{"id":59993,"date":"2025-02-11T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T12:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/?p=59993"},"modified":"2025-06-11T12:42:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T16:42:11","slug":"tooth-talk-elyse-mansfield-dmd-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/2025\/02\/11\/tooth-talk-elyse-mansfield-dmd-26\/","title":{"rendered":"Tooth Talk: Q&A with Elyse Mansfield DMD 26"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our new Q&A series, “Tooth Talk,\u201d we are sitting down with GSDM students and residents to learn more about their paths to Boston University, their time at GSDM, and how they have made Boston their home.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We are starting with Elyse Mansfield DMD 26. She spoke about her roles as member of the GSDM Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee (DEIBAC), Student National Dental Association (SNDA) treasurer and 2024 Matriculation ambassador\u2014as well as advice for future dental students.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Want more Tooth Talk? Read the rest of the series on the Tooth Talk newsfeed page<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Questions and responses have been edited for clarity, context information, and length. <\/span><\/i>
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Elyse Mansfield DMD 26 (Photos provided by Mansfield.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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When did you first know you wanted to become a dentist? <\/strong><\/p>\n

I remember being in kindergarten and we had to do a poster project <\/span>on<\/span> an occupation. I remember <\/span>choosing to be a dentist<\/span>. <\/span>I remember brushing my dad\u2019s teeth on the couch, like having him as my patient and asking him if I could brush his teeth and floss. I was always drawn to dentistry<\/span>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What brought you to Boston and GSDM?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I’m from a town called Flossmoor, Illinois\u2013a suburb of Chicago. I went to undergrad at the University of Missouri (Mizzou). I knew I wanted to get out of the Midwest and go to a completely different place that I had never been to. I started looking at schools and stumbled upon GSDM and thought this school is really for me. I reached out to some current students when I was applying to get a feel for what the school was like and how their experience was. I liked the different kinds of opportunities that GSDM gives students early on in their career and in school.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What has your time at GSDM been like so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Every year has <\/span>been<\/span> completely different. This year<\/span> (third year)<\/span> is <\/span>probably the<\/span> hardest year so far just because <\/span>we’re<\/span> trying to balance our clinical work with schoolwork, lab work, and just trying to keep our sanity together. It has been hard, but <\/span>it’s<\/span> been rewarding because we have been working for two years <\/span>to<\/span> treat patients.<\/span> S<\/span>o<\/span>,<\/span> to actually <\/span>be<\/span> able to <\/span>put<\/span> everything I’ve learned in the classroom to <\/span>a <\/span>real-life<\/span> application has been very satisfying<\/span>.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You are a<\/span> member<\/span> of the GSDM Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee (DEIBAC). How <\/span>did you get involved with DEIBAC? <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I joined DEIBAC in 2024. <\/span>I <\/span>connect<\/span> <\/span>pretty often<\/span> with Dr. Larry <\/span>Dunham<\/span>, assistant dean for diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging, and<\/span> he <\/span>thought that I would be <\/span>a good<\/span> student to be on this committee.<\/span> <\/span>I<\/span> think <\/span>having<\/span> a student on the committee<\/span> gives <\/span>[<\/span>committee members]<\/span> <\/span>a different perspective<\/span> because a lot of <\/span>them<\/span> did go to school here,<\/span> <\/span>but it was years <\/span>ago,<\/span> <\/span>and<\/span> the environment changes every year<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span> <\/span>It’s<\/span> an honor to be able to <\/span>represent<\/span> the younger generation and for the new incoming dental students.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You are also the treasurer for <\/span>Student<\/span> National Dental Association (SNDA)<\/span>. What do you <\/span>do <\/span>in this role?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I have been a member of SNDA since my first year, but I have just become a part of the e<\/span>xecutive <\/span>board this past year<\/span>. <\/span>I<\/span> help plan events and f<\/span>undraisers<\/span>,<\/span> like<\/span> <\/span>the<\/span> candygram<\/span> event<\/span> for Halloween.<\/span> <\/span>I<\/span>t’s<\/span> nice <\/span>be<\/span>cause<\/span> I get to deal with the <\/span>financials<\/span>, but then I also can dabble <\/span>in doing<\/span> different events throughout the year. <\/span>I<\/span>t <\/span>doesn’t<\/span> limit me to<\/span> <\/span>doing one thing.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

You were also a matriculation ambassador in 2024. What was that like?<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span>I<\/span><\/span>t’s<\/span> <\/span>kind of<\/span> a<\/span> camp counselor<\/span> energy<\/span>. <\/span>I gave tours, <\/span>made<\/span> sure people <\/span>got<\/span> coffee\/food, and tried to answer any questions. <\/span>I always say <\/span>I\u2019m<\/span> appreciative of the people who came before me to answer my questions. Now, <\/span>I\u2019m<\/span> getting to that position <\/span>where people are <\/span>asking me <\/span>about GSDM or general dentistry and <\/span>I\u2019m<\/span> always open to answering. People did it for me and I know how helpful it was. <\/span>People still continue to do it for<\/span> me<\/span>.<\/span> So, why wouldn\u2019t I do that for the next generation to come?<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/span>If you could give advice to either a pre-dental student or someone who is interested in GSDM, what advice would you give them?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/span>I would say to reach out to people, <\/span>find somebody on Instagram <\/span><\/span>who<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span><\/span>you can<\/span> direct message<\/span><\/span>. <\/span><\/span>T<\/span><\/span><\/span>hat’s<\/span> <\/span>literally what<\/span> I did<\/span>: <\/span>I was<\/span> a<\/span> senior in <\/span>college,<\/span> and I directed messaged someone who is my <\/span>current friend <\/span>now. I said \u2018<\/span>Hey, <\/span>I know this is weird. <\/span>W<\/span>e <\/span>don’t<\/span> know each other, but would you be open to having a conversation?<\/span>\u2019<\/span> And she <\/span>said<\/span> sure. I <\/span>would say<\/span> get <\/span>out<\/span> of<\/span> your comfort zone and reach out to current students.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Getting familiar with Boston is one of the many <\/span>perks<\/span> of being part of the GSDM community. To end our conversation on a fun note, what is your <\/span>favorite local Boston <\/span>activity<\/span>?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I really like trying new restaurants. I know <\/span>it’s<\/span>so corny. <\/span>I’m<\/span> sure a lot of people say it, but <\/span>I’ve<\/span> never really lived in <\/span>a<\/span> city<\/span> before<\/span>. <\/span>N<\/span>ow that I live in the city, <\/span>it’s<\/span> just nice <\/span>to go<\/span> try new things<\/span>and have everything accessible either <\/span>walking<\/span> or by the <\/span>T<\/span>. <\/span>M<\/span>y favorite thing is just<\/span> finding things to <\/span>do<\/span>:<\/span>going to a new<\/span>restaurant<\/span>,<\/span> doing a pottery <\/span>class<\/span> or doing <\/span>yoga classes<\/span>. <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

By\u00a0Rachel Grace Philipson<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In our new Q&A series, “Tooth Talk,\u201d we are sitting down with GSDM students and residents to learn more about their paths to Boston University, their time at GSDM, and how they have made Boston their home. We are starting with Elyse Mansfield DMD 26. She spoke about her roles as member of the GSDM Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee (DEIBAC), Student National Dental Association (SNDA) treasurer and 2024 Matriculation ambassador\u2014as well as advice for future dental students.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21998,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[13840,13880,13839,13891,13903],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59993"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21998"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59993"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59993\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61590,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59993\/revisions\/61590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/dental\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}