Been There, Done That: Alum Helps Students Navigate Dental School

Dr. Herminio Perez, Director of Student and Multicultural Affairs PHOTO BY MARITZA CAMACHO

Growing up in Barrio Obrero, a poor sector in Puerto Rico, Dr. Herminio Perez never visited a dental school or had a conversation with a dentist.

There was one “community dentist” who made annual visits to schools but was mostly a stranger to Perez, Director of Student and Multicultural Affairs at RSDM.

“I didn’t have anybody who was my role model. There wasn’t really a way for you to know what dentistry was like,’’ he recalls. “There was no shadowing or anything like RSDM’s Gateway program.’’

He was also the first member of his family to complete college. No one was around to share tips on study habits or course loads, let alone preparing for a career in medicine.

Still, Perez decided that dentistry would be a good fit for him and was accepted at RSDM. “I remember that the only thing that I like was sciences and art.” Perez recalls.

When he arrived, he spoke little English and knew nothing about college life in the U.S. “It was one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever had. Not only academically but also personally. You leave your family members behind and come to another place to meet different people in a different educational system,’’ says Perez.

One thing that helped him through was the support of mentors, like Dr. Kim Fenesy, Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Jeanette DeCastro, Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs. Dr. Mayra Mesa, a former oral pathologist at RSDM, was also a role model. “They offered to be the family outside of my family. They were there, encouraging me every step of the way,’’ says Perez who graduated in 2004 and began his full-time job at RSDM in 2013.

After graduation, Perez did his residency at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, where many patients reminded him of the people he grew up with in Old San Juan. “I was taking care of Puerto Ricans, only outside of Puerto Rico,’’ he said. “Patients respond to you differently when you can speak their language and they know you understand them because you came from the same background. It was very rewarding. You developed a community of patients who trusted you.’’

Perez, who began volunteering as an RSDM instructor in 2006, knows how important it is for minority students, especially those who are disadvantaged, to see people like themselves successfully navigate college and the professional world. They can share knowledge and insights that others can’t. “It helps so much to have someone who went through the same thing giving you advice on how to deal with certain situations,’’ he explains.

But Perez knows first-hand that dental school can be isolating and overwhelming for anyone. To that end, he has worked hard at developing programs that foster a sense of community and trust among students, such as the Houses program, which divides students into groups that learn and socialize together. He also continues the Foresight program, developed by Fenesy, where second-year students mentor freshmen.

It’s his mission to make sure that all students at RSDM find support, not only from staff and faculty, but from each other. “They need to have something in their environment that lets them know they’re more than welcome,’’ says Perez.

He wants students to know that they can always rely on him to listen and offer guidance. “I tell students that the doors of my office are always open, for whatever reason,’’ he says. “Even if you have a joke, and you want to tell it to somebody but don’t know who to tell it to, you can come here and tell me.’’

Five Fun Facts About Dr. Perez

Favorite Albums: “Sinatra and Strings,’’ The Moody Blues,  “Days of Future Passed.’’

Favorite Movie: “Howl’s Moving Castle”

Favorite artist: Mercedes Sosa, a folk singer from Argentina.

Favorite Book: “The Interior Castle,’’ by St. Teresa of Avila

Hidden Talent: Photography