As part of the incoming group of first-year D.M.D. students in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, Sarah Lloyd is excited about the wide array of learning opportunities awaiting her, from the classroom to the clinic.
But one issue that Lloyd won’t have to learn much more about is the concerning lack of dental practices available in many rural areas. That’s because she already experienced that subject firsthand while growing up in the small Alabama town of Centre. There were only two full-time dental offices in Centre.
“There are people who have to drive an hour-plus to get to a dental office. And some of them are in poorer areas where people can’t afford to lose that many work hours,” Lloyd laments. “I saw the need for more practices in rural areas. I saw how important it is to have access spread out enough so people don’t have to drive an hour just to get their teeth cleaned.”
That is one of the reasons Lloyd decided to pursue a career in dentistry. Of course, it certainly didn’t hurt that she has been “fascinated” by the profession ever since making her initial trip for a cleaning as a young child.
“I had one of those children’s toy boxes when I was growing up, and I loved working with the tools and doing stuff with my hands,” Lloyd says. “So, the first time I went to the dentist, I was fascinated by the whole thing.”
“I’ve always been artistic – I love to paint and play music – and I’ve also loved the sciences and learning all these different things. So, I decided that dentistry would be a good path for me because it combined things that I loved to do with the things I liked to learn. It allows me to have that artistic expression while also having the scientific knowledge as well.”
After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in microbiology, Lloyd says UAB easily was her first choice for dental school simply because of the opportunity to remain in-state.
“From the moment in high school when I realized I wanted to be a dentist, UAB was the frontrunner just because of the location,” Lloyd says. “Then I took a tour of the dental school and saw the facilities and learned about the clinical requirements – which is something I wanted to emphasize in my dental education – and that was another contributing factor.
“Before we get our own patients in the clinic, we can assist the third- and fourth-year students with their patients. We get to watch the procedures and get that clinical experience right away. That’s awesome. The location and the clinical hours were the two big things that ultimately drew me to UAB.”
While reaching the UAB SOD has been Lloyd’s goal for several years, her future objective is to return to the rural landscape of her youth and do her part to help reduce the state’s dental deserts.
“My goal is to work in rural practice, whether that’s going back to Centre or somewhere else,” Lloyd says. “I know the need, and I fully intend to do rural practice for the long-term.”