Summer Enrichment Program

The Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) provides educational and professional development experiences for under-resourced students to become more competitive dental school candidates and pursue a dentistry career. SEP is a summer residential program that provides free housing, DAT preparation and a stipend to cover food and travel expenses.
The components of SEP include:

• Preparation for the Dental Admission Test
• Personalized assistance with the dental school application process
• Admissions and financial aid workshops
• Interview preparation
• Hands-on Simulation Laboratory activities
• Observations in the dental clinic and/or other primary care sites
• Conversations with faculty about dental specialties
• Academic success, professional development, and cultural competency seminars
• Networking events with students, staff, faculty, alumni, and local dental professionals
• Social outings including tours of Detroit and trips to museums and sporting events

Program Qualifications 

To participate in the Summer Enrichment Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• As of June 2025, must be a Junior, Senior, or a recent college graduate (within the last 5 years)
• Demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career in dentistry and improving the health of underserved patient populations
• Have a minimum of 2.9 science GPA
• Completed the following courses
  • Two (2) semesters of biology labs
  • Two (2) semesters of inorganic chemistry with labs
  • Two (2) semesters of organic chemistry with labs
  • One (1) semester of physics
  • One (1) semester of college-level mathematics
  • One (1) semester of English composition
• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or an individual granted deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) or have the appropriate documentation to apply to dental school.
• Identify as one or more of the following:
  • Educational, socially or economically disadvantage OR
  • Underrepresented minorities in the field of dentistry
• Must be fully vaccinated against the following: Hepatitis B, Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (TdaP), MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella), Varicella and Covid-19

Disadvantaged Background
An individual is considered to be from a disadvantaged background if he or she meets two or more of the following criteria:

• Were or currently are homeless, as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act
• Were or currently are in the foster care system, as defined by the Administration for Children and Families
• Were eligible for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program for two or more years
• Have/had no parents or legal guardians who completed a bachelor’s degree
• Were or currently are eligible for Federal Pell grants
• Received support from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) as a parent or child
• Grew up in one of the following areas:
  • A U.S. rural area, as designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) (Rural Health Grants Eligibility Analyzer: https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/rural-health)
  • A Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services-designated Low-Income and Health Professional Shortage Area

Environmentally Disadvantaged
If a student, who comes from an environment that has inhibited them from obtaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities to enroll in and/or graduate from a health professions or nursing school is considered as being Environmentally Disadvantaged.

The following is a list of common characteristics that describe students who are Environmentally Disadvantaged. The examples are provided as guidance only, and are not intended to be all-inclusive:

• Person from a high school with low average SAT/ACT scores or below the average state test results
• Person from a school district where 50 percent or less of graduates attend college
• Person who has a diagnosed physical or mental impairment that substantially limits participation in educational experiences
• Person for who English is not his or her primary language and for whom language is still a barrier to academic performance
• Person who is the first generation to attend college
• Person from a high school where at least 30 percent of enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

Economically Disadvantaged** 
An individual who comes from a family with an annual income at or below low-income thresholds according to family size. **In order to qualify for a financially disadvantaged status, your tax returns from the previous year will be considered by the SEP Admissions Committee. Information on 2024 can be found at https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines)

 Application Deadline is February 14. 2025 by 5pm Eastern Standard Time (EST).
The online application AND all required materials must be received by the deadline.