UF College of Dentistry Admissions Outreach Ambassadors (AOAs) welcome you to your home-away-from-home and will help you learn more about life at UFCD.
Class of 2020
Natalie Atyeo
Duke University, Spanish major. Hometown: Parkland, FL. DMD-PhD student. Involvement: ASDA, Dental Ambassadors, Student Research Group, Dominican Republic Service Trip, Tutoring, AAWD, Dental Lobbying, Summer Research Program.
Class of 2020
Kelly Bean
University of Central Florida. Hometown: Williamsburg, VA; Panama City, FL (high school). Involvement: ASDA, AAWD, Psi Omega. "I got married during dental school. I'm on an Air Force Scholarship and am interested in specializing in Endodontics."
class of 2022
Claudia Azard
University of Central Florida. Hometown: Miami, FL. Involvement: AAWD, American Association of Public Health Dentists (AAPHD). "I am a non-traditional student who is also a mother, juggling dental school and raising my 13-year-old son. I am a Navy veteran and a Registered Dental Hygienist. I'm more than happy to assist anyone in any way I can. I'm currently on an Army scholarship, if you're interested in taking the military route after dental school."
Class of 2023
Wooy Jean-Baptiste
University of Florida. Hometown: Sunrise, FL. Involvement: Psi Omega, SNDA. "I am a Haitian-born, first-generation dentist and the first in my family to attend higher education. I like to spend my free time working out, playing basketball, or hanging out with friends. Super open to help out with any questions you may have, so don't be shy!"
Class of 2022
Abdulrahman Chahbandar
University of South Florida. Hometown: Tampa, FL. Involvement: Vice president of the American Association of Public Health Dentist (AAPHD), local community dental work like FreeDOM, WeCARE, and RAM. "I enjoy playing a lot of sports and working out in my free time."
class of 2022
Stephie Cyril
University of Florida. Hometown: Vero Beach, FL. Involvement: ASDA, SNDA, Super Sealant Saturday Volunteer Coordinator, FreeDOM clinic. "I am a first generation college student born in Dubai and raised in England."
Class of 2021
Chione Daniel
University of Florida. Hometown: Miami, FL. Involvement: SNDA, Dental College Council, CEO of The Mouth Matters, Black Student Ambassadors Group, service trips to Jamaica and Guatemala, FreeDOM, Equal Access Clinic, Psi Omega, Academy of General Dentistry, intramural sports, General Practice and Periodontology Interest Groups. "I've created a social media platform to help decrease oral health disparities, mentor pre-dental students and promote oral hygiene. Instagram: TheMouthMatters."
Class of 2022
Kristen Fernandez
University of Florida. Hometown: Miami, FL. Involvement: Secretary of Psi Omega, ASDA, Ecuador Service Trip, American Association of Public Health Dentistry. "My family is Cuban, so I am bilingual. I'm happy to answer any questions about housing, places to go, things to do, what it's like to live in Gainesville, etc. My favorite thing to do is travel!"
Class of 2022
Nicole Escoffier
University of Florida. Hometown: Niceville, FL. Involvement: AAWD, ASDA, clinical affairs committee, military scholarship program through Air Force.
Class of 2021
Courtney Fridella
University of Florida. Hometown: St. Petersburg, FL; Tampa, FL. Involvement: Vice President of AAWD, ASDA Pre- Dental Director, Psi Omega, Gross Anatomy tutor. "I love to workout and ski, and I want to stay in Florida for my career."
Class of 2021
Brandon Gervasi
Brigham Young University. Hometown: Cleveland, OH. Involvement: Jamaica Service Trip, Student Performance Evaluation Committee, Academy of General Dentistry, Tutor, Teaching Assistant. "I'm the first to become dentist in family, out-of-state/non-resident applicant, and married."
Class of 2022
Justin Graham
University of Florida. Hometown: Ocala, FL. Involvement: ASDA, Super Sealant Saturday, Tutoring, Curriculum Committee. "I am married. I did a gap year outside of New York City where I worked as an internet sales representative, and I have lived off and on in Gainesville since 2012."
Class of 2020
Ben Harrison
University of Florida. Hometown: Panama City, FL. Involvement: Humanitarian trip to Guatemala, ASDA, Tutor, Teaching Assistant. "I’m a third-generation dentist,a second-generation UF Dentist, and a lifelong Gator fan."
Class of 2021
Dila Kaya
University of Florida. Hometown: Boca Raton, FL. Involvement: Ecuador Service Trip, Psi Omega, AAWD, ASDA. "I'm happy to answer questions about overall life in Gainesville, from living arrangements to transportation and activities."
Class of 2022
Melanie Lane
University of Florida. Hometown: Pembroke Pines, FL. Involvement: ASDA Community Service Chair, SNDA, Psi Omega. "I strive to keep a balanced lifestyle and have created ways to keep stress to a minimum throughout dental school. I have lived in Gainesville for 5 years now, so I'm happy to answer questions about living in the city."
Class of 2022
Hyunseo Lee
Barnard College, New York, NY. Hometown: Ormond Beach/Daytona Beach, FL. Involvement: Summer Research Program, Student Research Group, SNDA. "I'm a FL resident but went to undergrad out-of-state."
class of 2021
Karla Matamoros
University of Florida. Hometown: Port St. Lucie, FL. Involvement: Psi Omega, SNDA secretary, ASDA, AAWD, humanitarian service trips. "My 2 older sisters are dentists. My family is from Nicaragua, so I'm bilingual. I spend every winter break in Park City, Utah, snowboarding!"
