A young woman and a dentist from India who has been making a new home in America for the past several years, I am now working towards completion of my DDS Degree at XXXX University and hope to build a special career in Orthodontics as a result of being accepted to and completing your competitive Orthodontics Program at XXXX University. When I began my International Dental Program at XXXX University, I was not yet sure in which area of dentistry I wished to specialize in for lifelong, continuous professional advancement. Now, however, as I near completion of the program, I am fully confident that I want to make my own professional mark and fullest contribution to dentistry in Orthodontics. This is why I joined an elective Honors Incentive Program at XXXX in the Department of Orthodontics. Attending seminars and case presentations with the faculty and residents in Orthodontics at XXXX have been the highest moments of my life so far. What I love most about Orthodontics is the way that it rests on a thoroughgoing exploration of the entire oral and maxillofacial system. During my observation in the clinic, especially during the “debonding” appointments, I observed the happiness on the patients’ faces flashing that megawatt smile. For me, orthodontics sums up dentistry as far as it puts that smile on patient’s face, which is why I joined dentistry in first place. After careful observation of numerous Orthodontists and long conversations with the residents and faculty, Orthodontics is the best choice for me. I hope to be selected at least in part because of my profound devotion to the cause of helping the underserved. While in India, I never failed to volunteer every Sunday at a charitable trust near my college. I also spent extended periods working in remote and isolated villages of the Punjab educating people with respect to the importance of preserving their oral health. Not long after arriving in America, I began volunteering at the XXXX Dental Clinic in Detroit, Michigan serving underserved populations in the Detroit area. I fell in love with the great diversity and the great need of the people in such a desperately poverty-stricken city as Detroit. In Boston, I volunteered with the XXXX Dental Clinic and the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Program geared to creating greater oral health awareness among young people. Working with marginalized or impoverished populations here in America as well as back home in India has provided me with immense gratification along with extensive professional experience. I have also been learning a great deal through my participation in the Student Research Fellowship Program at XXXX. My research topic is “amalgam and composite restoration repair in schools across the United States”. This experience has helped me to learn a great deal about the basics of research and statistics. My love for tutoring inspired me to join the XXXX Literacy Council where I was assigned an advanced elementary level student to teach her English as second language. I discovered while still a child that my interests lie in science, especially biology. A visit to an orthodontist during my teenage years for my misaligned teeth further enhanced my interest in Orthodontics. As my Orthodontist corrected my crowded teeth, I came to better appreciate the role of a beautiful smile in improving my own looks and boosting my confidence. This has always intrigued my interests in orthodontics. I was born in Punjab, grew up in Madhya Pradesh, and studied Dentistry in Kolkata, India in one of the most densely populated cities in the world - was itself a great education. Beyond the comfortable cocoon of family and friends, I became 100% immersed in my studies and I thrived in this environment.  Since beginning my DDS Program at XXXX University, I have capitalized on every opportunity to broaden my horizons in every way possible to become the finest dentist that I can be. I could not be happier learning dentistry from some of the best faculty members in the world with the latest technologies, honing my practical skills and professional expertise. I am also learning a great deal about the insurance system, professional liability, and practice management. I am currently serving as the Coordinator of the Health and Wellness Chapter of ASDA at XXXX. My growth has been personal as well as professional. I have grown in character as well which makes me even more determined to make important contributions to the underserved over the course of the long term, in India as well as here in America. Those hundreds of millions of Indians who live below the poverty line will always be in my heart and I long to help them in sustainable ways in the future. I look forward to travelling extensively throughout my professional life and serving on missions to the Developing World. I love writing and look forward to writing about my experiences, all of which have shaped the dentist in me. It is my intense passion for dentistry and giving my all to my patients that will inspire and enable me to excel as an Orthodontist. Thank you for considering my application. Orthodontics Residency Indian Woman Dentist

There are many other professionally qualified Indian dentists who have immigrated to America and are now applying to advanced standing DDS programs. Other Indian dentists who are applying may have higher grades or scores than mine. Nevertheless, I feel that I am a very strong candidate for admission to advanced standing status to study towards the DDS in your distinguished program not only because I spent one year in a small village attending to the most underserved among the underserved, but most importantly the fact that I personally came from this same social and economic location in Indian society. My point of origin in India’s extremely hierarchical and post-colonial socio-economic structure is clear in the fact that I did not even begin to study English until the age of 10 years old. I was born into a family of farmers in the remote village of Karnataka, India where we did not even have electricity. This is where I would spend my most formative period, the first 10 years, until we moved to the city. Now 27 and a permanent resident of the USA, a new mom, and giving my all to dentistry here in the United States for the last several years, I ask that the full scope of my trajectory be taken into account in the consideration of my application—from a village with no electricity and no English to the status of highly competent dental assistant in America over the course of only 17 years. My parents made the courageous move to the city to fulfill their dream of educating their children to become professionals. This is why I worked extremely hard in high school, to make my parents proud of me and to show my appreciation for the many sacrifices that they made. Our efforts