgm2134)
Faculty mentor: Dr. Chang H Lee
Membership Fees:
New Members - $15
Returning Members - $10
Women in Dentistry at Columbia University
Mission Statement: Women in Dentistry is meant to educate all students on the current struggles that women in dentistry face regarding budgeting, employment, and salaries. We are an all-inclusive community that supports and encourages one another to become better dental professionals.
Previous Club Events:
● Lunch/Dinner & Learns
○ Dr. Debra Cohn, DDS - Dentistry Beyond Dental School,
○ Dr. Jaclyn Tomsic, MD, DMD, FACS - Becoming an Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon
● Collaboration with other Women in Dentistry Events in NYC (networking, lectures, social meetings)
● Big/Little pairings & Social Hours
● OHI Outreach to Women-focused organizations
Point of Contact: Kiara Sardinha (uni: kds2171)
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Allison Newgard
ZIPS (Xi Psi Phi Fraternity - Alpha Tau Chapter)
Mission Statement: Xi Psi Phi Fraternity was organized for the purposes of providing a better, more substantial foundation upon which to build a successful professional life; of creating a desire for a cleaner, healthier, and more whole wholesome atmosphere in which to live; of developing an appreciation of the qualities of friendship and hospitality; and of stimulating a desire to include these qualities in the character of its members.
Who are we and what do we provide?
● 2nd oldest dental fraternity in the country
● All students are invited to join!
● $10 for D1’s to enjoy dinners, social events, Lunch & Learns, and outings
● Great way to network with upperclassmen and alumni
● Shadowing opportunities
Point of Contact: John Ge (uni:jg4377)
Faculty Mentors: Dr. Lewis Chen
Membership Fee: $10