Class of 2020
Megan Menashe
Florida Atlantic University. Hometown: Boca Raton, FL. Involvement: Summer Research Program, Psi Omega, Ortho Interest Group, Bahamas service trip, Student Performance Evaluation Committee. "I started college early, so I'm young for my class. I moved to Gainesville for dental school."
class of 2022
Sophia Mohseni
University of Florida. Hometown: Tampa, FL. Involvement: President of the American Association of Public Health Dentists (AAPHD), ASDA, AAWD, Gross Anatomy Tutor, Psi Omega. “I enjoy working out and playing tennis to destress. My favorite thing to do is to travel. I’ve also been in Gainesville for 6 years so I’m happy to answer any questions about the city."
Class of 2022
Toni-Ann McLeod
University of South Florida. Hometown: Pompano Beach, FL. Involvement: Historian for SNDA, AAWD. “I'm happy to share my experiences, like being originally an international student from Jamaica transitioning into the dental field and adjusting to life here in Gainesville.”
Class of 2023
Keith McIntosh
University of Florida. Hometown: Miami, FL. Involvement: SNDA "I am first-generation Gator and dentist! I have been in Gainesville for almost 5 years and have many connections to the city."
Class of 2020
Kevin Phanord
Catholic University of America. Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL. Involvement: SNDA, ASDA, FreeDOM clinic, Dominican Republic service trip, Teaching Assistant. "I’m from South Florida and enjoy playing all sports. I went to undergrad in Washington, DC, where I played basketball for 4 years."
Class of 2022
Natalie Pan
University of Florida. Hometown: Orlando, FL. Involvement: Psi Omega, ASDA. "I am a traditional student who went right into dental school after graduating from UF, so I'm happy to answer questions about life in Gainesville. I am also a big foodie. I got Lasik eye surgery before dental school (thanks to Abel’s suggestion!)."
Class of 2021
Dhara Patel
University of Florida. Hometown: Plant City, FL. Involvement: ASDA, AAWD, Psi Omega, Super Sealant Saturday, We Care, Ecuador Service Trip, Academy of General Dentistry. "I'm a traditional student who started dental school after undergrad at UF and am ."
Class of 2022
Gabriela Portmann
University of Notre Dame. Hometown: Vero Beach, FL. Involvement: ASDA, AAWD, Psi Omega, WeCare, Admissions Committee, Scheduling Committee. "I'm a Florida resident but studied out-of-state. My parents grew up in Venezuela, and I spent summers there. I lived in Switzerland until I was 5. I enjoy tennis, boxing, running, kayaking, hiking, and the beach."
Class of 2021
Ari Rick
University of Oklahoma. Hometown: Denver, CO. Involvement: Class of 2021 Vice President, AAWD, Psi Omega. "I'm a Florida resident but studied out-of-state, and I am a cat mom!"
Class of 2023
Laura Sawires
University of Central Florida. Hometown: Orlando, FL. Involvement: ASDA, AAWD, Super Sealant Saturday Scheduling Coordinator, Black Student Advocacy Group. "I was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, and moved to the US a few years ago."
Class of 2021
Chemika St. Juste
University of Central Florida. Hometown: Orlando, FL, but born and raised in New Orleans, LA. Involvement: President of SNDA, UF Summer Health Professions Education Program (SHPEP) mentor.
Class of 2022
Brooke Schloth
Florida State University. Hometown: Jacksonville, FL. Involvement: Psi Omega, ASDA, FDA convention. "My parent and my sibling are dentists. I was highly involved in the Pre-Dental Society at FSU."
Class of 2020
Benjamin Shepperd
Georgia Institute of Technology. Hometown: Marietta, GA. Involvement: Humanitarian service trips, public health, Psi Omega, Dental Ambassadors. "I am an out-of-state student with a non-traditional academic pathway into dental school."
Class of 2021
Rachel Shepard
UNC Chapel Hill. Hometown: Herndon, VA, and Tampa, FL. Involvement: Jamaica service trip, Vice President of Psi Omega. "I'm have an out-of-state/non-resident student experience!"
Class of 2022
Carson Smith
University of Florida. Hometown: Oviedo/Winter Springs, FL. Involvement: President of Class of 2022, Psi Omega, ASDA, Dental Ambassadors, Summer Research Program. "I'm a traditional UF graduate with strong involvement in the UF Pre-Dental Society. I have attended and competed in multiple dental research conferences."
Class of 2023
Sydnee Vaughan
University of Florida. Hometown: Jacksonville, FL. Involvement: SNDA, ASDA, Psi Omega. “I am a first-generation dental student in the BS-DMD program. I love dogs and am a double Gator!”
Class of 2023
Chanyce Williams
University of South Florida. Hometown: Tallahassee, FL. Involvement: Class of 2023 President, SNDA, AAPHD. "I will be a first-generation dentist. I’m new to Gainesville, but I am a Florida native: born and raised."
Class of 2022
Laura Van de Water
University of Central Florida. Hometown: Orlando, FL. Involvement: AAWD, ASDA. "I took a gap year and worked in a dental office before dental school. I also lived at home throughout my undergraduate experience."
Class of 2022
Muvva Vangapalli
University of Florida. Hometown: Winter Springs, FL. Involvement: ASDA District 5, AAPHD (American Association of Public Health Dentistry), Psi Omega. "I'm originally from Boston but later became a Florida resident and attended UF for undergrad."
Class of 2021
Zack Youngblood
Valdosta State University. Hometown: Valdosta, GA. Involvement: Psi Omega, Ally-Gators, ASDA. "I'm originally from Georgia and have an out-of-state/non-resident student experience at UFCD."
Class of 2023
Wunmi Oni
University of Georgia. Hometown: Lawrenceville, GA (Also, Nigeria and England). Involvement: SNDA, Dental Ambassadors, Smiley Gators. "I am an out of state student, passionate about helping underserved/minority populations and interested in hospital dentistry."