My Journey To Becoming A Dentist

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

Limestone Smiles allowed me to witness the technical aspects of dental assisting. With being a newer establishment, they were not as busy as the previous. In this extra time is was educated on some key concepts a dental assistant would need to know. The tooth numbering system was explained to me so that I would understand what was being mentioned during each appointment. Teeth are labeled from one to sixteen on the top row from left to right: this is assuming one is looking into a client’s mouth. The remaining bottom row is the labeled from seventeen to thirty-two going from right to left. I was also taught some key concepts pertaining to labeling the mouth. The buccal (facial) surface is the side of teeth that touch the mouth. The lingual surface in the back side of one’s teeth. The median line divides the mouth in half between upper teeth eight and nine and lower teeth twenty-four and twenty-five. The side of each tooth facing towards this line is the mesial side while the side pointing away is the distal surface. The biting surface of each tooth is referred to as the occlusal surface. Knowing this information helped me to better understand the procedures I witness. I also learned about two prevalent instruments used during appointments, the explorer and the PF5. With the explorer, the explorer end is used to find cavities while the perio probe end is used to measure bone lose. An older African American male

Ever wonder why your dentist doesn’t actually clean your teeth? It’s cause that’s the job of the dental hygienist. They are specialist at keeping your teeth and gums healthy and clean. My goal of becoming a dental hygienist will soon come to pass. All I need is dedication, motivation, ambition, and understanding. This latter element becomes very important when discussing this career field. The most basic elements that one must understand when considering becoming a dental hygienist are threefold; first, I must possess the education requirements that are necessary for admittance to this field. Second, I will discuss the nature of the work,

Growing up the main question a child is asked is, “What do you want to be when you grow up? “ , and most kids respond saying a doctor, lawyer, or a cop. In reality not everyone sticks to their first idea, and it’s slim that they actual start working in the chosen career. In my case, I have always wanted to work as a social worker or a therapist, but I realized it wasn’t in my budget. Therefore, I have decided; as well as, grew interest in being a dental assistant for a pediatric office.

My life has truly been transformed by Dentistry; it has boosted my confidence and aligned me with the career path of my dreams. Early on in life, every aspect of Dentistry captured my heart. Learning to cope with my embarrassing smile inspired me to want to help others by giving them what they always dreamed of. Knowing I have the power to make someone's dreams come to life is the reason I wake up each morning with a drive and desire to achieve my goals. While striving with a strong focus, packaged with confidence and sincerity, I will pursue my passion through demanding training. I not only plan to be a hardworking, determined and ambitious student, but with my skills as an orthodontist, it will further my ability to be an active member in

A career in Dentistry is my main goal in life. I want to pursue a career in Dentistry for many reasons. Being a Dentist, you get to aid people and make them feel better about themselves. I have the personal qualities to be a Dentist and know that I would be great at the job. I would look forward to going to work every day. Dentistry contains many tools and oral practices that I am not familiar with. It would be awesome to get to be familiar with the lifestyle of a Dentist. Someday, I might even be able to live their lifestyle. Focusing in school is the main priority for all jobs. Dentistry also involves a diverse (longer) college route than most. This means that the academic requirements to be a Dentist are quite time consuming, but the

Another reason why I chose dentistry as a profession is because the connection dentists build with their patients. While I was volunteering at Dentistry from the Heart, an annual event providing free dental treatments, the dentist asked me to try to calm down a crying Vietnamese girl, Hoa, as he waited to finish her extraction. I wanted to keep her mind off of the pain, so I spoke to her in Vietnamese about various topics ranging from cartoons to her

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.

I first took interest in this career path when I was exploring a different variety of jobs during high school. My mom asked me,” what do I want out of life”? So I explained to her that I want to do something that matters to people. I want to help people. But over all things I want to be a mom. I want to be able to provide for my family. My mom went on to explain how she thought being a hygienist would suit me. It’s funny how our moms know us better than we know ourselves sometimes! She went on to explain how she had a friend who pursued a career as a dental hygienist that it worked out for her in many ways. She got to raise her own children but continue growing in a lifelong career path. She got to support her family while not missing out on the milestones her children were accomplishing. She had become very successful within her career and about 25 years later, she still loves it the same. I knew that was the life I wanted, so I started to research where I would need to start.

My dream job is to be a dental hygienist and has been the same since I was a little girl. I have an interest in how health can affect one’s body. I would like to educate others how important it is to keep your body, including teeth, healthy and clean. To see people who have not cleaned their teeth in years compared to people who are able to see the dentist every six months, is a drastic difference. Some people may think it does not matter, but lack of dental care actually takes a toll on your health. I want to peruse this career to help other’s think. I will enjoy helping other people by showing them the importance of keeping their teeth cleaned. Contrary to popular belief, a tooth brush does not do all the work, that is also why it is so important to have a dentist to make sure you are getting the cleaning you need to stay healthy. Another reason why I want to pursue this career is I work best in an oriented atmosphere. Making sure people are comfortable with where they are and make sure the patients are taken care of. Creates a very friendly environment. That is why my passion is a dental hygienist.

When I was about 5-years-old, I was the only one in my Kindergarten class that was not frightened of the dentist. I was the only child for as long as I can remember who absolutely adored going to see my dentist; I thought it was better than going to the Science Center, which was a big deal for a child in my generation. Growing up, I watched people’s faces twitch with (terror, panic, dismay) as I explained that it was my ultimate dream to become a dental hygienist. “What if a child bites you?” “The human mouth is disgusting! Do you not realize the horror of this occupation?” Listening to people question and insult my dreams only enhanced my dedication to this occupation even more. I was determined to prove them wrong; to prove that this was

The stigmatism attached to going to the dentist goes out the door when meeting the dental staff and their ability to get patient’s minds off of the procedure they are about to perform.

This reflection acts as my fourth reflection since I have started my internship at Comfort Dental under the Guidance of Dr. Trino Nuno. The semester is coming to an end, and I have enjoyed my time at Comfort Dental., I previously had a clinical and administrative internship at Smile Works Dentistry in Rockwall, Texas and I can now tell you that my experience at these two dental practices was incredibly different. At Smile Works, I quickly got used to the way the practice was run because it was not that complicated and I only had one doctor’s schedule to manage. However, at Comfort Dental I still struggle with managing day-to-day functions. The reason I struggle is that Comfort Dental has three doctors and a lot more staff. Also, the computer system that I mastered at Smile Works is not the same computer system that they use at Comfort Dental. I got the chance to use all to same skills in this internship. I answered phones, checked that patient’s insurance plans are eligible to be billed and scanned paper documents into a hard drive.

‘Randi, why would you want to look into someone’s mouth?’ is a question I frequently am asked when I tell someone of my future aspiration of becoming a dentist. Every time I am asked this question I cannot help myself but to chuckle a little because to me becoming a dentist is so much more; to me being a dentist is about becoming a contributing member of the community as well as an advocate of compassion, mentorship, and social justice. Becoming a dentist will allow me to utilize my creative and academic abilities while servicing others. I am fortunate to have the ability to understand complex concepts, ideas, and theories and can simplify them for others, so they may gain their own basic understanding. On the other hand, I am motivated to give thanks for this ability and to offer my service as a dental professional to assist in the health needs of those served and underserved in my community.

Albert Einstein, a highly intelligent physicist once said “if you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal. Not things.” I believe people should set goals in life because it lets you create the steps to fulfill your goal. I am Zack Leffue and I am in the eighth grade and have set many goals that I created for my life including becoming a dentist. Though I will go through the most extreme efforts to complete my goals there are still obstacles that will stand in my way.