Meet the Mentor: Jose Mauricio Caicedo Rojas

Contact: jmcr@bu.edu
Gender Identity & Pronouns: Male – He/Him/His
Affinity Groups: gFIRST, gGLOBAL, gSOC, gMAV
Race/Ethnicity and/or Nationality: Hispanic, Colombian Indian
Languages: Spanish, English
Hometown: Everett, MA
Education: BA, Psychology, Boston College; MS Oral Health Sciences, Boston University; CDA/ DT. Academy of Health Sciences
Industry/Interest: Healthcare, team building, Dentistry

Personal Facts/Hobbies:

Quick run through my life, born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, spent my childhood and early teens running through the planes and beautiful mountains of my country, exploring with my uncles and cousins, Catholic school education by Jesuits.  During summers and vacations,  we enjoyed the outdoors with my family.  We left Colombia due to the cocaine wars in 1983.

Arriving in Boston, our home has been in Everett, MA,  where I attended high school, I held part time jobs and played soccer, track and tennis well enough to get a few scholarship offers,  and decided to attend Boston College,  getting a psychology degree.  During my Junior year, I joined the army reserve, basic was in Fort Knox, Kentucky and AIT at Fort Sam Houston, was trained as a dental assistant and dental technician.

After returning home from training I worked for Harvard doing various research jobs, where I met my wife, raised a family and have two wonderful kids that are my pride and joy, Daughter 22, Son 16.

Worked at Harvard dental school from 2000, started as a dental assistant,  became a lead trainer of third and fourth year dental students, managed the faculty and teaching practice clinical staff, for a few years and learned the business and managerial side of dentistry,  rotated through all dental specialties, acquiring clinical skills and knowledge, totally enjoyed this part of my life, I loved showing the next generation of dentist a few dental tricks and hand skills, I found it  rewarding to be able to pass on the skills, until I decided  to make my dream of becoming a dentist a reality.

I was blessed to be accepted into the Oral Health Sciences program by Dr. Davies, Spent 2021-2022 working hard and mastering new ways to learn, while making new friends.  The academic challenge was great but teaming up with a few friends we conquered the challenging curriculum, we learned to study together, we taught each other the hard concepts and leaned on each other for support and accountability.  This has been my most transformational year in many aspects  both professional, personal.  I have proven to myself and the world that I’m ready to conquer any dental school curriculum and thrive.

Currently applying to dental schools for admission in 2023. Also working at Boston University’s dental School  postgraduate endodontic department as a dental assistant for a 20 resident cohort.  I’m learning new techniques and asking lots of questions, it’s fascinating, the root system can be very complicated, the clinical skills of the faculty are amazing and the residents are very hard working.  The story will continue but the next chapter is yet to be written, to be continued…