ADA 10 Under 10: Meet Dr. Lauren Yap

Awards honor new dentists for demonstrating excellence

Lauren C. Yap, D.M.D., of Philadelphia — one of this year’s recipients of the ADA 10 Under 10 Award — became interested in dentistry after founding a Students Against Human Trafficking club in college and learning of the dental needs of human trafficking victims.

A 2019 graduate of the Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, Dr. Yap is now a clinical associate and the assistant program director for the Postdoctoral Pediatric Dental Residency Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.

Being a pediatric dentist has proved to be a natural fit for Dr. Yap. The former math teacher helps to ease her young patients’ dental fears by opening up to them about her personal interests and history as a teacher.

“When you’re able to share something about yourself, something that you love, something that you’re interested in and passionate about, you’ll find that others are willing to open up as well,” she said in a video by the American Dental Association.

The ADA New Dentist Committee chose the recipients of the 10 Under 10 Award for demonstrating excellence and inspiring others in science, research and education; practice excellence; philanthropy; leadership; and advocacy. All 10 awardees are ADA members who graduated from dental school less than 10 years ago. The honorees were announced in March during Elevate in Washington, D.C.

To learn more about the winners, visit ADA.org/10under10.