Full of hopes and dreams, I arrived in Boston in January 2012, within a year of finishing dental school in my home country, the Dominican Republic, to build a new life in the USA beside the man who is now my husband. As I adjusted to a new language, got married, and completed all paperwork necessary to work legally in America, I also seized opportunities to learn as much as possible about the practice of dentistry in the U.S. Shortly after my arrival, I began training to complete the requirements for Dental Assistant Certification and then landed a position with a prominent dentist in the Boston area. This position allowed me to both apply my education and, at the same time, continue to learn state-of-the-art techniques and expand my skill set.
I hope to be selected for your distinguished DDS/DMD program based on my contribution to dentistry, my passion for helping the underserved, and by serving as a role model for the oral health profession, particularly Latinas. I have also spent years in the independent study of nutrition and fitness, and I lead a group of women in a motivational course – Fit with Steph - to improve their health, wellness, and self-image.
Growing up, I spent countless hours daydreaming about becoming a dentist. I knew this profession would help me leverage my natural inclination toward the sciences and my detail-oriented personality. I have long craved the creativity that comes with Prosthodontics and the joy accompanying restoring the patient’s smile. More than anything else, dentistry will allow me to serve the underprivileged members of our society who need my help the most. In the summer following my graduation from high school, all my hopes and dreams were confirmed during a trip to Miami, where I shadowed my aunt, who is a dentist. She could not have been more inspiring. This opportunity to observe my aunt’s dedication to her patients, especially the poor, was the confirmation I needed that this was my calling.
After earning my DDS Degree Summa Cum Laude at the Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) in 2011, I served as a Dentist at the XXXX Dental and Esthetics Center while caring for patients on a volunteer basis. Since immigrating to the USA, I have worked as a Dental Assistant for several exceptionally gifted dentists, falling in love with new techniques, particularly dental implants for oral and maxillofacial restoration. We craft dentures from tinted porcelain that look so real that they are indistinguishable from natural teeth. I am developing an increasingly solid grasp of CEREC CAD/CAM, which enables us to perform same-day crown restorations. I was invited to be part of the Board of Trustees of the XXXX Hispanic Dental Association, providing opportunities to engage in dental outreach programs to members of our community. I also belong to the Hispanic International Mission. Last year we went to my country, the DR, specifically to a town called Samana, for a week of non-stop dental care for people without access to such care. Serving people in my homeland has been one of the most rewarding opportunities.
I know I have so much more to learn, and I keenly look forward to entirely rebooting my dental career and becoming licensed to practice dentistry in the U.S. After earning my degree, I am very much attracted to the idea of participating in government-sponsored community healthcare initiatives to dedicate myself most fully to the public service. Eventually, I would like to open my practice and further advance my education in a post-doctoral training program in Prosthodontics.
I have an intense thirst for knowledge, and I am determined to give the extra mile to achieve my dream of working here in the United States as a dentist. I have had the experience of working with a vast variety of populations, from children to the elderly, from the extremely poor to those with a lot of money; I know instinctively how to react to every situation, and I am highly effective at gaining the trust of all my patients. An authentic and compassionate clinician, I produce and provoke a lot of smiles. As a student in your program, I will also be able to learn many things of terrific value from my fellow foreign dentists, listening to experiences about dentistry in their home countries, a mutually enriching experience.
I look forward to further developing my leadership and patient-care skills to make the most significant contribution possible to the field and every patient I have the privilege to care for in the years to come. I am confident that I can be an asset to your IDP this year, and I thank you for considering my application.
Dominican Dentist to IDP Personal Statement
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