Mental Health

As was mentioned in the Imposter Syndrome chapter, dental programs can be challenging. You might find yourself stressed, anxious, depressed, or nervous, at some point in your journey. If you are ever in need of assistance, a great place to start is the University’s Mental Health website which is the University’s comprehensive home to all things mental health. Below are additional resources available to you, should you need them.

Emergency Assistance

  • National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – call or text 988. 
  • University Crisis line – call 612-301-4673 or text “UMN” to 61222

Mental Health Services

The School of Dentistry has an embedded mental health counselor, Nicole Pierce-Risvold, who works specifically with School of Dentistry students. Nicole is available for in-person and virtual sessions. Step one to meet with Nicole is to complete the counseling intake form.

Any university student seeking mental health assistance has access to Boynton Health Services’ Mental Health Clinic and Student Counseling Services, which offer individual and group counseling services. Students looking for short-term support are encouraged to check out Let’s Talk, which offers drop-in appointments. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) mental health resources are also available to students.

DDS learners and residents can also access free off-campus mental health assistance 24/7 through Sand Creek.

Absences to meet with a mental health counselor are excused for DDS, DH and DT learners. Please make sure to submit an excused absence for any mental health appointments. Details for doing so are listed on the absence page of the student intranet.

“I have used the UMN Student Counseling Services to help me when I was adjusting to the new environment of both living in the Twin Cities while being far away from loved ones and also dealing with the higher workloads of dental school. The counseling services worked out very well for me and managed to get me through and now I have adapted much better to both my home and academic life. ” – School of Dentistry learner

 Stress Relief & Management

PAWS: Pet Away Stress

Feeling Stressed? There are also a number of free stress relieving resources available to you, such as Pet Away Worry and Stress (PAWS) and Mindful Mondays.

The Center for Spirituality and Healing also offers a rotating schedule of mindfulness activities and resources. Many of their services are specifically designed to address the needs of students and staff in health care fields.

Please know the School of Dentistry and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities support your mental health. If you are ever unsure of who to reach out to or where to go, do not hesitate to ask the Office of Resident & Student Affairs staff for assistance.

 

 

 

Mental Health Advocates

The School of Dentistry has three Mental Health Advocates (MHAs). MHAs are staff who are trained in helping individuals navigate the mental health resources offered by the University and community resources. If you need help navigating the resources available to you, feel free to reach out to any of the individuals below:

License

A Guide for Success at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry Copyright © 2021 by Kristin Shingler and Shannon Gilligan Wehr. All Rights Reserved.

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