were rewarded by my acceptance to the prestigious Ambedkar Dental School in Bangalore in 2004. For me, dentistry and dance will always be intertwined since I had already been studying classical dancing for 7 years by the time that I started dental school. In addition to becoming a dentist, I was on stage performing on numerous occasions, organizing, and hosting college day functions, etc. I take great delight in all movements and when I work as a dentist, I am very much aware of the interconnectedness of all my movements just as if I were dancing. I danced my way to dentistry, through dental school, and will always dance, as it improves my capacity to heal. It was in my third year of dentistry, with the encouragement and support of Dr. XXXX, the Chairperson of our Preventive Dentistry Department, that I had the chance of channeling my organizing and leadership skills into an especially noble cause. Dr. Murali selected a group of us to conduct a survey through the public school system concerning public oral health awareness and habits in a slum area with very few dental clinics. I received an award for submitting the best survey report.  It was disturbing for me at first to process and understand the way in which socio-economic status tended to determine oral health status as well. This experience served to inspire me to dedicate all the energy that I can to helping the underserved who are in most need of oral health care, here in the USA as well as back home in India. Along with my colleagues who worked with me conducting our survey, I was most impressed by the chronic oral health problems of members of the lower economic strata of our society, especially since it is in these lower socioeconomic classes where the use of gutka (smokeless tobacco) and other concoctions derived from the Betel nut is concentrated. After completing our study, we started an anti-tobacco campaign, during which we went out into the streets distributing pamphlets and cultivating awareness among the poor concerning the dangers of tobacco addiction and made a film documentary on tobacco-related health problems which was aired on national television. In addition, we set up a special office for tobacco-related issues and problems in our college, which was very much appreciated by our dean. November 2009 through October 2010 was the most significant year of my life in terms of human growth, serving as a dentist in a remote village in India, helping me to more fully appreciate the profound happiness involved in the performance of our profession at the service of those who need us the most. Later, while completing my internship at the Yenepoya Dental College and Hospital in Mangalore, I began focusing my special concentration on pediatric dentistry, especially Oral and Maxillofacial surgery. I seek to become a world class expert in children with cleft palate and cleft lips. After immigrating to the US, I began working in my present position as an assistant to a dentist in July of 2011. I have also worked in several volunteer positions, and I want very much to dedicate my life to helping children. I anticipate continuing to develop a close collaboration with the free health care centers of Philadelphia and XXXX Children's Hospital, also in Philadelphia. Thank you for your consideration of my application. Indian International Dentist Personal Statement

I hope to have the profound privilege of enjoying the fullest of participation in advanced training in Orthodontics available at one of the world’s most distinguished institutions, the Residency Program in Orthodontics at the University of XXXX. An Indian dentist, my family immigrated to New Zealand when I was ten with and New Zealand shaped my identity as much as India. I became a high achiever because of the advanced nature of education in New Zealand and completed my BSc in Physiology at the University of Auckland in 2008. I decided to go to dental school in India for a variety of reasons and I am pleased that I did primarily because I was able to enhance my multicultural and multilingual identity and to better understand challenges facing dentistry in the Developing World. I now live in XXXX where I have been enjoying to the extreme every aspect of my Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency at the University of XXXX 2016-2018. Already a board-certified Orthodontist, I hope to be selected to continue at the U of XXXX through the completion of an Orthodontics program beginning next year, to prepare myself for a lifetime specialization in this area. My family moved to Australia while I was in dental school and I lived there for two years following my graduation, staying engaged in dentistry as a volunteer and an assistant continuing to learn as much as possible. In addition to my duties at the University of XXXX, I also serve once a week in a nearby community clinic which has helped me to appreciate more fully the great need that exists even in the USA for access to dental care. My central goals for the future include constant and intensive community engagement and service to the underserved, while I give myself full time to Orthodontics. I look forward to spending decades as a partner in a multi-specialty group practice and providing consultations in Orthodontics to a variety of members of the professional dentistry community. I also have the hope of teaching at some point in my career, passing on the torch to new generations of oral health professionals on the forefront of advancement in our profession. My passion for learning about Orthodontics is long standing. In dental school, I was able to gain much more exposure to Orthodontics than the typical dental students. I have bonded brackets, made removable retainers, placed fixed retainers, activated appliances, and I am ready to hit the ground running for long hours at U of X Orthodontics. I earned a research degree in human physiology that will also help me to excel for a lifetime of professional research. Having lived, worked, learned, and advanced professionally in four different countries over the past 8 years, I hope to bring a unique perspective to your program in discussions of global dentistry and I look forward very much to making new friends from all over the world in Orthodontics. I enjoy people enormously and connect with them effortlessly, patients as well as colleagues. My hard working yet very modest family origins resulted in my having the humble experience of working in menial jobs for some time prior to becoming a dental professional. I have worked in sales, IT help, telephone marketing as well as food service and in a warehouse. I am thankful for these experiences as far as they helped to teach me the value of humility, and made me more approachable, open, especially to humble people. And I look forward to a lifetime of developing a professional priority