Biomedical Science Graduate Accepted to Dental School, Dreams of Opening Own Practices

Kobichukwudi Anigbogu (B.I.S. ’25), a biomedical science and enterprise graduate, will start dental school this summer, and aspires to one day open multiple dental practices in the United States and abroad.

ATLANTA — Growing up, Kobichukwudi Anigbogu (B.I.S. ’25) had the chance to talk with countless dentists because of his mother’s role as a dental company executive. This exposure to the dental profession inspired him to become a dentist focused on helping underserved communities.

Anigbogu’s hard work in the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies in Biomedical Science and Enterprise program in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences has paid off. The spring 2025 graduate was accepted into four dental schools, and he will attend Meharry Medical College’s School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tenn., starting in June.

His goal is to become a dentist who makes an impact on many people, particularly in underserved communities. He wants to open multiple dental practices with his mother in the United States and Nigeria, where he has close family ties. In addition, Anigbogu wants to become a public speaker who promotes the importance of oral healthcare.

He also aims to have a mobile healthcare clinic that helps underserved populations, including the homeless, with issues related to gum or tooth pain and provides oral cancer screenings.

“Some people are in dire need of dental care or are in pain,” Anigbogu said. “Our teeth are interlinked with other medical conditions.”

Anigbogu, who grew up in Gwinnett County, Ga., and spent many Christmas breaks in Nigeria with family, attributes his drive for success to the example set by his parents. His mother has risen to the position of vice president of dental hygiene at a dental corporation, and his father, an entrepreneur who lives in Nigeria, owns several businesses.

Anigbogu’s Nigerian culture also deeply influenced him. As the oldest son in his immediate family, known as the “diokpa” in Nigerian culture, there were high expectations for him to succeed and be a good role model for his younger siblings, he said.

To prepare for dental school, Anigbogu shadowed dentists throughout his college studies. These experiences made him aware of the anxiety that dental patients experience. Desiring to make a difference, he also secured an internship at a dental office that allowed him to conduct research on dental patients’ anxiety. In the future, he would like to develop technology to help reduce that anxiety.

At Georgia State, Anigbogu participated in a variety of student activities and volunteer opportunities. He was co-founder and co-president of Aspiring African Medical Professionals (AAMP), a new student organization that won the Royal Flame Award for Outstanding Large-Scale Campus Program on the Atlanta Campus in 2024.

AAMP, along with other medical- and healthcare-focused groups at Georgia State, produced the university’s inaugural Medical Mixer, which invited more than 40 medical professionals to connect with Georgia State students. Students were able to build networks and identify shadowing and internship opportunities in clinics and hospitals across the metro Atlanta area. AAMP held the Medical Mixer event again this year.

Anigbogu also mentored first-year students on how to succeed in college, organized a 5K run to spread awareness about breast cancer, and volunteered at food drives for the homeless and a dental clinic in Nigeria, bringing much-needed dental products to the Ozubulu village.

While it was challenging to juggle his classes, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, shadowing opportunities and studying for the Dental Admission Test, the key to success was finding balance, he said.

Anigbogu chose to attend Georgia State because of the university’s diverse student population and his desire to attend college in a major city.

“I had huge dreams and wanted to be in a city,” Anigbogu said. “I’ve learned so much about myself. It’s molded me into the person that I’ve become today. I am a proud Panther. I love Atlanta, and I love Georgia State.”

When Anigbogu came to Georgia State, he initially wanted to be a science major and minor in business, but he’d have had to graduate late to fit in his dental school prerequisites, which he didn’t want to do. Then, he learned about the biomedical science and enterprise major, which was the best of both worlds.

“I’m one of the biggest advocates for this major,” Anigbogu said. “This is exactly what I wanted, combining science and business.”

He said he enjoyed the classes, particularly the Careers in Biomedical Science course, and learned valuable lessons.

“Don’t box yourself in,” Anigbogu said. “This major gives you a chance to explore other things. Also, be open minded. You don’t know what you might want to do with your future.”

Now, Anigbogu is ready for the next exciting step in his career journey. When he started receiving phone calls about being accepted to dental school, he recalls getting three calls in one day. The experience seemed surreal.

“It’s nothing I could have imagined in my wildest dreams,” Anigbogu said.

— Story by LaTina Emerson