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EL PASO, Texas — The inaugural class of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine at Texas Tech Health El Paso has achieved a remarkable milestone in its first-ever residency match.

Ten students from the Class of 2025 secured coveted positions, defying expectations for a new institution and setting a high standard for the only dental school on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Since residency is not mandatory for dental graduates, the competition is greater. Unlike its medical counterpart, the dental residency match process unfolded over two separate days. The first round of matches was announced on Nov. 22, 2024, and the final results were revealed on Jan. 17, 2025. This complex selection process reflects the competitive nature of advanced dental training.

The students will begin their first day in their respective programs July 1 at prestigious residency and graduate programs across the nation, including Yale University, Rutgers University, the University of Washington, One Brooklyn Health, and the University of Oklahoma. Two students filled the only two of six available slots in orthodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

“We're proud of our inaugural students. They've demonstrated they can compete with the best, despite being a new program,” said Richard Black, D.D.S., M.S., the Rick and Ginger Francis Endowed Dean of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine.

“Their achievements not only emphasize the strength of our curriculum, faculty, and clinical training but also to the growing reputation of our program.”

Lubbock native Conley Green matched into a prestigious oral and maxillofacial surgery residency at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, securing his top choice.

The dental school’s accelerated clinical program allowed Green to perform his first extraction during the second semester of his first year – a practice unheard of at most other dental schools – and complex surgical extractions by his second year, giving the Lubbock native significantly more hands-on experience than typical dental students.

“As a new school, the programs I applied to were very interested in our progress,” said Green. “It created many opportunities for me to speak about the great work the dental school leadership has done in providing us with excellent opportunities to get ahead.”

As the only dental school on the U.S.-Mexico border, it plays a crucial role in addressing regional oral health disparities. The school's bilingual focus, including Spanish language requirements and culturally competent training, prepares students to serve diverse patient populations. This approach is particularly valuable in a region with significant health care access challenges.

Another standout success story is Sydnye Fields of Houston. She matched with Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Chicago in the first round last November for a dental anesthesiology residency. This specialty is particularly competitive, with only 30-35 positions available nationwide each year. The Chicago program accepts just two residents annually, making Fields' achievement particularly significant.

“Thankfully, my friends in medical school provided me with many resources they use for their classes,” said Fields. “Even though we take similar courses, the depth of study differs. They tutored me on various subjects, and I scheduled tutoring sessions with them.”

The school’s success is all the more remarkable given its unconventional approach to education. Unlike most dental schools, the Hunt School of Dental Medicine follows the approach taken by several Ivy League schools, employing a pass-fail grading system and not ranking its students. This approach might seem challenging in the competitive world of residency applications, but the school has turned this potential limitation into a strength.

“We developed creative recommendation letters that focused on showcasing our students' unique strengths, professionalism, and individual achievements,” said Rhonda Everett, D.D.S., M.P.H., the school’s associate dean. “This approach has proven effective in highlighting student potential beyond traditional metrics.”

The school's innovative curriculum may also have given its students an edge. Students begin hands-on clinical experience in their first semester, a practice uncommon in dental education. This early exposure to patient care, including administering anesthesia and performing restorations, sets the Hunt School of Dental Medicine apart from more traditional programs.

“When I told Dr. Everett that anesthesiology was something I might be interested in, she offered to help me along the way, and she was incredibly helpful,” recalled Fields. “I wouldn't be in the position I am now without her guidance and support.”

Dental residencies have become increasingly challenging to obtain. The American Dental Education Association reports that while dental school enrollment has grown, residency positions have not kept pace. With approximately 6,800 dental graduates competing for a mere 2,200 residency slots annually, the selection process is extraordinarily selective. At most schools, only just over half of their residency applicants are accepted.

The success of these students in securing residencies is expected to have a lasting positive impact on dental care access in underserved areas. Most of the school’s graduates are anticipated to practice in the target counties they were recruited from, potentially addressing critical health care gaps.

Georgia Hejny is from Venus, Texas. She matched into orthodontics at UT Health Houston, and she’s dedicated to providing specialized care to underserved rural communities.

“One of my goals is to work in rural areas,” Hejny explained. “Even though I'm going to be a specialist, there are minimal dentists in rural health care and even fewer specialists. That really drew me to the specialty.”

Her classmate, Gentry Nielson, will join her in the orthodontics program at UT Health Houston.

“Gentry and I were both accepted and filled the only two available slots in orthodontics,” Hejny said with a grin, acknowledging how Texas Tech Health El Paso shut out all other Texas dental schools for the prestigious appointments.

Class of 2025 residency matches• Sydnye Fields, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, dental anesthesia• Conley Green, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, oral and maxillofacial surgery • Hayden Harrison, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences College of Dentistry, oral and maxillofacial surgery• Georgia Hejny, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry, orthodontics• Maya Nair, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry, periodontics• Gentry Nielson, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry, orthodontics• Joshua Tankel, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, pediatric dentistry• Juochi Tsai, One Brooklyn Health Department of Dental Medicine, NYC, pediatric dentistry• Brandon Zadeh, University of Washington School of Dentistry, orthodonticsOne student was also accepted into the pediatric dentistry program at Yale University School of Dentistry.

About Texas Tech Health El Paso

Texas Tech Health El Paso is the only health sciences center on the U.S.-Mexico border and serves 108 counties in West Texas that have been historically underserved. It’s a designated Title V Hispanic-Serving Institution, preparing the next generation of health care heroes, 48% of whom identify as Hispanic and are often first-generation students.

Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a proudly diverse and uniquely innovative destination for education and research.

With a mission of eliminating health care barriers and creating life-changing educational opportunities for Borderplex residents, Texas Tech Health El Paso has graduated over 2,400 doctors, nurses and researchers over the past decade, and will add dentists to its alumni beginning in 2025. For more information, visit ttuhscepimpact.org.