on humble people, the underserved, especially with respect to my volunteer efforts. I place a high priority on the value of a work/study/life balance and will always strive to refine still further the synchronicity that undergirds the achievement of wonderful things as a dentist. I de-stress as a body builder and a martial artist which I find re-charges me very effectively for the next day giving my all to dentistry. I was awarded a scholarship right out of high school to attend a young leader's program where we traveled together in New Zealand, I placed in the top 1% among both Australian and New Zealand students in science and I ranking number 2 in my school in advanced Chemistry. I made the top 10% in Geography. I have torn apart computers and used the parts to build new ones that I design myself -since childhood. Occasionally, I indulge myself with a high-tech spy thriller since sci-fi is high on my list of favorite diversions. Most of all, however, my free time is spent reading widely in a host of areas that are relevant on some level to Orthodontics, such as predictable and rapid methods of bone healing and their implications for several areas in medicine as well as dentistry. I was heavily engaged all through dental school as a team member providing free dental services to 1000’s of patients. My highest moments of all in Connecticut have been serving at the community center one day a week for the past year, helping to provide heavily subsidized dental care. I thank you for considering my application to Orthodontics at the University of XXXX. Orthodontics Residency Personal Statement

My father has been a practicing dentist in Rhode Island for the past 28 years, since the year I was born. I have had constant exposure to the practice of dentistry throughout my life. I am especially proud of the fact that he has always provided care for people irrespective of their economic status. The profession of dentistry has given so much to me and my family and I realize, by obtaining a degree in dentistry, that I will be able to give something back to the community. It took me a long time, however, to understand and embrace my calling. As with many young people, I did not know early on what I wanted to do, and I sometimes resented my parents' direction. I did enjoy working at my father's office during the summers of my high school days, but I did not want others making a career choice for me and I wanted to see what else was out there. This youthful passion and lack of maturity resulted in many disagreements with my parents and my grades suffered during my undergraduate years. It was not until my graduation day at XXX University that my life came full circle, and I decided that other paths were not for me, and that dentistry was my calling. Since then, my focus, dedication, and commitment have been focused on becoming a dentist. Throughout the course of my undergraduate years, I came to understand more about life and achieved greater focus on what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Even though my academic performance was just average, growing from a young man to a mature adult was invaluable. I began to see my compassion and empathy as my greatest gifts and helping people my greatest joy in life. I especially enjoyed my psychology classes in college because of my inquisitiveness about human nature, learning how to become an excellent listener, and the importance of being mindful of and attentive to others. I am very thankful to my parents for giving me the opportunity to learn through my mistakes, finish my degree in psychology at Boston University, and press on with full determination and perseverance to accomplish the task at hand. During my final year, I began to manage my time more effectively as well as improve my study habits as I continued to learn and mature as a person. But I knew that after graduation I still faced an arduous task in accomplishing my dream of becoming a dentist. Painfully aware of the inadequacy of my grades at XXX University, especially in my science courses, I labored to redeem myself by making up these courses at Providence College in Rhode Island. I wanted to prove to dental schools that I have the work ethic and intellect to handle the courses at dental school. At PC, I have taken all my required classes for Dental School and finished them with a science grade point average of 3.23, as well as having the invaluable experience of assisting with cancer research in the lab of Dr. ____. Furthermore, I have been shadowing at a dental laboratory, seeing how dentures and crowns are made. At the same time, I have also been working as a dental assistant and preparing myself for the DAT through a Kaplan review class, and very much looking forward to improving my scores when I re-take the test. Most recently, I have taken over the business side of my father's dental practice, assisting the office manager with the accounting and continuing to bolster my science background by taking additional courses in microbiology and human physiology. Simultaneously working and going to school has been difficult, but I believe that I have now achieved a solid preparation that will serve me well in Dental School. I have matured a great deal over the last several years and I have the necessary tools to succeed in dental school. I am full of energy and highly motivated with a steady focus. I ask for the privilege of giving my all towards the noble goal of becoming an extraordinarily successful student of dentistry and, in this way, prove and establish myself as a public servant. I also feel that my psychology degree has helped prepare me to become an excellent dentist, someone who understands the difficulties in life that people face, especially those members of our community with few economic resources. My father is one of a handful of dentists in Rhode Island who accept patients on public assistance. Like him, I wish to devote my professional life to caring for the most underserved members of our society. I want to thank you for your consideration of my application to join your program. Dental School Personal Statement Psychology

