My name is Avery Howard, and I am a senior at University of Georgia, graduating this summer with a Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion. During my two years at UGA, I have had the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of public health while building meaningful connections within the communities of Athens and Watkinsville. These experiences have strengthened my passion for serving others and have helped shape both my academic and professional goals.
During my first year at UGA, I participated in the EGRC campus research project, where I assisted with collecting and analyzing data related to accessibility to higher education for foster care and homeless students across different college campuses. This was my first exposure to public health research and showed me how social and environmental factors can directly affect educational opportunities, long-term health outcomes and overall quality of life. Through this project, I gained valuable experience in research methods, data collection, and understanding how evidence can be used to support vulnerable populations and improve systems of care.
My long-term goal is to become a dentist, with a focus on working with children and individuals with special care needs. I hope to use dentistry not only to provide clinical care, but also to advocate for patients who may not always have a voice. To create an environment where compassion, comfort, and trust are central to treatment. I believe that laughter, patience, precision and empathy are important parts of healthcare, especially when working with patients who may feel anxious or underserved.
My experience in dentistry includes over 100 hours of shadowing multiple dentists across different specialties, which has given me a broader understanding of the profession and allowed me to observe different specialists. One of the most impactful experiences in my dental journey was participating in a dental mission trip to Panama. During this trip, I learned from several dentists working in a resource-limited environment and saw firsthand how they adapted to the materials and conditions available while still providing quality care to patients. It was a meaningful experience because it showed me the importance of flexibility, problem-solving, and patient-centered care in dentistry.
While in Panama, I also strengthened practical skills such as instrument sterilization, assisting during procedures, and communicating in Spanish with patients and team members. This experience improved my confidence in working within diverse settings and reinforced the importance of communication when providing healthcare across language barriers.
This summer, I will also be completing a dental internship, which will further expand my clinical exposure and allow me to continue building hands-on experience in patient care and dental practice.
Avery's Portfolio 