A home-grown graduate

Remakel had wide-ranging experiences in the School of Dentistry that prepared him to take on his new role as a health professional.

Combining interests in medicine with working with his hands, dentistry was a natural choice for Jeff Remakel, D.D.S.

And when it came time to choose a dental school, the University of Minnesota’s School of Dentistry was a clear-cut choice.

No stranger to the University’s campus, Remakel graduated from the College of Liberal Arts in 2007. Upon enrolling in the School of Dentistry in the fall of 2007, Remakel quickly gained the hands-on experience he was looking for. During his first two years, he and his classmates practiced in the simulation lab and also worked in the Interprofessional Education and Resource Center with standardized patients-- or people trained to portray various health conditions who give students practice in patient management and ethical dilemmas. In years three and four, he began seeing patients in the dental school clinics.

Remakel had wide-ranging experiences in the School of Dentistry that prepared him to take on his new role as a health professional.

He served as the class president for four years, which provided him the opportunity to work with faculty and school administrators. Additionally, classes and rotations in oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, and oral pathology, for example, provided him a sound background to successfully treat patients.

Serving our state

Alongside acquiring the technical and tactical skills to be a dentist, Remakel also learned about the school’s dedication to serving our state and the underserved. The school has 8 different outreach clinics around the state: 6 in the greater metro area and 1 each in Willmar and Hibbing.

“In Hibbing and Willmar, the whole regions around those cities depend on our clinic for dental care,” said Remakel. “So our presence in those towns is critical to the oral health of their greater communities.”

Not only is the School of Dentistry important to patient care, it also serves as regional hub for continuing education and research.

“A lot of dentists come back to the U for continuing education—they’re relying on our school as an expert body to pioneer research and determine cutting-edge techniques,” Remakel said.

Next steps

Following graduation, Remakel will complete a one-year residency at the Minneapolis VA. He’ll work in a hospital-based setting and learn about medically compromised patients, sedation and anesthesia, and advanced clinical techniques.

“I’ve chosen to do a residency because it’s a great way to cement what I’ve learned during my last four years in dental school,” Remakel said. “Also, I want to continue learning in a supervised environment, and this will allow me that opportunity.”

After completing his residency, Remakel plans to go into private practice in the greater metro area. “I was born and raised here in Minnesota and it just feels like home,” he said. “I love all that it has to offer and the people who live here, and I’m excited to serve the people of our state.”

-- Emily Jensen