A smile expresses the world’s greatest emotions, happiness, and laughter. When I was younger, I did not share my smile with others because I was self-conscious of the gap between my central incisors. Dentistry changed my life. Within weeks my orthodontist was able to realign my smile and alleviate my embarrassment. I chose the path of dentistry because I want to give others the gift of confidence that my orthodontist gave me. After making my decision to become a dentist, I learned more about dentistry and the health care field in general through hands-on experience. I began my dental exploration by shadowing various general and specialty dentists in my area. One day, I had the opportunity to watch a full mouth restoration. The patient had come to the practice suffering, much the same way that I had. When the dentist finished his treatment, he was a completely different person transformed by confidence.  And I continued to advance my knowledge of the dental profession by enrolling in a dental assistant program, while I maintained a full upper division course load at California Lutheran University. While serving as a dental assistant, I learned a great deal about the dental office atmosphere and how essential every task performed is to the success of the overall practice. After earning my certificates as a Dental Assistant and CPR, Radiology, I completed a back-office assistant externship as well as assisting three different dentists with a variety of dental procedures. I also completed a Pre-dental Simulation Course where I used headpieces to prepare and condense amalgam restorations on prosthetic teeth. Through these experiences I was able to talk at length with dental students, clinic professors, recent dental school graduates and seasoned dental professionals about the various aspects of the dental field. While at XXXX University, I was able to combine my passion for the healthcare field with research in organic chemistry. I wanted to improve the learning atmosphere of organic chemistry students by creating a laboratory experiment centered on the materials and science found in the healthcare field. My goal is to create a series of organic chemistry experiments that have applications to the healthcare field while teaching organic chemistry principles. I explored various pedagogical methods to deliver my experiment to CLU’s organic chemistry class. My experiment served as a guide for chemistry students to design their own dental composite resin filling material. I presented my research at the American Chemical Society National Meeting during the Chemical Education Poster Session. I also shared my research with the XXU campus at the annual Festival of Scholars Science Showcase Poster Session. This experience combined my love for teaching as well as learning. Reading articles about technology, techniques and materials in the dental field furthered my appreciation for the science of dentistry. California Lutheran University has provided me with many opportunities to join or create various clubs and become a leader in my college community. Upon my entrance to XXU, they only had one active pre-professional club, AMSA. I quickly joined AMSA and searched for a similar, applicable club for pre-dental students. It was not long before I discovered and joined ASDA. I enjoy being a pre-dental member of ASDA because they provide me with invaluable information about current issues in dentistry. I look forward to continuing my membership in dental school and getting more involved in the political process of dentistry. I re-established the inactive Biological Student Association Club at XXU to provide other students like me with information about the graduate school application process, current opportunities in our community and job opportunities after graduation. As President of the refurbished/retrofitted club, I organized meetings with guest speakers and developed community projects. I also worked with five other students to successfully found a chapter of the Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society and was chosen by the biology faculty to be Secretary. Within the brief time between induction to Beta Beta Beta and graduation I organized a whale watching trip as well as a philanthropy event with AMSA called Cupcakes for Cancer. I was also nominated to become a lifetime member of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. It is my civic duty to give back to my community through volunteer work. For the past year I have been Public Relations Event Chair for the 2010 Joie de Vivre Evening of Hope Gala for the American Cancer Society. I am also an advocate for our environment and have helped Heal the Bay with local creek restorations. For the past eight years, I have participated in the annual CROP Walk to fight against world hunger. I am an active habitat for Humanity of Ventura County volunteer that has done multiple home builds and organized group home building projects. These experiences have shaped who I am today. I am happy with my character and am continually striving to be a better person. I am most enthusiastic about the prospects of becoming a role model and leader in the field of Dentistry. Personal Statement Orthodontics MS Dental Assistant

I grew up in Damascus, Syria but I have been practicing general dentistry here in America since I earned my DMD Degree at the University of XXXX in 1998. Following a general practice residency at the University of XXXX from July of 1998 through June of 1999, I completed a fellowship position in implant dentistry at XXXX University. Since then, I have been practicing general dentistry in the Detroit Metro Area. Increasingly, especially over the course of the last several years, I have found myself increasingly fascinated and engaged by orthodontics. Thus, I am writing to you on behalf of my application since I seek innovative training in Orthodontics. Little by little, I began incorporating orthodontic treatment planning into my dentistry practice in Detroit, ranging from simple cases of "smile enhancement" to severe skeletal deficiency. This soon opened for me new windows into non-invasive, non-aggressive approaches, what orthodontics is all about and what I have come to love most about dentistry. This led me to allocate one day a week volunteering, observing, and following up on cases from start to finish, in collaboration with our in-house orthodontist. The sense of accomplishment that accompanied seeing the results was for me the central driving force that has convinced me to give my all to orthodontics for the balance of my career. I have fallen in love with Orthodontics because it is a conservative way to achieve beautiful smiles, no drilling, no damage, only construction. I see orthodontists as architects and engineers, building dental arches that are limited only by the imagination in the beauty that they might be able to achieve and continue to inspire. The clinical experiences that I have sought out over the past four years have all strengthened my dedication to the goal of completing graduate training in orthodontics. I am confident that my diverse academic background coupled with the versatility that comes from working in widely varied settings with highly limited resources, will enable and inspire me to prove myself to be a great asset to your team. Having succeeded in the pursuit of my DMD as one of the top students in my class both clinically and didactically, I immediately set about in search of broadening my horizons in dental medicine. I have long been especially attracted to the