Moving Forward Together: Women’s History Month 2025 – Dra. Dina García
In keeping with the theme of this year’s Women’s History Month, this series highlights the importance and impact of mentoring partnerships between department faculty and their mentees.
Dra. Dina García is a scholar, scientist, teacher, and mentor whose impact reaches far beyond the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Her independent research focuses on uncovering the underlying causes and mechanisms of oral health inequities, and is strongly rooted in community partnership. She directs the Kalpulli Research Group, where she trains a group of students in community-grounded research activities. Additionally, she teaches two rigorous and popular courses for the department annually, and has served as research mentor for over 50 students across VCU, at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
One of the most important lessons she has taught me is the significance of truly focusing on and serving the community I am researching—and, in the future, the patients I will care for clinically. Her emphasis on meaningful engagement and ethical responsibility in research has deeply shaped my perspective, reinforcing my commitment to community-centered work both now and in my future medical career.
-Aashka Patel
Aashka Patel is an undergraduate student majoring in biology who began working with García as part of the Kalpulli Research Group last fall. Her recent paper examining access to oral health care for refugees in Central Virginia was one of three from VCU selected for presentation to Virginia lawmakers at the Capital this February. Patel emphasizes the impact that García has had not only on her education, but her life: “Over time, our relationship has evolved beyond just professional mentorship. She has become a close personal mentor, supporting me in various aspects of my life, including interpersonal relationships, medical school, and my future aspirations.”
Radhi Desai, another of García’s current mentees, is an undergraduate student in psychology and pre-dentistry. She is working with García to develop her honors thesis on oral health caregiving for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Desai writes that her mentor helps her stay focused on what’s important while working on her research: “…it’s very important to always self-reflect through a research experience to learn about what works best for me …. This approach really grounds me throughout my research experiences, reminding me that it’s not a race, but it’s a marathon and it should be a very rewarding and enjoyable experience too.”
García manages not only her research, teaching, and mentorship responsibilities, but also a leadership position as the Graduate Program Director for the department. In this role, she has redesigned and enhanced the admissions process and developed a new Cohort Success Program for first-year doctoral students. She also serves as faculty advisor for the student chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) at VCU, where she played a key role in establishing the chapter on campus. “Dra. García is incredibly inspiring,” says Patel, “demonstrating how to manage multiple responsibilities while staying committed to one’s passions. She leads by example, showing me how to balance research, personal well-being, and career ambitions.”
Dra. García inspires me through her passion for research, her commitment to excellence, and her genuine interest in my growth, both professionally and personally. She encourages me to challenge myself, ask questions, and think critically about my work. Her mentorship is characterized by thoughtful feedback and an openness to new ideas, which motivates me to push the boundaries of my own potential. Knowing that I can always turn to her for guidance and that she believes in my abilities has been a constant source of motivation, and it drives me to give my best in everything I do.
-Laura Armijos, D.D.S.
Dr. Laura Armijos is a pediatric dentistry fellow at the VCU School of Dentistry, and has worked with García since 2022. García is currently providing guidance on Armijos’ residency research project, which focuses on how the neighborhood environment shapes the oral health status of children living in the Greater Richmond area. Armijos describes the evolution of their relationship from a focus on research fundamentals to a more nuanced form of mentorship: “As I grew more confident, our conversations expanded beyond the classroom, delving into academic research, professional guidance, and personal development. What started as a student-teacher relationship has transformed into a more collaborative one, where I feel comfortable seeking her advice on both academic and career matters.”
Dra. García has a unique ability to see potential in me that I often don’t recognize in myself, inspiring me to push beyond my limits. She encourages self-reflection, helping me set clear goals and guiding me through the process of achieving them.
-Mariah Cropp
Another of García’s undergraduate mentees, Mariah Cropp, describes the unique, personal relationship García cultivates with each mentee. “Over time Dra. García and I created a strong bond,” says Cropp, “where she began to take a holistic approach in our mentor/ mentee relationship and she would support me in all my little and big wins.” Cropp is a student in the Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science (HPEX) program and a McNair scholar, currently working with her mentor on a project examining HPV vaccine uptake among Latinx populations in the Greater Richmond area. García encourages her to focus on the positive, and take pride in her work. “In a society where much of our focus is on the negative, choose joy and celebrate what may even be the smallest accomplishment,” she says.
