JAM Dental Podcast

Happy February! It's been a while since we've had an episode with just the members of JAM! At this point, we have cleared the infamous 'year of pain' that is comprised of spring of D1 and fall of D2 year, when the didactic portion of dental school rained down heavily upon us. In that time, we experienced many 'firsts'. First local anesthetic injections on each other. First prophy appointment. First time using a handpiece on real teeth and applying sealants. First shot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. And for Jake... his first kiss. Whew! What a time! We're just jesting on that last point... or are we? Listen to find out... We also share some of our own shifts in mindset towards dental school - new goals, so to speak. Four years is a long time, and interests and priorities are bound to shift. Perhaps it will be fun to listen to these thoughts even later this year to see what else has changed.Tell us about some of your 'firsts' from dental school! We'd love to hear about them.In any case, we hope you enjoy this episode. Cheers!

Welcome to the final JAM session of 2020! Today we're talking with Brooke Frazier, a current D1 at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry! Brooke graduated from University of Urbana-Champaign with B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB), where she met Morgan. On this episode she shares with us some of the different challenges she's faced with the first semester of a tough dental school curriculum, as well as her experiences with beginning a chapter in higher education that has been predominantly virtual. We also discuss the ways that students can get involved on campus, interview/application tips, and the joys of having or being an older sibling. Now that most of you are likely on a winter break, we hope you can cozy up next to a fire with some hot chocolate for some rest and recovery. And perhaps instead of binging The Queen's Gambit, you can enjoy all 15 JAM sessions at once. In any case, we three (Jake, Alex, and Morgan) wish you all a Happy Holidays!

Welcome back to another episode of the JAM Dental Podcast! Today we're talking with Dr. Donte Nesbitt, currently an Orthodontic Resident at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a member of UIowa College of Dentistry's recently graduated Class of 2020! In his time at Iowa, Donte was highly involved in student organizations. During our first year, not only was he the President of his class, but also of IASDA (Iowa American Student Dental Association), the overarching UIowa dental school student government. if you had any doubts about leadership and getting involved in dental school, let this episode convince you otherwise! Much of Donte's leadership efforts were in advocating for his fellow students and aiming to improve student experiences by making sure the school heard their voices. He also shares with us why he believes greater diversity in dental school is important. And of course, you best believe someone as much of a go-getter as Donte will be involved wherever he goes; he's now happily serving as the Assistant Chief Resident at his program.Well, there you have it. Kick back, grab some of that Halloween candy, and enjoy!

Hey JAMmers, what do you think is one of the best ways to reinforce all the new knowledge you learned in dental school and to pay it forward? By being a tutor and mentor! On today's episode, we're happy to welcome Kha Ai Hua​, a current third year at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and a kickass tutor. We three first got to know Kha Ai last year during our first year where she was an immense help with our simulation clinic exercises. Within this episode, we finally learn the answer to an age-old question: How did Kha Ai manage her studies while also helping countless hours helping D1's with operative and pros?We also share new studying strategies. Now that we're deep in our second year and Kha Ai in her third, we've found the need to modify our approach to studying with the increased volume of content. As a final note, though he was not a tutor at the time of recording, we're happy to say that Jake did manage to connect with a tutee and is happily sharing his wealth of knowledge.For next month's interview, we'll be talking with Donte Nesbitt​, a recent graduate from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and a first year Orthodontic Resident at the University of Nebraska Medical Center! Feel free to message us here or email us at jamdentalcast@gmail.com if you have any questions you'd like us to ask him.Cheers, and enjoy!

It's been far too long, JAMmers! Welcome to Season 2, where the morning air is nippier and school is back in full swing. As always, we're excited to bring you our next interview, this time with fellow Hawkeye, Kobi Voshell! It is safe to say that Kobi, a current third year dental student, has one of the more unique backgrounds among dental students anywhere. A nontraditional student as well as a father of two, he has faced (and continues to face) challenges most of us have not yet encountered: re-acclamation to rigorous schooling after a long time away from it, and finding a way to excel as a father and a student simultaneously. From Kobi himself, "Maybe somebody out there in the interwebs is listening to this, bouncing a baby on their knee and thinking 'I want to go to Dental School, I want to try it.' I'm out here to let you know that you can do it, you can try it, you can get in."

