Bree Zhang

Background

About Bree Zhang

I combine music, art, psychology, narrative medicine, public health, teaching, and policy to tackle oral health inequity and explore humanism in medicine. Visit my website to learn more of my interdisciplinary approach where you can watch my TedXTalk. On a personal level, I have gained unique insight into the clinical field and patient-centered care, through my experiences as a surgical assistant, dental assistant, hospital and free-clinic volunteer. As an NHSC scholar, I will continue to do this after graduation. On a population level, I work to promote oral health education, mental-health informed patient care, and policy reform as American Public Health Association Oral Health Section Student Liaison and Columbia ASDA Advocacy Committee Representative. On a global level, I have worked as author of Module 7 of Harvard School of Dental Medicine's Global Health Starter Kit and a current International Collaboration and Exchange Program Fellow to raise awareness about the global burden of oral disease, center oral health within climate health, and decolonize global health. As current President of Class of 2026 at Columbia Dental and former Co-president of Class of 2022 at Brown University, I work to build community, nurture leadership, and foster connections within my class and between class years. I continue to push for more dental-medical-behavioral health integration by participating in curriculum innovation conversations and working to connect both the medical and dental students in my class.