Dental hygiene school is intense and stressful in nature. We know this, we’ve all been there! Our students seem to need more support than ever as they maneuver through their education. Mentoring is one of the best ways to offer this support. Through formal and informal mentoring, we can support our students but also increase the richness of our own efforts to cultivate the next generation of health professionals.

Objectives:

• Reflect how mentoring can help students self-assess current progress in the program
• Generate ideas to mentor students through classmate and faculty interaction
• Evaluate the complex needs of our students and how to support them
• Realize how mentoring can enrich our experience as educators