Student Spotlight: Mya Leonardo DMD 29 and Matt Foshay DMD 29 Win 2026 ASDA District 1 Debate
Mya Leonardo DMD 29 and Matt Foshay DMD 29 won first place for GSDM at the 17th Annual Massachusetts Dental Society (MDS) and the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) District 1 Student Debate during the 2026 Yankee Dental Congress.
“I was all smiles, filled with happiness and excitement,” Leonardo said about the win. “Matt and I worked hard along with the incredible ASDA Advocacy team to put together a well-backed-up argument for both sides of the initial round of debating, so it was an amazing feeling to see that the hard work paid off!”
The other participating debate teams were from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and University of New England College of Dental Medicine. A cohort of predental students also participated.
In the first round, Leonardo and Foshay debated against the pre-dental team in opposition to dental therapists being licensed nationwide to address the shortage of dental care in rural areas. Leonardo and Foshay won, progressing to the final round against the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine team on the question of whether dental licensure should rely on live patient clinical competency assessments rather than manikin-based exams. The GSDM team argued the opposing side, in favor of manikin-based exams.
Foshay, who said it was his first time participating in a debate, said it was super exciting to win alongside fellow contestants who shared a passion for dentistry and mutual respect.
“I was proud of myself and of Mya and of the [ASDA Advocacy] team that helped us prep,” Foshay said. “I was proud of myself because I’d never done a debate before. I was proud of all of us because it felt like a fitting end to all the time and effort that we all put into preparing.”
He added that the win was made possible from the endless support, enthusiasm, and positivity from the GSDM community.
“It was an opportunity to show how awesome the GSDM community is,” Foshay said. “I feel like Mya and I were able to represent all the passion and hard work and care that everyone in the GSDM community puts in every day,” Foshay said.
Leonardo was no stranger to the ASDA District 1 student debate as she competed in the 2024 debate as a member of the pre-dental team. However, she said it was fitting to win the debate as a GSDM student.
“I dreamed of one day becoming a student at GSDM and being able to be a part of our positive and welcoming community, so it was an absolute honor to represent GSDM and witness firsthand the unstoppable powers of our community,” Leonardo said.