Heather Loo
Heather Loo is a dental student at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. She earned a B.S. in Health Science from Boston University, where she became aware of the lack of updated data on dental care access in Massachusetts. This observation motivated her to complete a senior thesis on MassHealth and oral care access, investigating both patient and provider barriers to program participation. The project sparked her interest in dental advocacy and the influence of the social determinants of health on oral health.
As an LDI Research Fellow, Loo worked on two projects. The first is the MOLAR Study with Dr. Danielle Cullen in the Emergency Department at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she examined how patients’ age and insurance type affected their ability to access dental appointments. She also worked with Dr. Erica Dixon at Accelerate Health Equity, an organization that provides resources, research, and grants to address racism in healthcare and promote health equity in Philadelphia. Loo helped create a dashboard showcasing the work of the Regional Coalition to Eliminate Race-Based Medicine—a tool designed to inform both patients and providers.
In her free time, Heather enjoys needlepointing, hiking, and visiting art museums.