multifaceted and dynamic collaboration of specialties that one finds in Orthodontics—always working towards a better understanding of the biomechanics of maxillofacial complexion and the proper treatment of various malfunctions. My experience in the General Practice Residency (GPR) was the catalyst that motivated me to aggressively pursue deeper knowledge of dental specialties. Completing elective courses in basic sciences crystallized my comprehension of the growth and development processes of the maxillofacial region. While completing my fellowship at Southern Illinois University in Implantology, I continued to further my understanding of multi-specialty approaches to dentofacial malformations. Working alongside orthodontists with severe cases--ranging from cleft lip and palate to congenital absence of lateral incisors—enabled me to better understand orthodontics and appreciate the systematic nature of orthodontic treatment. I started practicing in the Detroit Metro Area as a general practitioner after completing my fellowship in Illinois, working since then in group multi-specialty centers, gaining additional hands-on experience and advancing my interest in and dedication to Orthodontics through continuing education seminars and attending lectures. It would be an honor to be granted an interview and I thank you for considering my application. Orthodontics Residency Syrian in Detroit

I come from an area in India where severe fluorosis is endemic. Of course, I noticed the mottled and unsightly teeth that were so common around me, and which affected the appearance of so many, this spurred an early interest in teeth and dentistry and led to my career choice which is one that I have never regretted. The ability to change grimaces of pain into smiles of relief is a privilege and a joy. I was born into an agricultural family in rural India and was the first of my family to leave our home area to receive a higher education. Exposure to an urban environment and to people of different social backgrounds was a challenge to a country boy who had never travelled far but thrived. I thoroughly enjoyed my very comprehensive dental training, undertaken at a prestigious Indian college. In the Community Dentist Rotation undertaken in my third year, I was selected to lead a team working in nearby villages which were affected by severe water fluorosis like my home area. Our objective was to educate the population about the serious risks of dental deformities caused by drinking water with extremely high fluoride content and to encourage village representatives to demand that the government provide safe drinking water. Our efforts were greeted very positively by the villagers and various petitions were drafted and submitted for necessary action to be taken. After dental school, I served one year of internship in a government teaching hospital working under the guidance of expert and caring professionals. I dealt with a high volume of cases and consequently I gained exposure to a very wide variety of dental and oral diseases and enabled me to hone my technical and develop vital high level diagnostic skills. In 2001, following completion of my internship, I set up my own practice with the object of providing affordable dental care as widely as possible in the local community. Leading a team and being responsible for all the commercial aspects of the practice was highly challenging being so young but I created a happy and effective team of professionals and a successful practice which I believe reflects my ability to relate well to patients and staff and to inspire trust and confidence in them. I practiced general dentistry performing the usual wide range of procedures such as cavity fillings, extractions, bridge preparation, anterior and posterior root canal treatment and honed my diagnostic skills. I also worked with the local Rotary Club to provide free treatment among senior citizens and treating and providing dental and oral hygiene education to school pupils and residents of the poorer neighborhoods. This voluntary experience was highly satisfying, especially the opportunity to encourage the adoption of effective dental and oral hygiene regimes. I am currently a parent-volunteer at my son’s school in the US where I assist at field trips and provide information on effective dental care. I came to the US in 2012 with my wife, who is a faculty member at a medical school.  I have undertaken wide reading of professional journals to maintain an awareness of recent advances and research. I have completed Parts 1 and 2 of the NBDE examinations and have had the privilege of undertaking an externship under the guidance of a highly skilled and caring professional which also provided me with exposure to the use of the most sophisticated diagnostic tools. I have also assisted in a research project at the Head and Neck Cancer Dept. at the XXXX Medical School. I am extremely excited to be part of a profession in which advances in techniques and materials are so rapid and hope to play my part in future advances. My career objective is to practice dentistry in a rural area where the population has limited access to excellent dental care and education. I am from a rural area myself and it seems to me that country people are the same the world over; open, honest, kind, and hard-working and I am very keen to work among such people and do all that I can to help them. My time in the US has exposed me to people of many ages and social and ethnic backgrounds. I enjoy interacting with others, learning about their cultures, and sharing information about my own. I seek to be a ‘well-rounded’ person and enjoy taking part in sports, especially cricket, volleyball, and table tennis. I am fully fluent in English and speak several Indian languages. To summarize: I have a decade of professional experience acquired in various environments that have exposed me to a very wide variety of conditions and work. I have created and run a successful team and practice demonstrating an ability to relate well with patients, fellow professionals, and staff. I have familiarized myself with the local dental environment and kept up to date with recent developments and advances in techniques, diagnostic tools, and materials. I undertake to work with exceptional diligence and commitment to excel within the program and in my career beyond it. Thank you for considering my application. Indian International Dentist Personal Statement Help

