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The School of Dentistry is in its final stages of selecting the Class of 2025 thanks to the many faculty and dental students who helped interview and evaluate the hopeful applicants this current cycle. A committee of dedicated faculty members makes up the school’s Admission Review Panel (ARP) Committee. This year, these members reviewed nearly 1,600 applications and submitted the most qualified applicants up for an interview. Kay Malone, III, DDS, FAGD, director of admissions, along with his team members Jennifer Sandlin, senior program coordinator, and Kimberly Kirby, senior administrative assistant, coordinated 358 interviews over 20 weeks. The goal each season is to identify the best applicants to fill all 100 seats of the freshman class. Typically, eighteen applicants are interviewed by volunteers every Monday from the middle of August to January each year. This interview season started later than normal to allow for the transition to a virtual platform. Kelly Lemke, DDS, MS, and Pablo Medina, a third-year dental student, were two such volunteer interviewers. What sets them apart is the fact that Dr. Lemke interviewed 23 applicants while Pablo interviewed 17, the most of any other faculty member or student, respectively. Dr. Lemke, an assistant professor/clinical in the Department of Developmental Dentistry, shares that she enjoys the opportunity of talking about the school to interviewees and she feels faculty have tremendous insight on what qualities a successful dental student should have. She cites the “ability to juggle tasks, meet deadlines, and retain information” as desired traits. As a current dental student, Pablo likewise believes student volunteers are important to the interview process because they understand what it takes to be in dental school. This being the case, Pablo is motivated by a more personal calling. “I think it is very important for minorities, people of color, children of immigrants, first-generation dental students, and non-traditional students to be involved in the interview process because there is another layer to the experience of dental school that only we can share,” he explains. “This is one of my biggest motivations! Seeing people like me in the place I want to be only reinforces my drive to be there because I know it is possible.” Jennifer reveals that faculty and students give back to the school more than many might realize. The school prides itself on evaluating potential students holistically, making sure well-rounded applicants are selected. “It’s a lot of work putting the next class together,” she states. “Dr. Malone and the ARP Committee meet every Monday afternoon, and on the weekends, to complete their evaluations of the applicants. Students and faculty give up their lunch hours and extra time every week to help. These faculty and students have input on our future; we appreciate them so much!” Dr. Malone echoes Jennifer’s gratitude by acknowledging all the faculty and students who aid the school in this critical process. He also announced that a new software acquisition will help with the future of the selection process. “We will soon acquire a new admissions management program which will streamline how applications are processed by customizing the viewing of important aspects of an application,” he explains. “This will greatly help in the management of our nearly 1,600 applicants.” The School of Dentistry wishes to thank all of the faculty, staff, and students who invest in the future of both the school and the dental profession by being part of the admissions process.