Welcome back JAMmers! Today we have the pleasure of talking to Dean Michael Kanellis. Dean Kanellis graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1979 before pursuing further education in Pediatric Dentistry and public health. Throughout his life he has been very conscious about constantly reevaluating what is the best fit for him, as well as the activities he is passionate about. He was presented with a variety of challenges, and by being flexible and true to himself, he found his best fit.He is a man of many talents - multi-instrumentalist, singer, performer - and if you see him approaching you in the hallway, you can guarantee that he'll have a great story to tell. Well, as you'd expect, on this episode, Dean Kanellis shares fun tales of his time as a student as well as what he does with his current responsibilities. Due to the start of the Fall semester, going forward, we will only be releasing one episode on the first Sunday of each month. We thank everyone for tuning in this past summer, and we're excited to continue bringing new content to you all!

Dr. Darren Hoffmann, one of the course directors for the daunting Gross Anatomy & Histology course, is in the house today! In this episode Dr. Hoffmann shares with us his teaching philosophy, advice for students on how to tackle his challenging course, tidbits on his professional journey, and of course, the ins and outs of being a cat parent. This is our longest episode to date, and not a single second of it is wasted. Dr. Hoffmann also did a short interview with the University of Iowa College of Dentistry on how the faculty care for their students. A link can be found below:https://youtu.be/AjgMg5EqnfM 

On today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Rachael Kowbel, the Director of Dental Student Admissions at University of Iowa College of Dentistry! All three of us can confidently say that our interactions with her throughout the application process were key determinants in our ultimate decision to attend Iowa. Rachael shares nuggets of wisdom on personal statements, ways to improve interviewing techniques, and advice to both traditional and non-traditional students. She answers commonly asked questions like "What's the most important thing to look for when choosing between dental schools?" and "How do I stand out?" Her insight is not only applicable to pre-dental students, but also dental students looking to specialize.There's far too much good information to be summarized in words here, so let's dive right in!Rachael references a presentation that she gave with ADEA, titled "The Psychology of The Interview, Part 1". The link can be found below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbvLm6cFj8M

Welcome back to another episode of the JAM Dental Podcast, and welcome back Jake! Today, we're discussing goal-setting, our methods, and challenges we've faced with the whole process. Being that we are three individuals, we all have different ways of setting goals and working towards achieving them. We'd go so far as to say that what one person may perceive as 'not a goal-setting technique' may work perfectly well for another person; it's all a very personal process. Big shout-out to Microsoft Excel for making goal-setting a possibility.Lastly, an actual big thanks to Dr. Linnea Boyev for the excellent musical addition. No JAM session is truly complete without some, well, jams. She's a multi-talented educator and you check out what she does at https://linneaboyev.com/.Our next interview will be with Dr. Darren Hoffmann, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Carver College of Medicine. D1's have the pleasure of taking Anatomy with Dr. Hoffmann during the Spring semester. Send us your questions! 

Do you enjoy birdwatching? If so, a career in dentistry is right for you. In this episode of the JAM Dental Podcast, Chris Reilly explains the profound link between avians and teeth.But in all seriousness, Chris shares some valuable information for applicants and current students alike. Given that he is the first in his family to graduate from high school, Chris faced a great deal of adversity within academia. Following high school, he chose to serve with the Marine Corps before beginning his undergraduate career. He was fortunate to have met wonderful mentors along the way that helped foster in him a strong self-believing spirit. These days, you can find him crushing it in the simulation clinic.We loved hearing Chris's unique and inspiring story, and hope you do as well!

