Name: Leland James Pond, Jr.

Tribe: Northern Cheyenne and Assiniboine

Hometown: Lame Deer, MT

I am an American Indian of Northern Cheyenne and Assiniboine Heritage currently attending ATSU Dental School at ASDOH. I was raised in Lame Deer, MT on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. My desire to serve where I feel I am needed most has driven my lifelong ambition to become the first member of the Assiniboine (Nakota) Tribe to become a Dentist. I have dedicated my life to serving the Native American community as a citizen and as a healthcare professional. Prior to enrolling at ASDOH, I served 4 years providing Clinical Laboratory and Radiology services for the Nez Perce tribe. Although the number of Native American Health care professionals is on the rise, it is still the most underrepresented group of people in health care today. I chose a life of public service to address this disparity and to improve the standards of care provided to my people. My goal is to serve as a Dentist, and a role model in the Native American community and work to meet the health care needs of the Native American people. The certificate of public health in combination with the DMD degree will provide me with the tools to meet these goals, and to help set a higher standard of care in my home community.