Dental Student Profile

Hunt School of Dental Medicine Student Profile: Carla Sanchez

“Dentistry is all about the people. If you don’t love what you do, and you don’t love the people you serve, then dentistry isn’t the profession for you.”

Tell us a little about your background. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school?

I grew up in McAllen, Texas. After graduation, I moved to upstate New York and attended Bard College. I received a degree in biology, then had a research position at the Weill Cornell School of Medicine doing vaccine research on opioids. After that, I went home to McAllen and worked in the local orthopedic hospital as an auto-transfusionist. While at the hospital position, I decided to apply to dental school.

Who or what moment inspired you to go into dentistry?

When COVID-19 hit, I returned to McAllen. I was in a rut trying to figure out what to do next, but I finally said to myself it was time to decide. My mom is a dental hygienist and encouraged me to shadow the doctor she works for. When I shadowed, I loved it. That feeling gave me the push I needed to finally take my Dental Admissions Test and apply to dental school. I like the creativity and the challenge associated with dentistry.

Why is the Hunt School of Dental Medicine the best place for you?

The school is the best place to be because of its curriculum. Dr. Richard Black, founding dean of the school, constantly says, “We’re teaching them dentistry for 2025,” and it’s true. This inaugural class will be valuable after graduation, partly because of our scanning and CAD/CAM knowledge.

How does it feel to be part of the inaugural class at the Hunt School of Dental Medicine?

It’s a tremendous honor to be a part of the inaugural class. The faculty have been nothing but kind and supportive. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to be. Every person cares about my success, and I feel privileged to be a small part of this big project. They train incredible dentists and allow us to give back to the El Paso community through our services. It will be exciting to look back and see the impact we had on the program.

What kind of impact do you hope to have on the community as a dental student at the Hunt School of Dental Medicine?

I’m so excited to work with the community here in El Paso. I’m from a border town, so El Paso feels like home. Being able to help the Spanish-speaking community is especially important to me. As a Spanish speaker, I’m excited to educate the community on oral health and hopefully provide quality care to those who need it most. I wanted to become a dentist to help people, and I already feel like I’m making an impact by getting into the clinic so early.

Do you have any mentors who have helped you along the way?

Brooke Jude and Michael Tibbetts. Both still work at Bard College and were my mentors throughout my four years in the biology department. Brooke was my advisor all four years, and Mike was my senior project advisor. I took multiple classes with both professors. They both taught me a love for science and a desire to learn. They pushed me to question everything. They’ve also been supportive since I graduated. I was excited to tell them that I got into dental school!

Have you received any life-changing support you would like to mention?

I want to thank my parents for their constant love and support. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

What is something about you people might not know?

In college, I played three different sports: soccer, lacrosse and swimming.