SHPEP students learning how to drill and fill teeth in the PCD lab.Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP)
A free six-week summer enrichment program, SHPEP is focused on improving access to information and resources for college students from communities underrepresented in the health professions, including but not limited to, individuals who identify as African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Hispanic/Latino. These individuals are typically from socioeconomically and educationally disadvantaged communities. SHPEP offers students a number of academic and career experiences, including an introduction to inter-professional education that addresses effective collaboration across health professions. At UAB, SHPEP is a partnership between the School of Medicine (SOM), School of Dentistry (SOD), School of Optometry (SOO), and School of Health Professions (SHP), home to the Physician Assistant program. Visit the Summer Health Professions Education Program at UAB site for information about SHPEP at UAB and learn more about the School of Dentistry's program.
SHPEP is a national program funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation with direction and technical assistance provided by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA).
Impressions Program
Hosted annually in February by the school’s national award winning Student National Dental Association (SNDA). The program exposes underrepresented minority pre-dental college students to a career in dentistry through activities and interactions (lectures, PCD, DAT prep, seminars) that assist attendees in becoming stronger dental school applicants. For more information, visit UABSNDA on Facebook or email
Dental Immersion Day
Held in cooperation with the Alabama State Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA). UAB’s Hispanic Dental Association (HSDA) hosts a Dental Immersion Day one Saturday each April. The program brings 25 high school students of Hispanic/Latino origin to UAB for an immersive program in dentistry. Students participate in lectures and pre-clinical dentistry activities while a concurrent program is held for parents to become familiar with college presentation and financial aid. For more information, visit UABHDA on Facebook or email
Master of Science in Biomedical and Health Sciences
Students interested in dental school can interact with and learn from faculty who teach in various professional programs, including UAB’s medical school, dental school, and Physician Assistant Studies program through the Master of Science in Biomedical and Health Sciences (MSBHS) Program. Under the UAB School of Health Professions, MSBHS is an 11-month program designed to provide coursework and experiences that can help you make the transition from undergraduate to medical, dental, optometry, physician assistant, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other health science professional programs.
The MSBHS program is ideal for students:
- working to improve their academic (GPA, standardized test score) and/or professional records immediately after undergraduate school to improve their applications to professional schools.
- transitioning to other careers requiring coursework in the biomedical and health sciences before applying to professional schools.
- interested in taking coursework in the biomedical and health sciences modeled after a medical school curriculum (first two years) in preparation for similar studies.