Introducing the Integrative Mind-Body Wellness Initiative

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The Integrative Mind-Body Wellness Initiative’s goal is to empower D.D.S. students with the necessary life skills and tools to better manage stress and prevent burnout throughout their future careers, making them resilient practitioners.
April 1, 2024

Holistic support of the UCLA dental student experience is at the core of the new Integrative Mind-Body Wellness Initiative (IMBWI).

Developed by Health Sciences Assistant Clinical Professor Dr. Sheila Yaghmai, and with financial support from the Office of the Dean, the initiative’s stated goal is to empower D.D.S. students with the necessary life skills and tools to better manage stress and prevent burnout throughout their future careers, making them resilient practitioners. The IMBWI aligns with a campus-wide movement to consolidate and enhance health and wellness resources, such as the Be Well Bruin website launched by UCLA Student Affairs last year.

“The pressures of a dental school education are ever-increasing, between didactic and clinical studies, extracurriculars, and determining a postgraduate pathway,” said Dr. Yaghmai, who also serves as a group practice director in the Westwood clinic.
“I am grateful that School of Dentistry leadership is being so responsive to student needs, empowering us to activate a full suite of services that support their positive mental well-being.”

In partnership with UCLA Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the IMBWI includes:

  • Dedicated lectures and workshops on Integrative Mind-Body Wellness Practices incorporated into first-year through fourth-year didactic curriculum
  • Regular monthly lunchtime small group discussions 
  • Quarterly behavior modification seminars, including yoga, breathing, and meditation exercises. Yoga sessions take place Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.
  • Aggregated list of campus partners and online resources, on subjects ranging from mindfulness to test-taking anxiety to sleep
  • A safe physical space within the School of Dentistry for students seeking help to meet with an on-site CAPS therapist, twice per week
     

More information, as well as counseling appointment sign-up procedures and a confidential feedback form, is available on the IMBWI webpage.

“The UCLA School of Dentistry was an early adaptor of the humanistic approach to dental education,” said Dr. Paul H. Krebsbach, dean and professor. “Launching the Integrative Mind-Body Wellness Initiative, in tandem with the academic and career support from our Office of Student Services, sets our D.D.S. candidates up for long-term success in all facets of their UCLA experience.”