UAB School of Dentistry reflects on a decade of Alabama Schweitzer leadership
In 2016, a UAB School of Dentistry student joined Alabama’s inaugural Albert Schweitzer Fellowship cohort. Ten years later, the school has had 19 dental students and residents selected for the program.
The Alabama Schweitzer Fellowship supports graduate students pursuing community-based service projects that address health disparities and barriers to care. Fellows work with community organizations over the course of a year to develop and lead initiatives focused on education, prevention, advocacy, and access to services.
Since joining the program, UAB dental fellows have led projects in schools, clinics, nonprofit organizations, and community settings across Alabama. Their work has addressed topics ranging from oral health education and nutrition to chronic disease prevention and patient advocacy.
While each project speaks to the needs of a specific community, many have shared a common focus on improving access to oral health information and resources for populations that may face barriers to care.
“Programs like the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship help reinforce what we want our students to carry forward into practice,” said Raquel Mazer, D.M.D., associate professor, director of community outreach at the UAB School of Dentistry, and a member of the Alabama Schweitzer Fellowship advisory committee. “These experiences ask students to step outside traditional clinical environments, listen carefully, and work alongside communities. That approach to care becomes part of who they are as professionals.”
Impact areas represented by UAB Schweitzer Fellows
Across 10 years of participation, UAB School of Dentistry’s Albert Schweitzer Fellows have led and supported community based initiatives focused on:
- Oral health education and prevention
- Nutrition education and its connection to systemic health
- Access to care and patient advocacy
- Health literacy for children and families
- Support for at‑risk youth
- Community partnerships with schools, clinics, and nonprofit organizations
Together, these efforts speak to a sustained commitment to service led leadership and patient centered care beyond traditional clinical settings.
The school’s involvement in the fellowship began with participation in Alabama’s first cohort and has continued steadily over the past decade. This year, three additional UAB dental students — Carter Cooper, Dhanvi Kantamneni, and Carson Kim — were selected to join the current Alabama Schweitzer Fellowship cohort, bringing the school’s total participation to 19.
For many fellows, the experience extends beyond the fellowship year itself. Some projects have informed continued outreach efforts or strengthened long-term community partnerships. Others have helped shape how students and residents approach service, communication, and patient care in their professional careers.
At least five UAB fellows — roughly one-quarter of the school’s participants — have gone on to pursue advanced training through postdoctoral programs, while others have taken on leadership and service-focused roles beyond dental school.
As the Alabama Schweitzer Fellowship marks its 10th anniversary, UAB School of Dentistry’s participation spans a decade of students and residents engaging communities through projects grounded in collaboration, education, and service.