I am a deeply spiritual young woman from India, a mother, a wife, and an experienced dentist who hopes very much to resume her career here in the USA, my new permanent home. As a devoted Hindu, my calling as a professional is inseparable from my religious sense of duty to others, my communities. I see all of us as manifestations in physical form of a purpose in life; and I see my own purpose to be alleviating human suffering. Early on, for this reason, I focused on dentistry as my calling and the underserved as my principal focus. Since my arrival in America 4 years ago, I have completed several online courses in Continuing Dental Education including CAMBRA (Caries and Management by Risk Assessment) and Clinical Encounters in Pediatric Dentistry. Your program at XXXX is my first choice due to both its excellent reputation and the fact that it is close to where I now live in the Bay Area.  Even though I love California and I am profoundly pleased to make this my permanent home, still, much of my heart is back in India. And I want very much to stay in contact with those who are suffering back home in India and those who are doing as much as they can with extremely limited resources to help them. I hope to make my principal contribution for the long term by engaging in extensive research on behalf of the underserved, particularly with respect to the great scourge of oral cancer that is especially prevalent in India. My primary inspiration is Mother Teresa. Like her. I cannot tolerate seeing people suffering pain. This is why I became a dentist and I now wish to give my all for the rest of my life to alleviating the pain and suffering of as many people as I can. I hope to contribute to the practice of dentistry and the improvement of oral health in India as well as here in America, especially because of the great need for dental care for the poor in my home country. I already have a well-developed, personal special interest in the fight against oral cancer and have been engaged in research in this area for years. India has the highest rates of oral cancer in the world, particularly among the poorest sectors of society, and I hope to publish precisely in this area, after completing your program and resuming my practice. I find myself most intrigued by the significant differences found in the incidence of oral cancer in different regions of the world, with the rate of oral cancer ten times as high in India, for example, then in the Middle East. Where oral cavity cancer represents only about 3% of malignancies in the US, it accounts for over 30% of all cancers in India. Most of all, I want to become an expert concerning risk factors and hope for primary prevention. I wanted to be a dentist from the time that I was in middle school. My home was across the street from a dental college, and I would watch the students entering early each morning in their white aprons. I was a good student and studied hard all through my school years so that I would be accepted to a highly competitive BDS Program, and I was. The best three years of my life so far have been 2006-2009 when I had the opportunity to work as a full-time dentist and I miss it terribly. I am thankful that my daughter is now approaching school age and that I will very soon be able to throw myself fully back into dentistry. Volunteer work has always been a pillar of my life, especially as I continued to develop my identity as a dentist, volunteering for numerous camps throughout my college days. We went to remote places like Ullal and other remote villages in Mangalore, establishing community dental clinics to serve the villagers putting a smile back on their faces. The only thing that I have enjoyed as much as my hands-on dental care experience has been my participation in health education initiatives, applying fluorides, teaching brushing techniques and oral hygiene procedures. Since my arrival in California, I have also done volunteer work with CDA (California Dental Association) Cares in Solano, where I was introduced to the underserved in America and able to contribute to helping them with their oral health care needs. I have also engaged as a volunteer with my daughter’s early education. The greatest and most powerful gift that a parent can give to their children is to pass on their language and cultural heritage. Literacy in our native language will strengthen her cultural identity and provide her with a rich intellectual and spiritual heritage. Thus, I volunteer at my daughter’s school. XXXX School is a famous, progressive organization that provides an exceptional learning environment that shares global Indian culture and Language. I enjoy teaching every Friday to a group of children 5-7 years old for 2 hours, about our country, our language, how to write, read and speak Telugu. I teach them about Indian culture, and I take great delight in their rapid developmental progress, morally as well as physically. I like to think that I am teaching them to become noble adults. Thank you for consideration of my application to your competitive program. International Dentist Writing and Editing Service

I am a young woman and a dentist from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I love my city and I like to think of it as the most beautiful and international city in the Middle East. I adore both physical and spiritual beauty and I find both to be best expressed in the smile, the center of my world. I want to devote the rest of my life to the promotion of beautiful smiles and perfect bites not only in Saudi Arabia, but throughout the Middle East. I feel strongly that our region of the world could benefit by greater levels of international collaboration in health care. I admit that with my goal of someday opening my own practice in a wealthy country, over the long term my efforts will be well rewarded economically. Nevertheless, I keenly look forward to paying my dues to society and my profession by also working at public, government hospitals. In fact, making a “Hollywood Smile” more accessible and affordable in my country is the centerpiece of my long-term aspirations. I like to think of myself as a cosmopolitan Arab woman. I spent an entire year in Boston in an exhaustive but exhilarating, full immersion in English, to assure that I will be able to excel in your program once I am enrolled. I see your Postgraduate Program in Esthetics at XXXX to be the ideal program to prepare me to meet the challenges that I will face building my career back in Saudi Arabia after I complete your program. This is because I see Operative Dentistry at XXXX University as the flagship program in esthetics. I am very much looking forward to direct interaction with most of the dental specialties, to attend to all my client's needs in the most innovative way possible. Your program will provide me with the optimal foundation for the provision of comprehensive dental care the people of Saudi Arabia. I am seeking a full immersion experience in the Science and Art of Esthetic Dentistry at the highest level of rigor and challenge available. This is why Tufts University is my first choice for advanced study. I have my heart set on completing your program because I want to encourage more progressive policies in