Happy 244th Birthday to the United States, and welcome back to another JAM session! Today, we're interviewing Emily Phelan, a fellow classmate at the University of Iowa. After a rough academic start to undergrad, Emily turned things around once she had a clear goal to pursue a career in dentistry. Her experience is clear evidence that upward trajectory is looked well upon as a sign of growth and potential.After graduation, she'll become a dental officer with the US Army. Once her mandatory service is over, we're glad to announce that she'll name her practice '猪力牙' - which sounds like her middle name 'Julia' but literally means "Pig Strong Teeth". We at JAM strongly believe in this marketing strategy. Besides, who doesn't want teeth as strong as a hog's? Thanks again for tuning in, and enjoy!

Welcome back to the fifth JAM session! Today, we're interviewing AJ Foley, a fellow D1 classmate at the University of Iowa. In high school and college, AJ considered the path of becoming a professional athlete. Even though he ultimately decided on dentistry, his athleticism still shines through when you see him flying across campus on his bike or crushing it on the court in intramural basketball.AJ lays out some great tales of personal growth and finding familiar communities in a new home far away from family, something we're certain many dental students have experienced or would benefit from hearing about. Give it a listen! 

Welcome back to the fourth JAM session! Today, we'll be discussing our different DAT study strategies and experiences on the day of the test. While this episode is primarily targeted towards students preparing for the big test, don't shy away you current dental students and dental school graduates. Tune in and relive your own [fun] memories of studying for the DAT. Maybe you'll even be inspired to pull up some PAT exercises for old times' sake!Editor's Note: We indicated that goal-setting strategies would be discussed during this episode, but we ran out of time so it will be reserved for a future episode! 

Welcome back to another episode of the JAM Dental Podcast! Today, we're interviewing Jill Belieu, a fellow D1 classmate at the University of Iowa. Jill is considered by many to be Threat Level Midnight, thanks to her prowess in the Arts, Athletics, and Academics. Hers is a tale of great resilience and drive; as a first-generation college student, navigating academia was a task she had to largely figure out on her own. At this point, we hope you've appointed your favorite hammock the 'JAM Ham'. Kick back, relax, and open up your ear holes because you're in for some great insight!

 Welcome back to another episode of the JAM Dental Podcast! Today, we're interviewing Larkin Jacobson, a fellow D1 classmate at the University of Iowa. Larkin obtained a degree in Finance and Accounting from the University of Denver. Prior to transitioning to dental school, he was an investment banker in New York City working in the Consumer Retail and Healthcare sector. He brings a unique perspective and a wealth of academic and real-life experience to the table. So unfurl your hammock, crack open a cold one, and let's dive right in! 

Hello everyone, and welcome to the JAM Dental Podcast! We are Jake Lensing, Alex Hsieh, and Morgan Scholtes, currently first year dental students at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. In this first episode, we introduce ourselves, discuss how we became interested in dentistry, and share some of our dental school experiences. Kick back with some toast and peanut butter (if you're not allergic), and we'll provide the JAM. Enjoy!

Welcome to another prime number episode of the JAM Dental Podcast! We hope you're all doing well with the springtime allergies. In today's episode, we interview Dr. Polly Iben, a clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Clinical Director in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Iowa. Dr. Iben has quite the adventurous story, having returned to dental school after a decade working as a radio show host. No easy feat, especially with two young children in tow as well!Without ruining the fun within, we will say that her story is a prime example of how perseverance and finding the right mentors and peers is to the success of professional pursuit. Enjoy!

The weather is warming up, and so are we at the JAM headquarters! We're happy to present our first faculty interview of 2021 with Dr. John Syrbu! Dr. Syrbu is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Family Dentistry Department at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. He graduated from the Iowa CoD in 2013 and then completed a GPR at the Minneapolis VA. After working several years in private practice, he decided to return to Iowa to help train and mentor the next generation of Hawkeye dentists.So, let's paint a picture. Say you have an extremely diverse set of interests. However, you hate that those interests always feel like distant islands, unconnected from one another. You want to find a way to tie everything together, but don't necessarily see how. Well, you should go have a chat with Dr. Syrbu. Doodling? Business management? Photography? Writing? He has found fun and interesting ways to bring it all back to dentistry. To learn more about his work, check out his personal site, https://www.johnsyrbu.com/ and instagram, @johnsyrbu.dds.Our interview also highlights the importance of embracing your interests and not choosing a path based on what you 'should' do, but what actually spins your gears. Whether you enjoy making discoveries on new dental materials, hope to build the best private practice you possibly can, or want to become an expert on Oral Health in Romania in the 1930's (there's a hypothetical thesis for you pre-dental History majors out there - you're welcome), you will find your niche.Enjoy!

