Priscilla Peters
Priscilla Peters is a first-year DMD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. She graduated from the University of Rochester in May 2025 with a BA in Public Health, Biology, and Chemistry. During college, she enrolled patients in clinical research studies in the emergency department, where she first became interested in addressing the health disparities affecting many ER patients. She also spent a summer working at a Federally Qualified Health Center focused on dental care. Priscilla is excited to apply her public health background and passion for high-quality healthcare to research this summer.
Peters works with Dr. Katherine Theken, a professor in the Departments of Pharmacology and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Penn Dental Medicine, to study how social determinants of health influence opioid prescribing trends in the emergency department for patients with dental concerns. Through this work, she hopes to better understand how current prescribing practices can be improved to reduce the risk of opioid misuse among dental patients.
At Penn, Peters performs as a violinist in the Penn Medicine Symphony Orchestra and serves as a graduate resident advisor in one of the college houses. She is also involved in the Indian Student Dental Association and enjoys volunteering with school groups.