SAI Vision & Values

Our Vision

To cultivate a rich, diverse student body and community of scholars in which all can thrive and feel they belong.

Class of 2025 White Coat
UFCD Class of 2025 Professional Coating Ceremony

With our society changing inexorably and embracing cultural diversity, no challenge exists or has greater importance in higher education and dental education than the challenge of integrating students and faculty from diverse cultural and ethnic minority groups. The presence of these students and faculty enriches the university community, offers opportunity for robust academic dialogue, contributes to better teaching and research, and ultimately leads to improved quality of patient care for our state. UF defines diversity as broad diversity, which means all aspects of individuals that contribute to a robust academic environment including experience, perspectives, disciplines, geographic background, talent, family socioeconomic background, disability, ethnicity, race, gender and other characteristics.

The university and its components benefit from the richness of relationships with a multicultural student body, faculty, and staff who can learn from one another. Such diversity empowers and inspires respect and understanding within the UF College of Dentistry family.

EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

INSIGHT Into Diversity HEED Award Recipient

UFCD is proud to be an eight-time recipient of the Insight into Diversity Higher Education Excellence in Diversity, or HEED Award. In 2015 UFCD was a recipient of the HEED Award, and has received the Health Professions HEED Award every year since its inception.

HEED award logo

Our Values