Brianna Chavis-Locklear ’20 receives the Society of American Indian Dentists Proctor and Gamble Scholarship

Brianna Chavis-Locklear, a second-year student at the ECU School of Dental Medicine, has received a scholarship from the Society of American Indian Dentists sponsored by Proctor and Gamble.

Ms. Chavis-Locklear, who is originally from Pembroke, N.C., is a student member of the Society of American Indian Dentists and a member of the Lumbee Tribe. She earned a bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“The scholarship application included an essay section describing how receiving this scholarship would allow me to enhance and advance the dental health of American Indian people,” said Chavis-Locklear. “My main goal is to bring positive change through oral health care to the lives of other American Indians as well as other underserved North Carolinians.”

Brianna Chavis-Locklear ‘20 received a 2017 Society of American Indian Dentists Proctor and Gamble Scholarship. Dean Greg Chadwick and Vice Dean Maggie Wilson presented the scholarship to Brianna.

She also hopes to serve as a role model for American Indians who are considering pursuing dentistry and serving the oral health needs of the underserved, especially American Indians.

Dr. Margaret Wilson, the dental school’s vice dean and associate dean for student affairs, stated, “We are particularly proud of students like Brianna, who plan to use their skills as dentists to meet oral health needs within their own communities. Through such dedication, our graduates fulfill the mission of the ECU School of Dental Medicine.”

Chavis-Locklear serves as class representative to the ECU Student Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. As an undergraduate at UNC-Chapel, she was banquet co-chair for the Carolina Indian Circle; minority advisor for the minority advising program; and service coordinator for the Undergraduate Student National Dental Association.

She attended the 2017 Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID) Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, in June and was recognized among dental students from across the country who received SAID scholarships.

During her fourth-year of dental school, she and her classmates will gain hands-on clinical experience treating patients during rotations at the school’s community service learning centers in eight rural and underserved communities across North Carolina, including a center in Robeson County near Pembroke.

The Society of American Indian Dentists (SAID) is a national, non-profit organization comprised of oral health professionals and students dedicated to promoting and improving the oral health of the American Indian/Alaskan Native community and providing advocacy for the American Indian/Alaskan Native dental professionals across the US, according to the organization’s website.