Bo Chao was finishing her third year of her master’s program in dentistry at Jilin University in Changchun, China, when she decided she wanted to see the world and experience a different culture while improving her dentistry skills.
"I applied to the China Scholarship Council (CSC) program and felt lucky to get an interview at the UNMC College of Dentistry. I was impressed by the college’s dental program and their focus on hands-on learning," Bo said. "I was excited that the college provided ample hands-on training in patient care, which is the main difference between my dental education at UNMC versus my dental education in China."
"I was also impressed by the college’s focus on technology. I’ve learned a lot about digital dentistry and have been able to practice my clinical skills in the college’s new clinical and virtual simulation laboratory using the latest hands-on learning technology," Bo said.
Bo grew up in Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia in northern China, and received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in dentistry from Jilin University. Now a third-year dental student at the College of Dentistry, Bo is exceling in the dental program.
In 2019, Bo received a competitive UNMC E-Learning program award to create a tool to help dental students study more efficiently. She worked with Safia Rauf, a third-year dental student, and Dr. Sung Kim, their faculty advisor, to create an E-Learning module, "Guess My Age from Dental Radiographs," that will help students learn dental anatomy.
Not only is Bo shining in the classroom, she goes above and beyond to provide exceptional patient care.
"Every day, I am learning so much while I’m treating patients, especially how to study a patients' medical history and how to build a good dentist-patient relationship," Bo said.
Bo’s patients enjoy working with her. One patient said, "I really enjoyed my appointment with Bo and thanked her teacher for having her involved in my treatment."
Bo is quick to attribute her success to the College of Dentistry’s collaborative learning environment.
"Everyone is always willing to help each other. I am learning from everyone – all the faculty, staff and students. By assisting different students, I learn how to communicate with patients and be more efficient," Bo said.
Bo is also involved in the college’s community outreach. She has volunteered at Clinic with a Heart, a community clinic for the underserved, and at Children’s Dental Day, an annual event where the college treats underserved children from across Nebraska. She enjoys talking to the patients and helping them understand the importance of oral health.
Bo’s experience at the College of Dentistry has been overwhelmingly positive. While initially she was anxious about being immersed in a different culture, she now describes UNMC and Lincoln as her "second home."
"I’ve learned that no matter our background or where we come from, we all have more in common than we think," Bo said.
When she graduates, Bo is interested in applying to residency programs to gain more dentistry experience in the United States. She also hopes to work with digital dentistry and credits the college’s faculty with helping her realize her interest in digital dentistry.
Wonderful feature on Bo Chao, we're proud she is an alum of the E-Learning Awards Program ! Here's to your bright future Bo!