Thursday Talks: Auria “Audi” Alvarado and Loida Lopez-Olivera
Every first-year student in RSDM’s traditional DMD program meets Auria “Audi” Alvarado and Loida Lopez-Olivera, or as students call them, preclinic moms. Learn more about them below.
Auria “Audi” Alvarado
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at RSDM.
I am a head clerk in the preclinical area at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. Outside of Rutgers, I was also a registered dental assistant. As a head clerk, you work with all the students in one bulk rather than one clinic as a dispensary clerk.
How long have you been here, and why did you decide to come to RSDM?
I’ve been here for 20 years. I’ve been in the preclinic for 10, and prior to that, I worked in the clinic. I was hired as a dispensary clerk.
What do you like the most about RSDM?
I enjoy the students. At the beginning, the D1s are sometimes scared to approach us, but I love working and interacting with them. You get to teach them more as they prepare to go upstairs to the clinic. I’ll be out on the floor all the time if Loida lets me.
What do you enjoy doing outside the school?
I enjoy spending time with my family. Also, in my free time and at home, I occasionally work on small projects where I like to make things out of foam paper.
Who started calling you and Loida the “preclinic moms”?
It was a class president named Serah Uddaraju of the Class of 2015. He started it at the convocation, saying how he wanted to thank “our preclinic moms.” He said some beautiful stuff. My hair was rising; he gave me goosebumps.
Loida Lopez-Olivera
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at RSDM.
I am, by trade, a registered dental assistant for over 30 years. I am currently a head clerk in the pre-clinical area at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
How long have you been here, and why did you decide to come to RSDM?
In May, I just celebrated my 26 years of service at the university. I decided to join the university, which was formerly known as UMDNJ in May of 1997. There were several reasons for why I joined an educational institution after working many years in private practice like the benefits such as retirement, medical/dental benefits, and college remission for my children.
What do you like the most about RSDM?
What I like most about working at RSDM is the opportunity to work alongside dental students. During my years here, I have learned about different ethnicities, cultures, and faiths which has allowed me to flourish as a person. The students keep me young, and I feel we are like a family. Students spend long hours in the preclinical lab which makes it more hours with me than with their own families. In a sense, we have formed our own family here, and I notice when my students are upset, tired, or just need a snack. We celebrate the little wins such as a practical or big life event like a wedding.
What do you enjoy doing outside the school?
What I enjoy doing outside of school is spending time with my beloved husband and my two daughters. I love hiking, baking, and teaching children in Sunday school.
