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Many University students voluntarily give their time to help the West Philadelphia community. For University dental students, it has become a requirement. Beginning in July, third and fourth year dental students will be required to participate in some form of community service. Currently, seniors have the option of performing the service as one of their senior selectives, an elective requirement which can be a course or a seminar. Assistant Dean for Community Relations Herman Segal said that in the past, students often volunteered their services, but were never given credit from the school. Students will be given credit for volunteering and must perform 35 hours of service during their junior and senior years. "We have a new mission statement," Segal said. "We want to help graduate a more rounded student." And Segal said he feels that if students interact more with the community, they will be better able to relate to their patients after college. He added that he hopes the new program will break down any possible prejudices and stereotypes students may have about the West Philadelphia community and that community members will get to know students better. The Dental School is in the process of applying for a Kellogg Foundation grant, part of which Segal said would be used to conduct before and after attitudinal tests on students and within the community to ascertain whether or not the new program has been effective. Dental students will be allowed to participate in any form of community service they want. Their hours and service will be recorded by a Dental school administrative assistant and the agency or project they worked for. Segal said that students would be on the honor system, but that there would be random checking. "Besides, I go to a lot of them," he added. "I'll be there, so how can they lie to me?" Second year student Karen Sonnone was a community service representative for her class last year. The representatives found projects for students to work on and reported them to the Dental School's student council. Sonnone said that when she heard about the new requirement, she was instantly interested in helping out. "There are literally tons of community service projects that people are working on right now," she said. "The requirement makes it more formalized." She added that projects can consist of everything from teaching teen mothers how to take care of their child's teeth to taking the handicapped to football games. "Our community service doesn't always relate to dentistry," Sonnone said. Segal also said the service does not have to be dental-related, saying he does not care how students fulfill their requirement. "They can deal with the elderly or with children," he said. "They can work in a soup kitchen, as long as it involves the community." The Dental School has participated in community service projects jointly with the University Medical School and with University nursing students. Dental school senior class president Ivy Simms said she supports the new requirement, adding that she has already been involved in the community through local efforts. "I think it's a great idea, especially in this community," she said. "There's so much volunteering you can do."

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