Thursday Talks: Julia Scherer ’26

For this week’s Thursday Talks, we have Julia Scherer of the Class of 2026.

Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at RSDM.

I’m a second-year dental student here at RSDM. After completing my bachelor’s degree at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, I returned to my home state of New Jersey to study for my DAT and work as a pediatric dental assistant. I believe that this hands-on experience during my gap year was crucial to my success as a D1. I love being a part of the American Association of People with Disabilities Pediatrics club and the American Association of Women Dentists. This past February, I had the opportunity to dress up in a red toothbrush costume for Give Kids a Smile Day in the pediatric dental clinic. As the toothbrush, I was able to walk around the clinic and provide encouraging words to all the children while also taking extra time with those who may have been a little shy or nervous. The outreach that we were able to provide at the 2023 Give Kids a Smile Day introduced many children to the importance of their oral health by creating a positive and welcoming environment with lots of fun activities. I hope that each year going forward, this event is able to grow, and we are able to provide care to even more children.

Why did you decide to come to RSDM?

When looking at dental schools, the rigorous curriculum and early exposure to the pre-clinic at RSDM stood out to me. During our first year, we were introduced to pre-clinical exercises with our handpieces and typodonts within the first few weeks of classes. While I struggled at first, the early exposure allowed ample time for me to greatly improve and become confident in my hand skills. I am excited to build upon these hand skills and learn new procedures this upcoming year in preparation for having my own patients in the clinic during D3 and D4.

What do you like most about RSDM?

My favorite aspect of my D1 year has been assisting the D3s and D4s in the clinic. Being able to learn from those students and interact with patients of all different backgrounds has had a positive impact on my dental education. I am excited to take more specialized dental didactic courses this upcoming year, such as periodontics, radiology, and OMFS (oral maxillofacial surgery), and be able to apply that information to the patient cases seen in the clinic.

What do you enjoy doing outside the school?

I was recently commissioned as an officer in the US Navy as part of the Health Professions Scholarship Program. It is an honor to have been given this incredible opportunity and I look forward to serving in the Navy Dental Corps after graduation. I spend a lot of my time outside of school running and working out in preparation for the Navy Physical Readiness Test which I will take during my Officer training. This is also a great way to destress, focus, and stay healthy during the school year. I also love to knit and crochet while listening to music.