Both my father and uncle are dentists. As a child, I would beg my father to accompany me to his practice; often, he would let me, and I would follow him around, trying not to get in the way. I grew up in a dental world, so it is not surprising that I became a dental hygienist and now have my heart set on earning the DDS and devoting the balance of my life to the practice of general dentistry. I am distinguished by my profound love for my exceptional community, providing me with roots, tradition, and a deep sense of belonging. I have spent my life so far on the Virginia coast, living and practicing on XXXX Island. There are no beaches prettier than ours; our life is idyllic, and picturesque; we even have the only semi-wild horses on the East Coast. We are a very close-knit community, and I love these people very much. This is why I am prepared to give my all to the rigors of dental school, so that when my father retires in a few years, I can continue his practice.
The profound stability of my upbringing and community ties will lend themselves to supporting my greatest passion on a personal and professional level: participating in dental missions. If accepted into your program, my long-term vision is to even go beyond participation and to become an organizer of dental outreach south of our border. So far, I have been on missions to both Honduras and Mexico. I am not yet completely fluent in Spanish, but it is improving quickly, because Latin America is where my heart is, and I want to spend as much time there as possible. Nothing compares to the joy of making these humble and destitute people smile.
I have also volunteered at public health clinics and mission projects here at home in the US, providing dental care to school-age children. This group brings me particular joy as a dental professional. I work with the Missions of Mercy Project, helping to provide care to underserved populations. It is my volunteer work that most helps me to more fully appreciate how blessed we are to be alive every day and to give of ourselves to our fullest. As a DDS, I hope to touch as many lives as possible, especially the lives of poor children.
Helping those who do not have the means to help themselves is the centerpiece of my professional and personal existence. The economic factors involved in oral health care are one of the reasons that I am so profoundly engaged with the lifelong pursuit of natural products to assist in dental hygiene. My research project in school was to study the effects of Coq10 (a coenzyme) on the progression of gum disease. While the results with CoQ10 have been inconclusive, I feel strongly that natural remedies have enormous potential, especially insofar as they enable us to side-step the side effects associated with chemicals.
First and foremost, I am a highly ethical young woman with a huge heart; this is reflected in both my daily practice and my dreams for the future. I never lose sight of the big picture, and my greatest passion is learning and research; I was totally consumed, for example, by my research project that completed my studies for my degree in dental hygiene. I am highly goal-oriented and driven. I wouldn't say I like feeling stagnant, so I stay busy and constantly push myself to the next level. I am always setting new goals to achieve, whether through running, biking, or my home life with family. I am a single mother with two little girls who sustain my motivation to excel from the heart. My ultimate dream would be to start an organization of my own and call it "Smiles for Change," dedicated to drug addicts that have recently entered a rehabilitation program, to reinforce the life-saving decision that they have made and help them to realize the great value of their lives, their bodies, and their smile. I thank you for your kindly consideration of my application.
