Class Year: 2024
Program: Doctor of Dental Medicine
The appeal of healthcare, improving aesthetics and interpersonal relationships drew third-year dental student Andrea Petrowitz to the field of dentistry.
“Serving a key role in a patient’s oral health—and general well-being—while also providing aesthetic services that address functional needs really interested me,” said Petrowitz.
That kind of multifaceted care is what made Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine the clear choice for her studies.
“I have found that Case Western Reserve puts a lot of emphasis on clinical experience and comprehensive care,” Petrowitz said. “This results in well-rounded graduates who provide holistic care to their patients.”
Providing holistic care—learning and working alongside colleagues studying other healthcare professions—is already a part of her dental school career. Since her first year, Petrowitz has been volunteering with the CWRU Student Run Health Clinic (SRHC) and, just last year, she was appointed the dental director.
Serving in the SRHC has allowed Petrowitz the unique opportunity to collaborate with students from the university’s School of Medicine, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, and Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences to practice interdisciplinary care.
“I've been fortunate to work so closely and learn with my colleagues, developing our team skills,” said Petrowitz. “Being a volunteer and director has been such a valuable experience. In the long run, I think it will benefit patients to have providers that approach health care as a collective goal.”