government hospitals so that our health care system better recognizes the importance of esthetic elements to the overall health of the patient, mentally as well as physically. I want to have the fullest share possible in the introduction of joy into the lives of people who have chronic oral health needs that have a major impact on their sense of self-worth and self-esteem. I want to give them not only a beautiful smile but perfect occlusion as well. I am a hard worker when it comes to what I love most. I have experience as a dentist working in three different government run hospitals in the KSA. Saudi Arabia is home to many foreigners, and I had the privilege of working with patients from a vast array of cultures, speaking dozens of languages, all ages, and types of personalities that one might imagine. This has helped me to become increasingly versatile and understanding, adaptable with an open mind. I thrive most on the cultivation of teamwork, and I am at my highest function as a team member as well as working alone. I also believe that my extra-curricular activities have helped prepare me to excel in esthetic dentistry, particularly my love of design, fashion, and interiors. I thrive on precision and the constant search for higher levels of creativity. I have also learned many valuable lessons, especially about the needs of poor people in my country by working with a nonprofit organization, XXXX, an organization that involves providing food and clothes to the poor in our city. Attending and participating in national and international conferences and workshops has helped me on many levels, helping me to stay current with the latest innovations in my area. Watching all these new techniques has encouraged me more to seek for the Esthetic programs to learn more about them and apply it to my patients in the future. The two best doctors that I have had the opportunity to meet in my career so far both graduated from Tufts. I see them as my role models, and I aspire as well to have the best education possible in my field so that I might make increasingly creative contributions as well in the areas of technique and treatment modalities. I thank you for considering my application to your program. Esthetic Dentistry Certificate Program

The successes I have had in life have come from good relationships.  I cherish developing and nurturing good relationships, making our life worthwhile by contributing to the well-being of others. By helping others, I help myself, and grow, constantly becoming a better dentist, a better colleague, and a better person. One such relationship was with Dr. XXXX, my previous boss and mentor at XXXX Dental Group. He coached and mentored me in clinical skills, patient/staff relationships, as well as managing public relations and the business aspects of Dentistry. In 2006, he asked me to spearhead the opening of a group dental practice in XXXX, CA. It was an opportunity for me to gather a group of dentists, staffing and organizing the dental practice from scratch. I took a deep breath and accepted the mission to meet with other dentists to recruit, organize, and build a dental dream team, unsurpassed in clinical excellence to patients. Within 2 years, the practice had two thousand active patients with a team of eight, including three doctors.  The practice was named “The Best Dental Practice in XXXX” by Central Daily Newspaper. I will never forget that feeling, a tribute to what our team was able to accomplish through our collective efforts. It is remarkable to see how contributing to a patient’s well-being also contributes to raising their self-esteem. I have seen many of my patients transformed by helping them with implant dentistry. I remember with special clarity, a patient in his seventies wanting to get implants before getting re-married. I particularly enjoyed helping to prepare him to reinvent his life with a new marriage. After his treatment was complete, it was like meeting someone for the first time. He walked taller with more eye contact and was more confident. He was without worry and unashamed of his smile. Patients look different and happier with excellent dentistry. I especially appreciate how much digital technology has improved treatment outcomes and predictability. I also find the management of soft tissues with surgery to still be challenging. I want very much to become very well versed in all aspects of oral surgery, so that I can provide the best treatment possible for all my patients. I have been practicing general dentistry for the past 15 years and I have been blessed to meet many great clinicians, colleagues, mentors, and educators who have had a positive influence on me and sparked inspiration about implant dentistry.  Dr. XXXX in Periodontics from UXXX was especially inspiring to me during the earliest stages of my development in Implantology and cheered me up to pursue further education, helping me, for example, to achieve Diplomate status from the International Congress of Oral Implantology. Prof. XXXX, a pioneer in Digital Guided Implantology, helped a great deal to enlighten me with respect to the digitalization of implant surgical phases and the integration of CAD/CAM prosthesis. With the latest technology and techniques learned, I had the opportunity to lecture and teach in multiple meetings and groups. By helping other dentists through sharing my experiences, I have also been honored as a Diplomate by the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry. I look forward to following in the footsteps of my mentors. I am extremely excited for this next chapter in my life. By completing the program in Periodontics, I will be a better clinician, lecturer, and educator. This is my central professional mission in life, to provide state-of-the-art periodontal and implant care to patients and stay very much engaged with my profession, sharing my skills and experience with other dentists, colleagues, and students. I look forward to bringing 15 years of clinical dentistry experience to your program and distinguishing myself as a hard-working team player with a great deal of passion for both Periodontology and Implantology. It is all about growing harmonious and enjoyable relationships with people, especially patients, but also colleagues, team members, referring dentists, and other professionals- I seek the reward of knowing that my life counts for the good of others. Thank you for considering my application. Periodontology & Implantology Residency