Happy February! It's been a while since we've had an episode with just the members of JAM! At this point, we have cleared the infamous 'year of pain' that is comprised of spring of D1 and fall of D2 year, when the didactic portion of dental school rained down heavily upon us. In that time, we experienced many 'firsts'. First local anesthetic injections on each other. First prophy appointment. First time using a handpiece on real teeth and applying sealants. First shot of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. And for Jake... his first kiss. Whew! What a time! We're just jesting on that last point... or are we? Listen to find out... We also share some of our own shifts in mindset towards dental school - new goals, so to speak. Four years is a long time, and interests and priorities are bound to shift. Perhaps it will be fun to listen to these thoughts even later this year to see what else has changed.In any case, we hope you enjoy this episode. Cheers!

Here at JAM, we love things that are layered, and that manifests in our titles. Like Shrek and onions, It's always a joy when there's more to something than meets the eye (like how as a dental student, you were excited about how many steps/layers there were preceding a resin-based composite material - acid etch, primer, adhesive, etc...). "Fresh Start"? How many meanings could that possibly hold? Well, let us tell you. First off, this is our first episode for the fresh new year of 2021 (Happy belated 2021, everyone!). Secondly, our guest and current D1 at the University of Iowa CoD, Johanny Toro, is a nontraditional student who sought out a fresh new career in dentistry, but (thirdly) only after working for several years as a perfumer creating fresh fragrances. We bet that some of you didn't even realize that perfumer was an actual career, eh? Oh, and we talk a bit about Johanny's journey to and experience with dental school as well, hah! Enjoy!PSA: JAM will be returning to releasing episodes every first Sunday going forward, so look forward to our next episode on 2/7!

Welcome to the final JAM session of 2020! Today we're talking with Brooke Frazier, a current D1 at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry! Brooke graduated from University of Urbana-Champaign with B.S. in Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB), where she met Morgan. On this episode she shares with us some of the different challenges she's faced with the first semester of a tough dental school curriculum, as well as her experiences with beginning a chapter in higher education that has been predominantly virtual. We also discuss the ways that students can get involved on campus, interview/application tips, and the joys of having or being an older sibling. Now that most of you are likely on a winter break, we hope you can cozy up next to a fire with some hot chocolate for some rest and recovery. And perhaps instead of binging The Queen's Gambit, you can enjoy all 15 JAM sessions at once. In any case, we three (Jake, Alex, and Morgan) wish you all a Happy Holidays!

Welcome back to another episode of the JAM Dental Podcast! Today we're talking with Dr. Donte Nesbitt, currently an Orthodontic Resident at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a member of UIowa College of Dentistry's recently graduated Class of 2020! In his time at Iowa, Donte was highly involved in student organizations. During our first year, not only was he the President of his class, but also of IASDA (Iowa American Student Dental Association), the overarching UIowa dental school student government. If you had any doubts about leadership and getting involved in dental school, let this episode convince you otherwise! Much of Donte's leadership efforts were in advocating for his fellow students and aiming to improve student experiences by making sure the school heard their voices. He also shares with us why he believes greater diversity in dental school is important. And of course, you best believe someone as much of a go-getter as Donte will be involved wherever he goes; he's now happily serving as the Assistant Chief Resident at his program. Well, there you have it. Kick back, grab some of that Halloween candy, and enjoy!

