09/24/2025
🌟Student Spotlight: Jacob Peterson🌟
📍 Hometown: Lexington, South Carolina
🎓 Undergraduate Institution: University of South Carolina
💙 Why rural health and access to care matters to me:
“Rural health and access to care matter to me because they allow me to bring my passion for dentistry to individuals who are often limited by distance, cost, or both. I’ve been blessed with the ability to care for others, and I believe it’s my responsibility to use those skills where they’re most needed. Through my experiences, I’ve seen how compassionate care can truly change lives. As I pursue a career in a hospital-based setting, I’m committed to continuing that mission—giving of myself fully to serve those in need and ensuring that quality care is never out of reach, no matter where someone lives.”
🦷 Community Involvement:
Volunteered at every RAM clinic UKCD has participated in: Hazard (twice), Lick Creek (twice), Bowling Green, and Mayfield, KY.
Active participant in nearly every Saturday Morning Clinic, where introducing kids to oral health has taught the importance of building trust in care.
Looking forward to serving at Mission Lexington this year.
📘 What UKCD has meant to me:
“UKCD has given me countless opportunities to engage with the community and the education needed to provide truly meaningful care. It allowed me to act on my desire to serve, which has shaped me into a better person, a better dentist, and someone with a clearer sense of purpose. I’ve always known that I loved connecting with people, but UKCD helped me realize that what I value most is serving them.”
✨ Fun Facts:
Enjoys reading, exercising, traveling, scuba diving, cooking, and overall health.
Currently studying Russian to better connect with his girlfriend and her family.