Requirements:
The ADEA AADSAS application requires a personal essay on why you wish to pursue a dental education. Where do you start? Admission committees are looking for individuals who are motivated, academically prepared, articulate, socially conscious, and knowledgeable about the profession. What can you tell admissions committees about yourself that will make you stand out?
Here are some tips:
•Be honest about how you became interested in studying dentistry. If becoming a dentist wasn’t a childhood dream, that’s fine, but explain how you discovered dentistry as a career possibility and what you have done to research the career.
•Have you observed or worked in dental offices? Explain what you’ve done to demonstrate your interest in dentistry. Talk to practicing dentists to increase your understanding of general dental practices.
•Do you have any special talents or leadership skills that could be transferable to the practice of dentistry?
•Express your commitment to helping others and mention any efforts made that enforce that commitment.
•Did you have to work to pay for your education? How has that made you a stronger applicant?
•To get where you are today, have you had to overcome hardships or obstacles? If so, how has this influenced your motivation for advanced education?
•The personal essay provides an opportunity for you to explain why you desire to pursue dental education.
My old personal statement: (don’t forget everything has to be changed)
The dentist’s office has a negative connotation for many people. Yet, for me, it has proved to be one of my most cherished destinations as a child, and was the birthing place of my career goals and dreams. My desire to be a dentist began while sitting in the dentist’s chair at my orthodontist’s office. The last thing that most dental patients think about while visiting a dentist is not how much they would like to work in the office, but how far they would like to be from that room. My case was different, and a dream was born. My orthodontist’s passion for his work, along with my curiosity about what he was doing to my teeth reinforced my decision to be a dentist. Even though my desire was great, it would come at a great cost. I knew attaining this goal wouldn’t be easy, but each stumbling block would prove to be a much needed stepping stone as the years passed.
When I was 12 years old, my father moved to America in order to raise more money for my family. This was a drastic and difficult change for me growing up, especially since I was away from my father for almost twelve years. At a very young age, I knew I had to work just so my family could make ends meet. Yet these challenges only strengthened my resolve to be a successful and contributing member of society. Although it was difficult, working as a teenager gave me the chance to become a more robust member of society and enabled me to mature as a person. I learned to be proactive about life and work, thus becoming an individual who not only takes initiative, but also sees them to fruition.
When I moved to America at the age of 24 and started college, my previous experiences gave me the confidence and experience to be a good communicator, mentor, and leader. Once again, my poor financial circumstances meant that I would have to work nearly full time while balancing a full time education. I eventually found a job working as a peer advisor and tutor at Pierce College where I was attending school. My job entailed interacting with freshmen and I was given the opportunity to help them identify their own passions and goals. I learned to be patient and to be a good listener. It’s one thing to know which facts are needed from a patient’s history; it is a totally different thing to be able to get a patient to be comfortable and calm enough to be cooperative, thus making the whole experience much more pleasant. I believe these skills are going to prove extremely valuable in my future career in dentistry.
In 2012 I was fortunate enough to attain a position as a volunteer at the UCLA dental school under the General Clinic Volunteer Program. I gained practical experience in different areas such as: chart-room and billing office, patient intake and screening, and central sterilization services.
An important aspect of dental medicine is the social or community care aspect involved. Unlike many other medical professions, dental care is not just about performing procedures on patients, it is also about public education regarding the role and importance of proper oral hygiene. Having worked as a volunteer with young people from diverse backgrounds and personalities, I am certain that my highly developed communication skills will make me an excellent communicator while providing community healthcare information both to immediate patients and also in external social programs that I plan on being involved with in the future.
My hope to move to America someday and get a good education has materialized. I have many plans for the future and I am determined to do everything that I can to achieve these goals. The only missing link keeping me from my passion for dentistry and a successful career in this field is the necessary professional schooling required. Therefore, my application is not just to ask for an opportunity to be a student in a dental school; it is much bigger than that. My application is a link in an unbreakable chain towards being part of the change I want to see in the world.
These are some more information about me:
As I transferred to California State University Northridge, my intense passion to help people made me to get involved in countless volunteer efforts through my community. I started as a committed member of the Student Health Center Advisory Committee (SHAC) in 2012. I’ve also served as the Ambassador of Preconception Peer Educators (PPE) where our mission was to reduce infant mortality rates via proper education and preventative measures among minorities. Through these, I’ve developed a strong personal and team performance orientation and a highly organized approach to problem solving.
Shadowing Dr………….. and volunteering at the UCLA dental school, I was able to witness many aspects of the dentist’s day-to-day operations. My interest was beyond piqued as I watched the doctor perform different dental procedures as well as listening to patient’s concerns. As I gained additional experiences, I’ve noticed that every aspect of dentistry fascinates me. I’ve found the perfect career and I truly look forward to becoming a Doctor of Dental Surgery.
Furthermore, I have been involved in cancer research at the most well known CSUN faculty’s lab, Dr. Oppenheimer, since 2012. The main focus of the research was on gaining a better understanding of cancer cells and will lead to advances in cancer therapeutics. This research published in the April 2014 issue of the FASEB journal.
As I graduated, my intense passion to help people made me to get involved in countless volunteer efforts through my community. I also continued working as a Tutor. This work opportunity has helped shape and sharpens my personality. I learned to be encouraging to others and really inspire people to go after their goals. I learned to connect all sciences to help students view the bigger picture. Patience is a key for me. Sometimes students understand and sometimes they do not. Overall it is the effort that counted. At times they would feel discouraged, so I would just tell them a personal experience of mine to help alleviate their stress.
