I finished Dental School in 2009 in India and gained several years of intensive experience practicing dentistry before moving to the USA three years ago. Since arriving in America, I have been preparing to enter a DDS/DMD Program for foreign-trained dentists. I hope to be selected for your competitive program because of my solid record of accomplishment and dedication to research in oral health. I have always been a very dedicated student, putting my studies first. This is reflected in how I finished dental school in India with a 3.76 GPA.
The four months that I spent intensively shadowing Dr. XXXX, a Pediatric Dentist in Chicago, helped me to understand better the much more advanced way in which dentistry is practiced in the US, and I learned and absorbed a great deal about most aspects of running a clinic, procedures, materials, resources, etc. While I have a particularly unique passion for pediatric dentistry, I also have extensive experience with dental prophylaxis, extractions, crown restoration, and cavity restoration.
I am thankful to have gained extensive experience serving as a general dentist in a government hospital in India, struggling each day to attend to way-too-many clients with far too few resources; this made me strong and resourceful. I like to think of myself as an expert in time management and the optimal utilization of limited resources. However, my experience is well-rounded since I also gained extensive experience practicing dentistry in India as part of a team at a private clinic in a chic urban area. There, I became highly familiar with what was, at least for India, the latest instruments, and technologies, patiently working each day to achieve perfection and efficiency.
Working here in the USA, I have vastly upgraded my knowledge and exposure, particularly concerning sterilization and disinfection techniques, completing many independent investigations to supplement my learning. Nothing excites me more than the prospect of participating in research into oral health issues, especially oral cancer, as India has some of the highest rates in the world. I see my own professional life as dedicated to making treatment as comfortable as possible while it heightens life expectancy. I hope to start my clinic someday and serve many indigent and needy community members. Even though I am also a mother to a lovely little girl, I have been able to publish two research papers helping me to learn a great deal about the use of CBCT in dentistry, data collection and its analysis, statistical tools for substantiation and the practical application of research findings, in particular. I have also gained extensive dental shadowing experience in the US while successfully preparing for NBDE exams and volunteering for community service projects. Balancing these experiences has helped me achieve and maintain a highly efficient equilibrium between my personal and professional lives.
Since childhood, I have dreamed of pursuing a career in healthcare. I gravitated to dentistry as I understood that I had lost one of my favorite uncles to oral health disease, which could have been prevented with proper preventive care and lifestyle choices. Growing up, I witnessed a more significant percentage of children with grossly decayed teeth, adults with gingival conditions were commonplace, and precancerous lesions were also most common, due to tobacco. Such a pathetic situation made me stronger and more determined to work wholeheartedly to improve awareness of the importance of oral healthcare. During my countless hours dedicated to dental camps as a volunteer with the non-profit “XXXX Foundation,” I saw tears turn into smiles, giving me immense joy and satisfaction. The highlight of my professional experience in India was serving as an Associate Dentist, working alongside renowned endodontist Dr. XXXX in Jaipur. Soon, Dr. XXXX felt confident to leave the entire clinic in my care for extended periods. Assisting with complicated procedures like crown lengthening, gingival grafts, root resection, and implants was a special joy.
I also volunteer with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a non-profit organization committed to feeding hungry people in Cook County, Illinois. Alongside oral health, I advocate full physical fitness. Long participating in sports activities, I am especially competitive in girls’ table tennis.
Entirely dedicated to lifelong learning, I intend to stay up-to-date concerning dentistry developments, primarily technological innovation. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to earn my doctoral degree at one of the best dental schools in the world with state-of-the-art resources to achieve the fullest possible immersion experience in the technological advancement of dentistry.
I thank you for considering my application to your program.
Pediatric Dentist to IDP Application Example