Student Doctor Ammar Jankel brings PNWU’s mission to life as a member of our first dental class.
PNWU’s School of Dental Medicine (SDM) recently welcomed its inaugural class, realizing a vision of compassionate, community-focused healthcare. From personal experience to professional purpose, Student Doctor Ammar Jankel’s path reflects that very vision.
As a member of the SDM Class of 2029, Student Dr. Jankel represents both the promise of dentistry and the power of PNWU’s commitment to community health.
Long before he ever stepped foot on PNWU’s campus—or even considered dental school—Ammar Jankel learned about the ripple effects of limited healthcare access. In fact, his journey toward dentistry began not in lecture halls, but in community clinics and hospitals where he volunteered.
There, he witnessed firsthand the burdens carried by patients with limited access to care: the financial strain, the long travel times, the quiet resignation when treatment just wasn’t an option. These moments didn’t just shape his vision of dentistry; they cemented his purpose.
So, when he first encountered PNWU’s mission—improving the health of rural and underserved populations—it felt personal.
Today, as an inaugural SDM student, Student Dr. Jankel carries those lived experiences with him as his fuel and his compass. After all, he isn’t only representing PNWU’s first dental class; he’s representing communities that have gone without for far too long.
“PNWU’s mission to serve rural and underserved communities deeply aligns with my purpose in dentistry,” he explained.
“Its supportive faculty and staff, paired with a rigorous, well-rounded curriculum, create the ideal environment to grow into an excellent clinician and a humble, community-focused leader—one fully prepared to meet the highest standards of our profession.”
For him, choosing PNWU wasn’t about finding a school—it was about finding a home where professional goals and personal convictions could merge.
“These experiences made it clear to me that dentistry is more than a clinical profession—it is a calling to serve those who are often overlooked.”
Shadowing dentists who made community outreach part of their practice only deepened his conviction. Something as seemingly simple as fitting a denture could restore dignity, confidence, and joy. Those encounters convinced him that the heart of dentistry lies not only in technical skill but also in compassion.
“Joining PNWU is an incredible privilege,” he said. “I see this as more than an academic journey—it is the beginning of my growth into a healthcare provider who brings both clinical excellence and compassion to every patient encounter.”
For Student Dr. Jankel, PNWU’s interprofessional environment—where students across osteopathic medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical sciences, and more learn side by side—offers a chance to prepare for the realities of team-based, community-focused care. It’s a place where his vision for dentistry can be tested, challenged, and strengthened.
“I hope my time at PNWU sharpens not only my clinical skills, but also my ability to listen, adapt, and serve in communities where resources are limited but the need is great,” he said. “The disparities I’ve seen have shown me that technical excellence alone isn’t enough. Patients need providers who understand the broader barriers they face: geographic, financial, cultural, and systemic.”
With PNWU’s emphasis on interprofessional collaboration and community-based training, Student Dr. Jankel hopes to graduate not just as a dentist, but as an advocate for sustainable, life-changing solutions—solutions sorely needed in the communities he is determined to serve.
