New Horizons Speaker Series on Nontraditional Careers Kicks off April 7

Dr. Anthony Volpe

Fourth-year RSDM students can learn about careers outside the dental practice setting during the New Horizons in Dentistry speaker series on Thursdays in April.

“We want to open our students’ minds up to other opportunities available to people with a dental degree,” said Dr. Peter DeSciscio, director of the New Horizons program.

The Colgate-Palmolive Company endowed the program with a $25,000 donation in memory of Dr. Anthony R. Volpe, the program’s founder and an RSDM alumnus. Volpe graduated with RSDM’s first class in 1960. He worked 52 years with Colgate, retiring in 2013 as vice president for scientific affairs. Volpe died in 2020 at the age of 87.

Volpe created the New Horizons program 21 years ago to introduce RSDM students to nontraditional careers in oral healthcare. DeSciscio said Volpe would share his own story of being approached by Colgate to conduct research while a practicing dentist.

“His message to students was, when someone knocks on your door, answer it!” DeSciscio said.

Dentists can enjoy careers in forensics, administration, politics, associations and academia, noted DeSciscio, an RSDM faculty member.

Members of RSDM’s Class of 2022 are invited to enjoy the New Horizons luncheon series on four consecutive Thursdays, starting April 7. Sessions run from 1:15 to 2:05 p.m. in the Oral Health Pavilion’s multipurpose room.

Two Colgate executives, Dr. Matilda Hernandez and Dr. Silvana Barros, will kick off the series. On April 14, students will hear from Dr. Leslie Hayling, president and CEO of Correctional Dental Associates, which handles dentistry in jails, prisons and halfway houses. Dr. Neal Ziegler, a motivational speaker, is scheduled for April 21 and Dr. Cathy Hung, an author, will speak on April 29.

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