I listen to the clock chime at 3 am. My mother’s shrieks slashed through the night's deafening silence, and I found her at the bottom of a flight of stairs. Again, it is one of those moments when my father had brutally and unapologetically crossed the line. My worst fears were confirmed when I saw my mother unconscious on the floor, her front teeth falling out, and her forehead cut open. Worse than usual, this was nothing new; something similar had happened several times before. What made this episode much worse was that we had just arrived in America, where we knew almost no one and spoke little English. My mother was wounded in a thousand ways, and I have always stood by her side; we picked up the pieces together. Among the many depravations that we had to endure over those first few years in America as new Polish immigrants, what brought me the most grief was that we could not fix my mother’s teeth. This has a lot to do with why I decided on Dentistry as a career and now hope to be selected for your DDS or DMD program.
With the assault, my mother lost her confidence, no longer smiling. When she talked, she covered her mouth. Her pitiful state tore me apart, and I pondered over the massive change I could bring to her life and the lives of many others if I became a dentist. I am incredibly passionate about working in communities that cannot afford healthcare. This is what I see as my destiny.
I will never forget my shadowing experience with Dr. ____. I was amazed by the sophisticated settings, instruments, and procedures. He provided me with at least some hands-on experience in Dentistry, for which I will be eternally grateful. I was particularly fascinated by how he infused a ‘personal touch’ in his treatment and raised awareness about oral health maintenance. I also assisted the dental hygienist when patients had their stones removed and were dealing with infections that caused bleeding. Previously, I enjoyed excellent observership experiences alongside Dr. ____ and Dr. ____.
I especially adore the technological aspects of Dentistry that enhance our precision and efficiency. It was a particular privilege for me to assist Dr. ____ during surgery when he was testing innovative technology for implants for the first time. This innovative technology made the procedure less time-consuming, and the patient was more comfortable. He showed me how to use a 3D scan of the patient’s mouth to determine the exact dimensions to perform a perfect restoration. During the procedure, Dr. ____ drilled with the cap on the teeth, and the patient left the same day pain-free and smiling.
At the ____ Prosthodontics office, where I shadowed a fantastic prosthodontist, we had a patient that suffered from vision loss and a foot amputation resulting from diabetes. However, this did not mar her spirit; she regularly visited the dentist. The dentist started by sharing the treatment plan with her and guiding her through the process. In the beginning, she had denture prosthodontics. Still, because of complications, bone loss, and rim, the doctors decided to proceed with the immediate load on the top and bottom teeth, doing the implants, crowns, and prosthetics. I was amazed by the state-of-the-art technical development and its usage to profoundly improve people’s lives, especially the basics like chewing food. The doctors completely altered her life, and she walked out of the office with excitement and appreciation. I was deeply inspired to note that the dentists provided their services pro-bono since she had a minimal income. I want to follow suit.
I thrive on multiculturalism and the celebration of diversity, and I want to be able to provide something of profound importance to the community; at some point, I hope to initiate a charity for children from low-income families. Dentistry would allow me to leverage my resources and translate my dreams into reality. I want to contribute to orchestrating improvements in oral health care at the grassroots level, serving humankind first here in the USA, then later. as I become established and successful, also helping the underserved back home in Poland.
Thank you for considering my application to Dental School.
Dental School Personal Statement