I am a dentist from Iran who now is becoming extremely comfortable here in California with my family. I have selected the XXXX School of Dentistry as my first choice for graduate studies that will prepare me to practice dentistry here in America. Since immigrating to America a few years ago, I have kept myself busy doing things that enhance my professional preparation, such as obtaining First Aid and CPR Certifications, Infant and Child CPR Certification, and my Dental Assistant License in 2006. English has been a challenge for me, especially since I am not particularly young anymore at 37. But, as you say here, necessity is the mother of invention. I have been fully immersed in the arduous task of perfecting my English since long before I arrived. And for the past two years, my English classes at XXXX College have been among my highest priorities along with studying for the NBDA. The two obligatory years that I spent in the Iranian Army (1997-1999) provided me with an opportunity to learn a lot of valuable things about life in general, society, the psychology of groups, technology, and global politics. I remain deeply disturbed by the politics of the Middle East in which my native country plays such a significant role. I love California and would feel so very privileged to make my home here. But if the Middle East, especially Iran, should go through a period of social disintegration, mismanagement, corruption, and the people had little to no access to dental care, I might think about returning. After being released from the military, I practiced general dentistry in a private office for six years, 1997-2003; doing both surgical and non-surgical extractions, clinical crown lengthenings, general surgery, fixed/removable prosthodontics, endodontics, anterior and posterior composites, amalgam restoration, dental cleaning, and radiographies. I am presently employed with the XXXX Dental Group here in Los Angeles, CA, where I have been for two years. I manage appointments and treatment schedules in have had the opportunity to develop my teamwork skills. We are like a team of brothers and sisters. Prosthodontics Master's Personal Statement

An accomplished and experienced dentist from Brazil, I have now made my home in the United States primarily because my husband, also Brazilian, practices medicine here. After completing dental school in my home country, I spent 2.5 years working in a private practice that afforded me the opportunity to treat a great diversity of patients and cases. My last 2.5 years in Brazil before immigrating to America were spent in the arena of public health, serving in numerous public dental clinics that assisted underserved communities. I currently live in Tucson, AZ where my husband is almost done with a five-year general surgery residency. We are moving to Houston, Texas in July 2016, because he wants to advance his career and has been selected by the XXXX College of Medicine for a two-year vascular surgery fellowship. The University of XXXX Health Science Center in XXXX is the only DDS program in Texas for International Dentists, and, therefore, as close to Houston as possible. As soon as I start your program in San Antonio, I will already be utilizing the best professional help that I can find to care for my first baby, XXXX, who was born in January this year. In this way, I will be able to give my all to your distinguished program as it is my intention to excel. On his time off, my husband has promised to fly in from Houston and baby sit. XXXX is very well known for providing an array of outreach programs and research experience to students. This serves to confirm my conviction further that I am the best fit for our program. This is particularly true because I noticed that several faculty members are doing enormously important work in Endodontics where my own special passion lies. Of vital importance to my contribution to professional discussions and collaboration at XXXX is my enthusiasm for learning as much as possible concerning the development of new therapies for oral cancer. In this way, I will be able to put my background in cancer biology research in melanoma and the restoration of salivary gland function to work on behalf of a most noble cause in which I plan to continue to develop special expertise. I have been working here in Tucson at XXXX Community Health Center as a volunteer dental assistant. The entire staff is bilingual English/Spanish, and this has helped me to continue to make rapid progress. I am making a special effort at Spanish because this is so frequently the language of the underserved where I now live here in America, and I want very much to be capable of treating them in their first language. Fully dedicated to lifelong learning, after earning my DDS Degree at UXXX I plan to immediately begin specializing in Endodontics and earn a master's degree in this area. I am also experienced in research as part of my clinical background in Brazil and here in the USA I have been serving as a Research Assistant in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Arizona under the tutelage of Dr. XXXX, PhD. for the past two years. I have continued to learn a great deal in this position about everything ranging from cancer therapy side effects to animal experimentation. Putting a priority on volunteer work was inspired early on by a mother who has continued since her retirement to work as a volunteer in HIV/AIDS. Coming from a family of low-income wage earners, and parents that divorced, my academic success came only through a sense of inner strength that always pulled me together and taught me how to look beyond myself to a life of service to the least fortunate. My godmother, a dental hygienist, also inspired me to serve my community as a dentist, improving the quality of life of her patients. I shadowed her on numerous occasions while I was in high school and in college. When I graduated from one of Brazil’s most prestigious dental schools where I mastered a wide range of dental procedures and amassed impressive research experience, I became the first member of my family to not only complete but even attend college. Being dedicated exclusively to handicrafts during my school breaks throughout middle and high school also helped propel me forward to a career in dentistry. I can still recall the excitement of spending most of my afternoons doing arts and crafts in my grandmother’s house. As a single mother of three daughters, my mother needed to work full time in the public health sector to support our family and could not afford childcare. My grandmother was also a great inspiration not only as an expert sewer and crafter, but also as a very brave survivor of nasopharyngeal cancer. Through sewing, crocheting and embroidery, I gained the steady precision and control needed for detailed manual work along with a continuous thirst for self-improvement and a sense of satisfaction for every crafted piece that I completed. For the past month, I have shadowed a dentist in Tucson, Arizona, to acquire a more comprehensive knowledge of the dental environment here in the USA and I will continue to engage daily with dentistry until I begin your program. Advanced Placement Brazilian Woman