Endodontics: A Personal Statement Of Purpose

With my early trips to the dentist and the natural loss of my baby teeth having sparked an interest in dentistry before I really knew what being a dentist meant, I began shadowing to further explore the profession. As I watched a tooth take shape from a blob of acrylic under the experienced hand of the dentist I was shadowing, I was filled with the same awe and satisfaction that I gain from the piano. Dr. Aboud repeatedly positioned the temporary crown in the patient’s mouth, checked his bite, and painstakingly continued to adjust the crown until the fit was just right. Though I have wanted to be a dentist for almost as long as I have played the piano, my interest in dentistry grew

My first exposure to dentistry, out of the chair, came when I began babysitting for a dentist. He worked on the weekends, and his daughter and I would tag along. Initially I stayed as far away from the dentist chair as possible, but later, I became curious, and gradually observant. By the time I reached high school, I was intrigued by every aspect of dentistry. The procedures quickly turned from one of torment into something more familiar. Coming from a family of engineers and contractors, I recognized the doctor’s instruments because they were similar to tools I had grown up watching my father use. I began to think of dentistry as performing small scale construction in a small hole. Performing such intricate procedures while simultaneously utilizing my mind and hands both excited me and complimented my detail attentive personality.

I began my first observation April 22, 2016 at Valley Smiles Dental Care at 8 am. As soon as I entered into the practice, client began to come in steadily. The first client I had the privilege of witnessing was a young man who was a victim of drug use. His use of drugs practically destroyed three of his back teeth. Therefore, the doctor planned to do a root canal and then create a crown. The

From observing varying dental environments, what appealed to me most was the technicality and artistic skills that were encompassed. I shadowed three dentists for a total of three weeks at Penthaligon Dental Centre, where I saw a wide variety of treatments, ranging from general check ups to root canal treatments and crown fittings. While spending my time here I also observed an oral surgeon for a day - procedures which involved high precision and care. In contrast to NHS treatment, I observed private treatment at the Avenue Dental Practice, which I attended weekly for two months. One of the many differences was how the dentist executed a root canal treatment; using more developed equipment. Here, I also

Being a first year student at the Fortis Institute Dental Hygiene School, I have experienced many wonderful things. I have made new friendships, enhancing my learning experience, furthering my career, and my personal favorite experience, clinic. I have learned many techniques from observing the other students during this time. Also, being in the clinic had shown me that being an RDH is what I want to do. In my essay I will discuss my Fears, experiences, observations, my new found confidences, and finally how my view of Dental Hygiene has changed.

My interest in dentistry was sparked at a young age through my volunteer activities in Egypt, where I was raised. At 12 years old, through the Egyptian Federation for Boys Scouts, we visited a village in North Egypt. There I met people my age who were underprivileged, including Youssef. Something was wrong with Youssef's mouth, but I was afraid to ask him. When I returned home, I kept wondering what was wrong with Youssef and couldn't figure it out. Two weeks later, my mother took me for a dental checkup. I brought Youssef's picture, hoping the dentist could provide me with answers. He told me Youssef had a cleft lip and palate. He said it needed surgical intervention to be corrected and that these procedures are only performed in major medical centers, not in rural villages like Youssef's. I was intrigued by his explanation and asked him questions about the scope of

While most of the patients I interacted with were seeking non-dental care, I met patients who were seeking care to health conditions that stem from their oral health such as oral abscesses, which our team was unable to treat except for prescribing antibiotics or painkillers. I encountered similar situations when I shadowed physicians in the emergency room of hospitals, observing a variety of craniofacial disorders originating from a preventable tooth decay. From these observations, I learned that patients often did not receive treatment that addressed the root of their problems: their oral health. As the result, I learned that many physicians saw the same patient repeatedly for problems that would otherwise be easily prevented through proper preventive dental care. Determining to address the unmet needs for accessible preventive dental care, I decided to pursue a career in dentistry so that I can provide a positive and meaningful impact to the underserved community on their oral health and ultimately their overall

Dentistry offers the ability to apply my interests in science whilst having the opportunity to communicate with people and to make a positive contribution in their lives. I developed my interest in dentistry during my regular check-ups where I got to know my dentist and build up a relationship with them. I believe that with my dedication and work ethic alongside my extensive volunteering, I have the ability to become a reputable dentist. An aspect of dentistry that I enjoy is the ‘hands on’ experience obtained and the teamwork involved alongside the mentally and physically challenging demands of the profession.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Molly Koopman, Expanded Function Dental Assisting Program, Miami Jacobs Career College, Springboro, OH 45066

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I can not recall the numbers of times I have been asked this question. The question is phrased in various ways:

Dental hygiene plays an important role in oneś life, from infanthood to elderhood oral health is a visual into healthy bodies. Throughout one’s life annual dentist visits are a need to keep a mouth fresh and disease free. Looking back into my own childhood and the first visit, I was happy to be there. In fact, I found this new adventure in the dentist office better than being in a doctor's. Being a small child and coming into the office for a check up, the first face I saw was a dental hygienist. That meeting later motivated me to do all my studying to become one myself.

In this country the dental health disparity is alarming and on the rise. This is indicated by many factors, including the number of emergency room visits due to tooth related pains (Friedman & Mathu-Muju, 2014). Children face the largest dental disparities. Although, dental caries is the most preventable childhood disease, it is the most prevalent. Our traditional dental care system, of private dentistry, is not working effectively, leaving millions of Americans without access to dental care. Training Dental Hygienist to perform simple extractions and restorative procedures to serve low income and underprivileged communities as a Dental Therapist could greatly decrease our oral health crisis in this nation.

On March 7th, 2016 I visited Eckman Family Dentistry for my career exploration project. Eckman Family Dentistry is a private practice with hours during the week from 6:30am to 5:00pm during the weekdays. The facility is closed during the weekend. The office size was medium sized (10’ by 15’). There were ten treatment rooms, and one x-ray room. Client age vary from six months of age to elderly. Client’s diversity is primarily Caucasian.

“You love teeth and oral hygiene, go be a dentist!” was my husband’s candid yet, inspiring remark to me. Since hearing those words, I have been excited and motivated to make strides towards becoming a dentist. This remarkable journey has included accomplishing milestones, experiencing personal growth, and excitement of what my future holds. Furthermore, I am thrilled to seek admission into the Masters in Medical Science Program at Hampton University. Acceptance into this extraordinary program will not only prepare me to be a competitive applicant for dental school, but instill a standard of excellence that will carry over throughout dental school and into the dental profession.

With fondness, I will always remember when I first began to consider dentistry as a future profession. My childhood mentor Dr. Spigner was having a weekend workshop for his patients, at this moment, I was exposed to dental education at its full capacity. While there we learned how to properly brush and floss our teeth, the benefits of tooth hygiene, and how fillings are applied to adolescent teeth. After learning these helpful tips, I wanted to share my newfound information about the importance of