Jessica Meeske, DDS, MS, and Todd Pankratz, MD, are dedicated supporters of both the UNMC College of Dentistry and the UNMC College of Medicine. Their impact on UNMC is immense – they have helped countless students understand how to use their voices to make a lasting impact on health care.
Both native Nebraskans, Todd is from Henderson, attended Hastings College and the UNMC College of Medicine, and currently practices obstetrics and gynecology in Hastings. Jessica is from Murray and attended Hastings College, the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry and completed a residency at the University of Iowa in pediatric dentistry and dental public health.
Jessica is a senior partner at Pediatric Dental Specialists of Greater Nebraska, which has locations in Hastings, Grand Island, North Platte and Omaha. She has been a preceptor for 23 years, mentoring students and giving them firsthand experience in running a private practice. She offers the UNMC students rotating through her practice a unique, hands-on learning experience that leads them to becoming better health care providers and better leaders.
"When you give students the opportunity to really get their hands wet and start interacting with patients and doing procedures at a fast pace, you see their skill level build and their confidence really increases," Jessica said. "Being a preceptor, you not only have the opportunity to teach them the clinical side of dentistry, but how to be a leader and effect positive change."
Jessica encourages students to use their voices to help others.
"For example, this past spring I was talking with a student about how to see patients with Medicaid. The student shared with me that as a child growing up in South Dakota, her mom was a single parent and relied on Medicaid and other public programs," she said. "The student shared her personal story on a webinar we did for the American Dental Association on rural health equity and why it's important for all dentists to engage in caring for underserved patients, particularly those with Medicaid."
Jessica also inspires students to use their voices to stand up for what they believe in.
"I teach students that if you don't like something, you have an obligation to speak up and go in front of a group of policymakers. Sometimes positive change must happen on a policy level, not just an individual decision-making level for your patients," she said.
"Students rotating through my practice very quickly find themselves testifying in front of a school board, a city council or even the Nebraska Legislature. I think those soft skills are really important for students to gain."
For example, a few years ago Jessica encouraged two students to testify on a student loan repayment bill.
"I told them, ‘Tomorrow we're going to go down to the Nebraska Legislature because I think it's critical we're there to show how important this bill is. Since you're both students and you have a high level of debt, I think you should testify on this,’" she said.
Even though their first time testifying can be nerve-wracking, students are grateful for their experiences.
Todd, a past president of the Nebraska Medical Association, also feels it’s important to help students understand that "if you want to effect positive change on patient care, you have to actively take part in initiatives outside the clinic or hospital."
"Stepping up when you’re needed is an extension of what it means to be a health care professional and a leader," Jessica said.
Students who have rotated through Jessica’s and Todd’s practices have been grateful for their experiences. They gain an understanding of the importance of outreach to underserved populations, and many gain an interest in practicing in rural Nebraska.
For example, this past spring, students at Jessica’s practice were involved in providing care to underserved children in rural Nebraska who may otherwise have gone untreated. During this outreach event, the students also learned how to assist parents who may need dental care but don’t know how to apply for assistance.
"Todd and I feel strongly about giving students a positive clinical experience in a rural practice setting. Recruiting has never been an issue for us. We always have more people interested in coming to Hastings to practice than what we necessarily have the capacity to take on," Jessica said. "We are so thrilled that we have such an abundance of talent right here in Nebraska that we can recruit directly into our practices."
Jessica and Todd also established scholarships for both College of Dentistry and College of Medicine students. The scholarships are given to students who have an interest in becoming leaders within their profession or their specialty.
"The students who are chosen are doing really innovative things," Jessica said. "They are willing to step outside of their comfort zone and figure out how to advocate for positive change, whether that be within their college, working with the underserved, reforming Medicaid policies, etc."
They are also key supporters of the College of Dentistry’s new Clinical and Virtual Simulation Lab.
"When I was in dental school, we didn't even dream of being able to have a simulator. For students to have the opportunity to learn in a situation that closely mirrors clinical practice, that will really accelerate their learning," Jessica said.
Jessica and Todd encourage others to invest in the future of health care, whether with time, talent or treasure.
"If we want the next generation of health care providers to be ready to tackle all the real-world problems that we face, each of us just needs to step up and give where we can," Jessica said. "We can give in several ways. For me, early in my career, it was easier for me to give my time. Now I can give at different levels and reinvest in students."