Dentistry: Art Meets Science

In middle school, Jordan Juliano '28 crafted a giant sushi using brown lunch bags for seaweed, soft candles for rice, putty for fish, and a tan rubber dental dam—courtesy of his father, a Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) alum—for ginger.

It was his first brush with the intersection of art and dentistry, a connection that now defines his daily life in dental school.

Originally from Boca Raton, Florida, Juliano has been drawing as long as he can remember. "I always had a sketchbook," he said. "It's like how kids have tablets all the time now. I had my sketchbook." He began with animals and cars, later imitating Bob Ross before exploring his style rooted in Italian heritage. His favorite piece is an oil painting of Castello di Rivalta in northern Italy. "It's hard to explain, but I like the feeling it gives me. Italian Cypress is my favorite tree. I love it's an old castle, and it's a clear day with perfect temperature, like 60 degrees. I just feel like I'm there."

As his artistic skills developed, so did his interest in dentistry. His father's influence was pivotal. "He was always showing me his tools and would take me into the lab. He was always very good at explaining things not only to me, but also to his patients. I always liked going to his office, not to mention the treasure chests." In high school, he gravitated toward biology and began shadowing dentists, eventually returning to a childhood dream of following in his father's footsteps. "I just liked that it was all science, people, and working with hands," he said. "I also realized dentistry is like the marriage of art, science, and biology."

Now pursuing general dentistry, Juliano finds artistic fulfillment in procedures like crown preparations. "It reminds me exactly of marble sculpture. You have an original stone, and then you have to shape it. The actual practical aspect of dentistry is like art and quite literally like sculpting, not only for esthetic purposes, but also a scientific function, which I like."

Olivia Oberman '29, another student-artist, shares that sentiment. "If a professor asked me what classes I would recommend to a pre-dental student, I'd say any hands-on courses, such as sculpture."

Growing up on Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, her art career began with her grandmother, an artist. "She'd teach me how to draw. I'd watch her draw on my storybooks to make them come to life," she said. Today, Oberman works primarily in pastels, often painting from her own photographs—many featuring water, which brings her calmness and is full of details. "I can bring these photos to life and really make them realistic. That's why I loved dentistry; you can really bring someone's smile to life, and the smallest details make the biggest difference." She spoke from experience with a chipped tooth. "It was such a tiny chip and yet I could not believe the positive difference that the restoration made on my smile," she said. "Confidence plays a huge role in how we interact with others."

Following studying neuroscience and taking sculpture in college, she took a gap year to work at a dental office. "I honestly grew up wanting to be an artist," she said, but "Dentistry synthesized so much of my passions. I love interacting with people, art, working with my hands, problem-solving, and helping others." She also saw dentistry's impact on systemic health.

During that year, she volunteered with the KinderSmile Foundation in conjunction with the Boys & Girls Club of Newark. "It was in those volunteer experiences that I established my dream of attending Rutgers and serving this community," she said. "It's just amazing that New Jersey has such an incredible dental school to provide access to care. Rutgers was my dream school because, in my career, I want to make a difference in communities in need everywhere, but especially those here in New Jersey."

Now, classes like "Dental Anatomy" reaffirm her passion. "Working with your hands before dental school helps because it's our entire profession. Waxing up every day reminds me how much dentistry aligns with my artistic interests," she said, adding that this was only possible with the support of her loved ones. "I feel very privileged to be earning a dental degree."