Hey JAMmers, what do you think is one of the best ways to reinforce all the new knowledge you learned in dental school and to pay it forward? By being a tutor and mentor! On today's episode, we're happy to welcome Kha Ai, a current third year at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and a kickass tutor. We three first got to know Kha Ai last year during our first year where she was an immense help with our simulation clinic exercises. Within this episode, we finally learn the answer to an age-old question: How did Kha Ai manage her studies while also helping countless hours helping D1's with operative and pros? We also share new studying strategies. Now that we're deep in our second year and Kha Ai in her third, we've found the need to modify our approach to studying with the increased volume of content. As a final note, though he was not a tutor at the time of recording, we're happy to say that Jake did manage to connect with a tutee and is happily sharing his wealth of knowledge.Cheers, and enjoy!

It's been far too long, JAMmers! Welcome to Season 2, where the morning air is nippier and school is back in full swing. As always, we're excited to bring you our next interview, this time with fellow Hawkeye, Kobi Voshell! It is safe to say that Kobi, a current third year dental student, has one of the more unique backgrounds among dental students anywhere. A nontraditional student as well as a father of two, he has faced (and continues to face) challenges most of us have not yet encountered: reacclimatization to rigorous schooling after a long time away from it, and finding a way to excel as a father and a student simultaneously. From Kobi himself, "Maybe somebody out there in the interwebs is listening to this, bouncing a baby on their knee and thinking 'I want to go to Dental School, I want to try it.' I'm out here to let you know that you can do it, you can try it, you can get in."Get locked in and prepare yourself for great insight and dad jokes (we jest, there are only good jokes here.) Cheers!

Welcome back JAMmers! Today we have the pleasure of talking to Dean Michael Kanellis. Dean Kanellis graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1979 before pursuing further education in Pediatric Dentistry and public health. Throughout his life he has been very conscious about constantly reevaluating what is the best fit for him, as well as the activities he is passionate about. He was presented with a variety of challenges, and by being flexible and true to himself, he found his best fit.He is a man of many talents - multiinstrumentalist, singer, performer - and if you see him approaching you in the hallway, you can guarantee that he'll have a great story to tell. Well, as you'd expect, on this episode, Dean Kanellis shares fun tales of his time as a student as well as what he does with his current responsibilities. Due to the start of the Fall semester, going forward, we will only be releasing one episode on the first Sunday of each month. We thank everyone for tuning in this past summer, and we're excited to continue bringing new content to you all!

Dr. Darren Hoffmann, one of the course directors for the infamous Gross Anatomy & Histology course, is in the house today! Dr. Hoffmann shares with us his teaching philosophy, advice for students on how to tackle his challenging course, tidbits about his professional journey, and of course, the ins and outs of being a cat parent. This is our longest episode to date, and not a single second of it is wasted. Dr. Hoffmann also did a short interview with the University of Iowa College of Dentistry on how the faculty care for their students. A link can be found below:https://youtu.be/AjgMg5EqnfM Enjoy!

On today's episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Ms. Rachael Kowbel, the Director of Dental Student Admissions at University of Iowa College of Dentistry! All three of us can confidently say that our interactions with her throughout the application process were key determinants in our ultimate decision to attend Iowa. Rachael shares nuggets of wisdom on personal statements, ways to improve interviewing techniques, and advice to both traditional and non-traditional students. She answers commonly asked questions like "What's the most important thing to look for when choosing between dental schools?" and "How do I stand out?" Her insight is not only applicable to pre-dental students, but also dental students looking to specialize.There's far too much good information to be summarized in words here, so let's dive right in!Rachael references a presentation that she gave with ADEA, titled "The Psychology of The Interview, Part 1". The link can be found below.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbvLm6cFj8M

Welcome back to another episode of the JAM Dental Podcast, and welcome back Jake! Today, we're discussing goal-setting, our methods, and challenges we've faced with the whole process. Being that we are three individuals, we all have different ways of setting goals and working towards achieving them. We'd go so far as to say that what one person may perceive as 'not a goal-setting technique' may work perfectly well for another person; it's all a very personal process. Big shout-out to Microsoft Excel for making goal-setting a possibility.Lastly, an actual big thanks to Dr. Linnea Boyev for the excellent musical addition. No JAM session is truly complete without some, well, jams. She's a multi-talented educator and you check out what she does at https://linneaboyev.com/.Our next interview will be with Dr. Darren Hoffmann, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the Carver College of Medicine. D1's have the pleasure of taking Anatomy with Dr. Hoffmann during the Spring semester. Send us your questions!

