A voluntary, pre-matriculation summer session for selected first-year dental students has been evolved to facilitate their development and academic progress. With dental students, practicing dentists, and dental school faculty as staff, the program focuses on basic science foundations, effective study skills, pre-clinical techniques, and professional role models. Students and program have been evaluated formatively and summatively through achievement tests, questionnaires, informal feedback sessions, and performance in the first-year curriculum. Results indicate that this program of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective activities provides enrichment for the participants and useful education experience for the staff. (Author)