In her pediatric clinic rotations at Temple Dental, Dr. Alexis Hyacinthe faced the well-known challenges: crying, fearful, and resistant children; limited patient communication; even sensory overload. Those scenarios might discourage many dental students who are debating whether to pursue pediatric or cosmetic dentistry. But for Hyacinthe, “It kind of solidified for me that if I can deal with these situations, then this would be my calling.”
And today Hyacinthe is pleased where her focus on children has taken her. In her first year with Kids Dental Brands in North Carolina, she is benefitting from mentoring and a recent trip to Arizona for additional training with materials the practice uses. Although admitting to “normal nervous jitters” the first week there, she’s grateful for her experiences at Temple Dental. “I quickly acclimated, feeling confident about going straight out to work.”
Cofounding Philly Student Doctors
Hyacinthe still stays in close touch with many from her time at Temple Dental. One way she maintains a connection is through Philly Student Doctors, which she cofounded in 2022 with six other Temple Dental and Drexel medical students. She now sits on the organization’s board for biweekly meetings, working to strengthen outreach, scholarship, and excellence among Black health professional students. “Black students are a small percentage in a class,” she points out, “and we wanted to establish a community of support.”
Through successful galas, the group has raised enough funds to help Temple Dental students such as Dr. Kevin Artis. Offered an opportunity to interview with UCLA, his first choice for an oral maxillofacial residency, Artis faced one obstacle. He needed airfare. Typically, finances are low for a fourth-year dental student, explains Hyacinthe. “So our scholarship program helped him get to the interview.” It went well, he was accepted, and Hyacinthe says, “I hear from friends he’s doing absolutely amazing in the program.”
Exploring what her future might look like, Hyacinthe emphasizes, “As long I’m making an impact in my community, that’s most important to me.” In North Carolina, that has meant engaging with Charlotte Medical, Dental & Pharmaceutical Association, a post-doctoral version of Philly Student Doctors. It has also meant joining Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and taking out a 13-year-old Little Sister at least twice a month. “I’m involved with the community anywhere that I can be,” she says.