Do you enjoy birdwatching? If so, a career in dentistry is right for you. In this episode of the JAM Dental Podcast, Chris Reilly explains the profound link between avians and teeth.But in all seriousness, Chris shares some valuable information for applicants and current students alike. Given that he is the first in his family to graduate from high school, Chris faced a great deal of adversity within academia. Following high school, he chose to serve with the Marine Corps before beginning his undergraduate career. He was fortunate to have met wonderful mentors along the way that helped foster in him a strong self-believing spirit. These days, you can find him crushing it in the simulation clinic.We loved hearing Chris's unique and inspiring story, and hope you do as well!

Happy 244th Birthday to the United States, and welcome back to another JAM session! Today, we're interviewing Emily Phelan, a fellow classmate at the University of Iowa. After a rough academic start to undergrad, Emily turned things around once she had a clear goal to pursue a career in dentistry. Her experience is clear evidence that upward trajectory is looked well upon as a sign of growth and potential.After graduation, she'll become a dental officer with the US Army. Once her mandatory service is over, we're glad to announce that she'll name her practice '猪力牙' - which sounds like her middle name 'Julia' but literally means "Pig Strong Teeth". We at JAM strongly believe in this marketing strategy. Besides, who doesn't want teeth as strong as a hog's? Thanks again for tuning in, and enjoy!

Welcome back to the fifth JAM session! Today, we're interviewing AJ Foley, a fellow D1 classmate at the University of Iowa. In high school and college, AJ considered the path of becoming a professional athlete. Even though he ultimately decided on dentistry, his athleticism still shines through when you see him flying across campus on his bike or crushing it on the court in intramural basketball.AJ lays out some great tales of personal growth and finding familiar communities in a new home far away from family, something we're certain many dental students have experienced or would benefit from hearing about. Give it a listen!

Welcome back to the fourth JAM session! Today, we'll be discussing our different DAT study strategies and experiences on the day of the test. While this episode is primarily targeted towards students preparing for the big test, don't shy away you current dental students and dental school graduates. Tune in and relive your own [fun] memories of studying for the DAT. Maybe you'll even be inspired to pull up some PAT exercises for old times' sake!Editor's Note: We indicated that goal-setting strategies would be discussed during this episode, but we ran out of time so it will be reserved for a future episode!

Welcome back to the third JAM session! Today, we're interviewing Jill Belieu, a fellow D1 classmate at the University of Iowa. Jill is considered by many to be Threat Level Midnight, thanks to her prowess in the Arts, Athletics, and Academics. Hers is a tale of great resilience and drive; as a first-generation college student, navigating academia was a task she had to largely figure out on her own. At this point, we hope you've appointed your favorite hammock the 'JAM Ham'. Kick back, relax, and open up your ear holes because you're in for some great insight and laughs!

Welcome back to another episode of the JAM Dental Podcast! Today, we're interviewing Larkin Jacobson, a fellow D1 classmate at the University of Iowa. Larkin obtained a degree in Finance and Accounting from the University of Denver. Prior to transitioning to dental school, he was an investment banker in New York City working in the Consumer Retail and Healthcare sector. He brings a unique perspective and a wealth of academic and real-life experience to the table. So unfurl your hammock, crack open a cold one, and let's dive right in!

Hello everyone, and welcome to the first episode of the JAM Dental Podcast! We are Jake Lensing, Alex Hsieh, and Morgan Scholtes, currently first year dental students at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. In this episode, we introduce ourselves, discuss how we became interested in dentistry, and share some of our dental school experiences. Kick back with some toast and peanut butter (if you're not allergic), and we'll provide the JAM. Enjoy!