As the Class of 2024 says goodbye to dental school and begin their journey as dentists, three students will be entering the military and serving their country by providing oral health care. The U.S. Military Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) offers students a year-for-year commitment to service in exchange for education.

Fourth-year dental students Anna Elizabeth Allen, Jaycee Cureton and Kayleigh Moody celebrated their graduation and their futures in the military during the Military Recognition Ceremony on May 9. The ceremony, located at the Virginia War Memorial, was the catalyst for the students’ new careers.

The three students reflect on their experiences in dental school and look ahead to their futures.

Anna Elizabeth Allen: Air Force

Serving in the military after graduation is the continuing of tradition for Allen; her father also was a dentist in the Air Force. It was a source of inspiration for her, and also helped her to realize her own passion for dentistry.

“What I’m most looking forward to is working directly with patients,” Allen said. “I got to see firsthand while growing up how much of an impact you can have on someone’s life. There’s a unique opportunity to help them get over their fears and anxieties about visiting a dentist and also improve their overall health.”

A Hampton, Virginia native, Allen became interested in military service at an early age. She completed her undergraduate studies at VCU, where she studied health, physical education and exercise science.

For Allen, providing healthcare in the military has its benefits.

“One thing that’s hard about dentistry is that it’s not always affordable,” Allen said. “What I like about military dentistry is that you are treating patients based on what they need, not what they can afford. I think it’s a unique opportunity to explore treatment plans and learn skills in dentistry without the same limitations.”

Allen says working with patients was the highlight of her experience at VCU School of Dentistry. Her biggest challenges were starting in the clinics during her second year and studying for Board exams during her fourth year. Despite the challenges, she described it as “rewarding” and a valuable learning experience.

“Dental school is full of learning curves, whether in the clinic or in the classroom,” Allen said. “You have to adapt to be comfortable being uncomfortable.”

Allen’s experience in dental school taught her valuable skills in the profession and a mindset that she will carry on to her professional career post graduation.

“A lot of it is about persevering and having a positive mindset,” Allen said. “When faced with a hardship, instead of thinking ‘why is this happening to me’, I’ve learned to think ‘what can I learn from this?’”

Allen advised any students considering military service to “go for it”.

“It’s such a great opportunity in so many ways,” Allen said. “It’s a unique patient pool, you can learn a lot that you wouldn’t necessarily get elsewhere and you can travel. The military dentist community is very tight knit as well. You’ll meet lifelong friends and colleagues that you can learn so much from.”

Jaycee Cureton: Navy

Cureton always knew she wanted to be a healthcare professional. When she first shadowed a dentist, she realized her love and admiration for the profession.

“There’s an art to it,” Cureton said. “You’re taking away someone’s pain and doing something really beautiful.”

A Chesapeake, Virginia native, Cureton completed her undergraduate studies at University of Central Florida. Both of her parents served in the military, which Cureton greatly admired. She began to consider a military career at the same time she discovered her interest in dentistry. Most of her shadowing for dentistry occurred in a Navy setting.

“Being able to continue a family tradition and still be able to serve my country was a really good opportunity for me,” Cureton said. “Finding a way to blend both of these together made this path a really easy decision.”

As for her experience at VCU School of Dentistry, Cureton said that the best part was the connections she made. Having people that understood the ups and downs of dental school around her helped her in many ways.

“People that were strangers before are now people that you see everyday. We have so many shared experiences,” Cureton said. “Creating these lifelong relationships has definitely been the best part of dental school.”

For Cureton, dental school was not without its challenges. Even with a strong support system, she described the curriculum, especially during her second year, as hard work.

“There were moments where you think you’ll never get through this,” Cureton said. “But now whenever I’m faced with any challenge, I look back and realize I’m capable of overcoming anything. I just have to focus on each task one at a time and push through, knowing there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Her advice for others following this path?

“Remember why you’re doing it,” Cureton said. “It can feel like neverending tasks and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but at the end of the day, it’s all worth it. I get to help so many people every day both by being in the military and being a dentist. I couldn’t think of anything more rewarding than that.

Kayleigh Moody: Army

For Moody, going into healthcare and the military came down to one goal: to help people. 

Her decision to go into dentistry was heavily influenced by her mother, who is also a dentist. She observed how her mother was able to help people and form meaningful relationships with her patients.

“She showed me what a career in oral health looks like,” Moody said. “I consider her my greatest inspiration.”

Moody is from Mechanicsville, Virginia and attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for her undergraduate studies, where she got a degree in cellular biology and biochemistry. She described entering military service following graduation as a “natural transition”.

“The idea of serving was not foreign to me. It didn’t scare me,” Moody said. “I got to see firsthand the kind of impact you can have and it was something that I wanted to be a part of.”

Dental school provided new challenges every day, Moody said, and also opportunities to learn and grow. Working in the clinics while also balancing classes taught her the importance of time management.

“You’re thrown into so many new situations,” Moody said. “You have to learn to be comfortable with change and the unknown. I found that every challenge helped me grow.”

She described working directly with patients in the clinic as a major learning experience.

“It’s so important as a dentist to have people skills,” she said. “I found that this really developed for me during clinicals and is something that will make my post-graduate experience much smoother.”

Four years of dental school taught Moody not only the value of hard work, but also the importance of community. While at VCU School of Dentistry, she developed close relationships with her classmates and professors which helped her through the challenges of dental school.

“I didn’t realize how much a shared experience could bring people together,” she said. “I’m so grateful for their endless support and guidance. I formed some really meaningful relationships that I hope will be lifelong.”

Whether entering dental school or the military, Moody believes it is most important to be open to anything.

“It can definitely be scary for some people going into this; you don’t know what you’re getting into,” Moody said. “Be open to what these experiences can offer you. You’re going to see new places, meet incredible people, gain so much knowledge and have the opportunity to tap into valuable resources.”