Founder and President
Planet Smilez
University of Maryland School of Dentistry
Kathryn Pawlak, DDS is a Board-Certified Pediatric Dentist and is the President/Founder at Planet Smilez Inc. Dr. Pawlak earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart and William SmithColleges. Before entering dental school, she began her mission in dental education by founding a non-profit, Planet Smilez, where she serves as Founder and Executive Director. Her inspiration for Planet Smilez began as a child when she was first exposed to the inequalities in dental healthcare access and the impact it has on systemic healththough her own family’s lack of access to oral health care. During dental school at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, she developed the Planet Smilez Discovering Dentistry Camp to enable middle school and high school students to experience the field of dentistry and provide mentorship opportunities. Dr. Pawlak
pursued her specialty training in pediatric dentistry at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and was the recipient of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Resident Recognition Award for her passion in dental education and outreach during her residency training program. Dr. Pawlak is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and is the recipient of the Richard Pugh Scholars Award for scoring in the top 3% of all candidates taking the written portion of the pediatric board exam. She is passionate about pathways to dentistry and dental education as she currently teaches pre-doctoral dental students and post-doctoral residents pediatric dentistry in Buffalo, NY.
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Pathways to Bright Futures & Planet Smilez: Working to End the Dental Workforce Shortage in Maryland
Monday, April 7, 2025
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM East Coast USA Time