Joseph Larson

UConn School of Dental Medicine Class of 2016

I was born and raised in Ludington, Michigan, a rural town in the northwestern part of the state. I graduated in May 2012 from Michigan State University with a B.S. in human biology. Back in college, I taught baseball to a group of mentally handicapped children as part of the program OUCARES out of Rochester, Mich.  I am also volunteering with the American School for the Deaf, and am teaching the children various health topics. Having grown up in a small, rural town, I really want to expose myself to the opposite side of the spectrum and help people in an urban environment. I feel that working with – and learning from – the urban underserved population will be a very positive experience that will enhance my experiences both in dental school and as a future dentist. I think that in my future field, where many practitioners are financially stable, it is very important to not lose sight of why we chose this profession. Helping others is very rewarding, and UST will allow me to be able to help those who are less fortunate while benefiting from collaborating with students from other health care disciplines.