Your MS in Prosthodontics Program at the XXXX School of Dentistry is my first choice for continued professional advancement, primarily because of the sheer excellence of your program. A dentist from India, I have made the USA my permanent home since January 2015, and I now live in Indiana. After completing dental school in 2005, I practiced dentistry in India until I came to America last year. I have known since dental school that Prosthodontics was the area where I wanted to invest my professional life and strive for my maximum contribution. Thus, I also completed my master's degree in Prosthodontics in India in 2011 and a fellowship in Oral Implants in 2010.
Since my arrival 1.5 years ago, I have had the profound privilege of shadowing Dr. XXXX at XXXX Smiles Dental in Indianapolis for 20 hours weekly. Helping him with diverse duties and responsibilities in his clinic has enabled me to become well on my way to grasping how dentistry is practiced here in the USA.
I was born in a rural part of India in the State of Uttar Pradesh into a prosperous family of farmers with low levels of education. Therefore, I count myself as most fortunate to have risen to the rank of a professional, especially a dentist, and most of all, to have the opportunity to advance my career here in America. I have an excellent grasp of general dentistry, due to years of clinical experience, especially in Prosthodontics. I also taught dentistry in Nepal in addition to practicing in India.
I have contributed to research by conducting an in-vitro study and a thesis on the history of dental surveyors in India. I have also presented papers, organized table clinics, and poster presentations at Prosthodontics conferences. I have now published three articles on Prosthodontics in different journals. I want to devote the balance of my professional life to working to provide my community here in the USA with the finest dental care possible. I look forward to participating in dental care missions to the Developing World, Nepal, Africa, etc. I also look forward to a professional lifetime of research in Prosthodontics.
I conducted four single-day denture camps in Nepal in far-off villages and one in my hometown in India, along with two dental checkup programs in Nepal and 5 in India. I also started a voluntary project to build dikes on the bank of the river Sharda to control erosion, saving many poor farmers from drought. I represented my dental school in cricket tournaments and received an award for the best oral paper presentation at an Indian Prosthodontics conference.
During my master’s program, I conducted a research project on the effects of four disinfectants on different dental impression materials, which was later published in a reputed journal in Nepal. After completing my M.D.S. in Prosthodontics, in addition to clinical practice, I maintained a passionate interest in journal discussions, seminar presentations, attending continuing education workshops, presenting oral presentations, posters, and table clinic demonstrations.
I served as a Prosthodontics faculty member for a dental school in Nepal for 1.5 years. I found great satisfaction in teaching undergraduate dental students, especially by developing a systematic approach. As a student, I planned my teaching methods so that the weakest students could understand the subject and would not be discouraged from asking questions. I was also actively involved with the Gynecology and General Surgery Departments. I prepared over two hundred stents for Vaginoplasty procedures and more than ten postoperative feeding appliances for cleft lip patients. I had the opportunity to work in two separate multi-specialty hospitals for two years, working closely with other dental specialists and specialists from various medical fields.
So far, some of the most treasured memories of my life have been conducting several complete denture camps, oral health checkup camps, and awareness programs for school children in India and Nepal. I am especially pleased to have contributed to my dental school’s success in cricket and badminton, organizing various events emphasizing teamwork, leadership skills, and good hand-to-eye coordination - all vital in dentistry.
I want to continue pursuing dentistry with a central focus on Prosthodontics in a solid, robust academic setting, which will help me build the optimal foundation for making my maximum contribution to dentistry here in the US. Your program will expose me to diverse patient populations in various clinical settings and help me to nurture my skills further. As for now, my goals include a balance between my clinical and academic activities, active service to the community, and always staying engaged with research.
I thank you for considering my application to your program.
MS Prosthodontics Residency Personal Statement