18 September 2025

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GSL at 25: A legacy of transformative experiences

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Becoming a more compassionate provider. Building connections with communities and colleagues. Making a real difference in people’s lives. Having a lasting impact. Planting seeds.

While 25 years is certainly a meaningful milestone, these reflections from global service-learning (GSL) participants point to something deeper: the transformation that occurs in IU School of Dentistry (IUSD) students because of these trips.

When people hear about GSL, they often think of philanthropic dental services, an enduring and important program outcome. But what distinguishes the program from typical healthcare service trips are its hallmarks: community collaboration and professional growth. Students return not only with tangible clinical and academic experiences, but with expanded cultural competence, leadership skills, and a global perspective that shapes the kind of providers—and people—they become.

“GSL has opened doors for students to serve and learn in settings around the world—and strengthened our school’s reputation as a leader in global dental education,” said Dr. Angeles Martinez Mier, associate dean of global engagement.

On Friday, August 8, 2025, more than 100 guests—traveling from across Indiana and other states including Texas, Ohio, Utah, and North Carolina—gathered at IU Indianapolis to celebrate this legacy. They heard from Dean Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, program co-founder Dr. Tim Carlson, and current GSL program director Dr. Jeffrey Steele. Throughout the evening, as participants enjoyed international cuisine, 25 years of photos offered a visual lens into the program’s 123 previous trips representing nine countries and 24 separate GSL locations.

“The goal of tonight’s celebration is to honor the achievements of our GSL program, re-establish connections with GSL alumni, and recognize the faculty, staff, and partners who make this program possible,” Martinez Mier said.

“This is a night that should ignite emotions and memories—a program that gives our life purpose,” Steele added.  

The event’s turnout reflected the enthusiasm and commitment of a growing GSL community—more than 1,000 students and 51 faculty or alumni members. A few attendees joined Dr. Steele in sharing travel tales and personal stories of change inspired by these trips.

Among those who spoke was alumnus Dr. Jeff Jones (DDS ’08), who took an alternative spring break trip to Hidalgo, Mexico, as a student—an experience that moved him so much, he went two additional times.

“We’re all good stewards with our profession, and we can give back,” Jones said. “Dental health is one of the largest problems causing disease throughout the world, and there’s a massive need. My trip was impactful enough to send me on this path.”

Jones began traveling to Honduras annually in 2014 and later started a foundation to assist with fundraising. He now travels accompanied by his wife, Lissi, and their children, as well as with four IUSD classmates who also participated in the Mexico GSL program. His children are old enough to assist with sterilization during their trips, and he believes they walk away from trips being better people.

Dr. Dino Dieudonne (DDS ’19), whose GSL experiences took him to Haiti and Ecuador, believes the trips have the power to transform people’s perspectives.

“Students think about dental careers and earning potential. These trips put everything in perspective,” Dieudonne said. “We take for granted many things living in the U.S.—whether it’s food, roads, running water, electricity, or air conditioning. These are things many do not have. On these trips, you learn a little about contentment, a little bit about patience. You learn to be gracious, and to extend that grace to others.”

These anecdotes are just a small representation of the program’s powerful legacy. Event name badges included flags representing countries visited, and as the evening progressed, participants matched flags and reminisced together about their travels and the program’s impact. Twenty-five years of their collective stories, and many more still to come, are a milestone truly worth celebrating.

Author: Laura Klaum

Source: https://dentistry.iu.edu/