From the moment her orthodontist fitted her for braces in fourth grade, Whitney Warth knew she wanted to be a dentist.
The engaged interaction between provider and patient, the relationship building, the blend between art and science — the nuances that define dentistry were all so intriguing. Warth set her sights on the field and has never looked back.
And at OHSU, Warth’s passion has grown in ways she never expected.
“Everything about my future is impacted by my experience here.”
Whitney Warth
“Patient interactions, being able to ease pains and worries, the hands-on, artistic part of dentistry — putting all that together is what drew me in,” said Warth, a third-year D.M.D. student at the OHSU School of Dentistry. “Being at OHSU has taught me to think bigger.”
Warth has a knack for exploring everything her field has to offer — and tends to venture a little outside of it, too. When she attended the University of Oregon to work toward her Bachelor of Science in human physiology, she also enrolled in the university’s honors college, where she encountered a broad liberal arts education in addition to her undergraduate studies. Warth, who was adopted from China as a baby and grew up in Portland, also co-founded and was co-president of Adopted Students United, a university club for adopted students.
Warth graduated from the University of Oregon in 2021 and returned to Portland to work for a year as a dental assistant to gain exposure and experience before continuing her education. When Warth was in high school, she participated in the OHSU Dental Explorers program, an introductory experience showcasing what a dentistry career offers. So, when it came time to apply to dental school, the choice was obvious.
“At the Dental Explorers program, everyone was always so welcoming and kind,” Warth said. “There was a sense of community. Then, seeing them again at college career fairs with their warm smiles made me so glad to find a familiar face among the crowds. I always had a fondness toward OHSU because of those positive experiences.”
Warth began dental school at OHSU in 2022 with an eager nervousness befitting a first-year dentistry student. As the nerves gradually melted away, Warth’s scope and interests expanded. She was an All-Hill Student Council student representative her first year, served on the executive board as communications coordinator her second year and is marketing vice president this year.
Warth’s work early on with All-Hill opened up new possibilities and piqued her interest in other experiences and ways to connect.
“It’s really important to connect as a community, not to just stay isolated within your school,” she said.
This year, Warth is serving as dental student co-chair of the Bridges Collaborative Care Clinic, a student-run community clinic that provides both enriching education for students and care for underserved populations.
“As a first-year student, it’s just kind of about trying to survive and learning as much about dentistry as possible,” Warth said. “But after working with these programs and taking classes that have exposed us to systemic health and social work, my thinking expanded to how dental care relates to overall care.”
Student support has helped shape Warth’s growth throughout her educational journey. Her undergraduate education and her first two years at OHSU were supported by the Ford Family Foundation, and she also benefits from the OHSU School of Dentistry general scholarship fund.
Knowing her education is being invested in has been a major boon to her confidence and allows her to focus on her studies.
“Any support is always an encouragement to know someone is recognizing the work I’m doing, believes in me and hopes the best for me,” Warth said. “It helps me remember that what I have here is a gift.”
As Warth looks toward the horizon, she sees herself staying around Portland. The opportunities OHSU has provided her are endless — every path is open.
“Everything about my future is impacted by my experience here,” Warth said. “This time of growth for me and my classmates, we’ve changed a lot from our first year to our second year, second year to third year. We’ve changed and grown. I’ll always remember the people, my classmates and the faculty who’ve supported us.”
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