Dr. Dante Anthony Tolentino is a nurse scientist, educator, and leader whose work bridges nursing informatics, health disparities, and social determinants of health. As an Assistant Professor at UCLA, he has dedicated his career to uncovering the mechanisms that drive healthcare inequities, particularly among minoritized populations. His research seeks to explore how culture, racism, environmental factors, and structural barriers shape health outcomes—and, ultimately, how nursing and technology can be leveraged to create more equitable healthcare solutions.
A native of Baguio City, with family roots in Pampanga, Dr. Tolentino’s professional journey has been shaped by an unconventional yet impactful trajectory. He started as a step-down cardiac nurse at Stanford before transitioning into clinical informatics, where he found his niche in integrating technology and nursing practice. “I never planned to specialize in nursing informatics,” he admits. “After working as a cardiac nurse, I moved to a community hospital where I managed cardiovascular data for benchmarking, national reporting, and quality improvement. When our hospital started transitioning from paper to electronic health records (EHRs), there were very few nurses who understood informatics, let alone had any interest in it.”
It was a mentor, Gracie O’Brien, who recognized his background in computer technology and encouraged him to help digitize the hospital’s paper flow sheets. What was initially meant to be a temporary, nine-month project turned into a full-time role when the hospital formally hired him as an informatics nurse. That unexpected career shift became the foundation for his lifelong commitment to optimizing healthcare through technology.
“Specializing in nursing informatics has profoundly shaped my career by allowing me to make a tangible difference in how clinicians use technology,” Dr. Tolentino explains. “I’ve seen how well-designed informatics solutions can enhance patient safety, improve workflows, and reduce clinician burnout. But I’ve also seen how poor EHR implementations can create new barriers, disrupt workflows, and increase cognitive load, taking valuable time away from patient care.” His experiences in informatics led him to pursue a Ph.D. in nursing, focusing on how technology shapes clinical practice. He became passionate about improving EHR usability, reducing workflow inefficiencies, and leveraging data to drive better health outcomes.
Dr. Tolentino’s perspective on nursing is both pragmatic and empowering. He firmly believes that the profession extends beyond the bedside. “Nursing is an incredibly diverse profession,” he says. “We need to embrace that diversity and stop perpetuating the idea that the only way to be a ‘real’ nurse is by providing direct patient care. Whether we work at the bedside, in administration, in research, in public health, or in informatics, we are still nurses. Each role contributes to advancing healthcare, and we should empower every nurse to find their own path.”
His Filipino heritage has played a significant role in shaping his leadership philosophy and commitment to representation in nursing education. “Many assume that being Filipino and becoming a nurse is almost a cliché, but my journey wasn’t influenced by cultural expectations,” he shares. “When my family moved to the U.S., life was challenging, and my main goal was financial stability. Nursing was the most reliable path.” He stresses that there should be no shame in choosing nursing for financial security, as many Filipino nurses do.
Over time, he developed a deep passion for the profession, particularly in advancing nursing knowledge through research. One realization that fueled his academic pursuits was the lack of visible Filipino American Ph.D.-trained nurses. “Filipino nurses make up at least 30% of California’s nursing workforce, yet we are underrepresented in academic and leadership roles,” he points out. “I encourage my fellow kababayans to pursue a Ph.D. in nursing because our presence in research and education is vital for the future of healthcare.”
Dr. Tolentino sees both challenges and opportunities in integrating informatics into nursing education and practice. One of the biggest hurdles, he notes, is the lack of awareness and leadership engagement. “Despite nearly two decades in informatics, I’m still surprised by how little many nursing professionals understand about it. The shortage of informatics educators, limited faculty training, and the digital divide make it difficult to integrate informatics effectively into nursing programs.”
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and predictive analytics adds another layer of complexity. “Nursing curricula struggle to keep pace with technological advancements,” he explains. “By the time informatics content is updated, the technology has already changed. Many faculty members don’t have the resources to continuously retrain themselves, which means students often enter the workforce unprepared for the digital tools they’ll be expected to use.”
In clinical practice, the constant changes in healthcare technology can be overwhelming for frontline nurses. “EHR updates, new clinical decision support tools, and evolving documentation requirements contribute to technology fatigue,” he says. “Nurses are expected to adapt quickly, often without sufficient training, which leads to frustration and inefficiencies.”
To bridge these gaps, Dr. Tolentino advocates for a multi-pronged approach: increasing informatics education, standardizing informatics roles, addressing digital inequities, and securing funding for better integration of technology into healthcare and nursing education. “Only when informatics is fully embraced as a critical component of nursing can we maximize its potential to enhance patient care,” he asserts.
For Filipino nurses interested in informatics and digital health, Dr. Tolentino offers valuable advice:
- Take informatics courses to truly understand the field—it’s not just about using a computer but about transforming data into meaningful insights.
- Recognize that informatics extends beyond technology; it involves workflow design, human-centered approaches, and system optimization.
- Develop project management and quality improvement skills, as informatics plays a central role in healthcare transformation.
- Volunteer for health IT projects in your hospital to gain hands-on experience.
- Engage with informaticists and learn from their expertise.
- Understand your hospital’s EHR system and learn how to optimize it.
- Learn how to train others, as informatics often involves education and user support.
- Lead from wherever you are—rather than complaining about system inefficiencies, take an active role in proposing solutions.
Reflecting on his role at UCLA, Dr. Tolentino finds immense fulfillment in mentoring students and young scholars. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my position is guiding students who are passionate about health equity and digital health,” he says. “At a time when equity research faces increasing scrutiny, it’s more important than ever to nurture students’ critical thinking and help them ground their research in their personal values.”
His research on Filipino American health disparities is also deeply personal. “Much of my work in my lab is inspired by my late father, who struggled with type 2 diabetes before passing away due to complications. His experience fuels my commitment to improving diabetes outcomes through culturally relevant research.”
Dr. Tolentino’s message to the global Filipino nursing community is one of leadership, innovation, and lifelong learning. “Nurses play a critical role in healthcare, yet our contributions are often overshadowed. We are leaders. Whether we are at the bedside, in informatics, in research, or in education, we are shaping the future of healthcare.”
He emphasizes the need to respect and support all nursing roles. “Non-bedside nurses are not ‘lesser’ nurses. Every role contributes to patient care in different but equally important ways. If we want to truly advance healthcare, we must recognize and embrace this diversity.”
Lastly, he urges Filipino nurses to take ownership of their professional growth. “If further education is needed for your career aspirations, pursue it. If new technologies emerge, be at the forefront—learn them, experiment with them, and advocate for their implementation. We need a seat at the table when healthcare decisions are made. If that space isn’t given to us, we must create it for ourselves.”
Dr. Tolentino’s journey exemplifies the power of nursing beyond the bedside. His work in informatics, education, and research is shaping a future where technology serves as a tool for equity, efficiency, and improved patient outcomes. Through his leadership, he continues to inspire Filipino nurses worldwide to break barriers, embrace innovation, and redefine what it means to be a nurse in the modern era.
