At school as a child, our teacher read us a chapter entitled “the lost childhood” about a boy residing in a city attacked by military forces. His mother delivered a baby the same day. She was very pale and too weak to walk. So she could not leave the city and ordered the boy to escape with his little sister. As I learned about pain as a child on this and other occasions, I focused on it; and it is only tooth pain that can reach the level of intensity of labor pain. I was in 4th grade when our teacher read this story, and I was so shocked to hear that as I had never heard of such dental pain before.
When I went home, I told my mother that I had learned something extraordinary today in class. She said that it was true and that tooth pain was unbearable. I asked her what happened to the patient suffering from such pain? Do they die? My mother laughed and explained that they go to a dentist to get their treatment done. At that stage, I knew that dentists clean teeth and advertise Colgate. I got super excited, telling my mom that one day I would become a dentist. Time passed, and during my routine dental check-up, the dentist told my father that my upper canines were erupting labially and that the primary dog had to be extracted. She explained patiently that after extraction, the teeth would follow their natural course of development. Thus, I also learned early on, as a result of my own dental surgery, that dentists not only relieve pain but that they can help people to remain beautiful and confident for a lifetime. The fact that dentistry can help to keep people healthy psychologically as well, by increasing their self-esteem, was the final factor that solidified my determination to become a dentist; I knew in my heart by the time that I was an adolescent that I wanted to give my life to the cause of providing a beautiful smile to as many patients as possible.
After passing my preliminary medical test in India to get into dental college, my feelings were mixed. I was a little anxious as I was going away from home for the first time. However, I was also excited too for the new world waiting for me where I could make my dream a reality. I completed five years of study and earned my bachelor of dental surgery in 2013. During my internship of one the year 2012-2013, I experienced intensively how dentistry is a multi-faceted career and success is highly dependent on good dentist-patient interactions and mutual understanding between both parties.
Along with collaborations with other staff, allowing for the most efficient and effective administration of treatment, I enjoyed the opportunity immensely to meet people from all walks of life and help them address their dental issues. I learned that the most challenging aspect is trying to change the perception in patients that going to a dentist is a painful procedure. Due to fear of pain, many patients do not visit the dentist until, paradoxically, they are in pain and can no longer avoid the visit. In such cases, the management of patients is complex. My aim was not just to take the course and earn certification; it was more about getting involved with the oral health community and volunteering my time for a worthy dental association. I volunteered in a dental camp held in the primary school that involved examining teeth and motivating children to maintain good oral health. I job shadowed with Dr. XXXX at Aman Dental Care, Banga, Punjab, India, during my internship. The work involved educating patients to maintain oral health, examining teeth and diagnosing patients’ dental conditions, and working as a team with my coworkers.
During my internship, I got engaged, and that was a significant turning point in my life. I landed in Brampton, Ontario, my new permanent home, in January 2014. As soon as I arrived, I worked very hard to pass both of my NBDE parts and began observing at Dental Square, a private dental office in Brampton. The dentist that I shadowed in that office, Dr. XXX, gave me an overview of Dentistry in North America, Practice standards, Regulatory requirements, patient data privacy, and confidentiality. I had the opportunity to discuss treatment plans, and interacted with a few patients with their expressed consent. Dr. XXXX helped me to become familiarize myself with strategies for oral health endorsement and disease prevention. I also volunteered at the reception desk, which gave me a different perspective on dentistry. I learned about the dental insurance system, how to operate the clinical management system, and the schedule module. Thanks to the experience that I had at Dental Square, I feel my concepts of dental treatment protocols, clinical guidelines, and the record-keeping were immensely enhanced.
I have been fortunate to be involved with volunteer work at XXX Civic Hospital in the CT department. I have been volunteering there for the last four months, and I really enjoy working there since I can help others, meet many people, and acquire new skills. The job requires punctuality, commitment, and a great deal of responsibility. I see this experience as adding to my solid foundation for excelling in your program and throughout my professional career. I met many people with physical disabilities and learned how they cope with their day-to-day activities. This has opened my eyes to providing practical support to help people. My volunteer work here at XXXX Civic Hospital has significantly improved my initiative and patience as well as my communication skills. While working there, I have been able to clarify especially my values and beliefs and increasingly come to understand the great importance of respecting the needs and values of others.
I am also quite fond of singing and dancing and participated in many performances in my school. Singing helps me to develop a positive mood, remove stress and relax. I love music; it cheers me up. In my school, I sang on stage to a crowd of over 1500 people, which I found challenging but very rewarding. Dancing is my passion. I never missed any dancing competition in my entire school life. Dancing as a hobby is almost like finding a new person inside you.
Over the years, my range of expertise has increased through my work experience, extra-curricular activities, and hobbies, as well as studying. I like to think that I work well both individually and in a team because I am very friendly with a bright personality. I always approach everything with enthusiasm, always ready to contribute.
My experiences have made me a mature person and prepared me for the rigors of your dental program. I have complete confidence in my decision to pursue dentistry, and I fully embrace the lifelong dedication that is necessary to fulfill my personal and professional goals. I believe that I have an unsurpassed eagerness to meet the challenges that I know practicing dentistry in will present. I am excited and armed with enough compassion and confidence to enter the world of dentistry, and I am highly confident in my ability to make important contributions to your academic community as a student in your distinguished program.
