Bigham, the assistant dean for student programs, has been at the school for more than 15 years and said carrying on the tradition of connection at the UMKC School of Dentistry has been a priority in his job.

That sense of family is reinforced through the creation of student groups, where classmates build camaraderie through happy hours, dances, potlucks and even an annual luau. Student organizations offer help labs for members, where upper-class students share tips and tricks.

The bond is further nurtured in students' "clinical family," where they get support academically as well as personally.

According to Michael LeBlanc (D.D.S. '03, PEDO '05), president of the UMKC Dental Alumni Association, that "clinical family" connects more than just dental students.

"Without question, it's like a family," he said. "I was married while I was in dental school. Although my wife wasn't a student, everyone in my class knew her just like she was another classmate."

It's a family that looks out for one another in a time of need, something LeBlanc experienced personally.

A few years ago, he was diagnosed with lymphoma. Now in remission, LeBlanc looks back at that time and is once again moved by how many of his classmates reached out to find out if he needed anything or if he needed someone to come in and see his patients while he was out.

"Things like that give me a lot of peace and stability in my profession," LeBlanc said. "That we, as dentists, have this unique connection that other professions don't have. Once you have that connection, it doesn't go away.