Thursday Talks: Jalen Bonitto ’25

In his final year at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM), Jalen Bonitto shares his experiences at the school.  

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

I'm a dental student at RSDM, Class of 2025. I was born to two amazing immigrant parents from Jamaica and raised in Queens, NY. I received my undergraduate degree in Biology from SUNY Old Westbury. My favorite color is iron gray, and my favorite animal is a cat. I am currently in the clinical phase of my dental school education, so I am actively seeing patients and hoping to put as many smiles on faces as I can.

How long have you been here, and why did you decide to come to RSDM?

I am currently in my fourth and last year at the school. I decided to come here for a few reasons: it's in the NYC metro area and very close to home, tuition was comparatively less costly than other places that I applied to, RSDM has a vast amount of clinical requirements, the multitude of dental specialties are in one clinic, and the access to community service and mission trips.

What do you like the most about RSDM?

Although dental school has been very challenging, there are still many aspects of life at RSDM that I enjoy. For starters, I appreciate that there are so many skilled and experienced dental faculty who are bursting at the seams with dental and clinical knowledge. There is a constant eureka moment waiting to happen every day in the clinic because I truly am always learning and applying new information. RSDM has also allowed me to meet so many amazing and interesting people from different walks of life. I am grateful to have formed so many friendships at this school, and I am proud to be proceeding down this challenging yet rewarding path together with them.

What do you enjoy doing outside the school?

Outside of school, I enjoy being active, especially because I am often sitting down for hours at a time every day either in the clinic or studying for exams. Some activities include hiking, going to the gym, and playing pickleball with my classmates like Jacob Ball and Daniel Ayra. I also am a huge foodie, so I will not hesitate to hop on a train to New York to try a new restaurant! Lastly, I love spending time with my loved ones, so I try to make the most of it whenever I am not studying hard for finals.