Daphne's Dentist Dreams. by Daphne

Daphne's Dentist Dreams. by Daphne - March 2025 Scholarship Essay

Hello! My name is Daphne Lopez, and I am a senior from Center Point, Texas. I have grown up in a middle-class household with only one steady income. Although we have thankfully never struggled to buy food for meals thanks to my extremely hard-working father, who works 12-hour workdays and has little to no time for himself after work, I knew from a young age that I would need a job in order to provide my dad some financial relief. Since a young age, I have refused to allow myself to feel like a burden. That is when I decided to start working at Chick-Fil-a starting at age 15. I worked there for 11 months and then decided to change my place of employment. I currently work at my local H-E-B grocery store as a personal shopper for people who are unable to shop in-store themselves due to personal conditions. Working has become very important for me as I plan to save money for college so that my dad does not have to worry about another bill to pay. However, saving enough money for all of college tuition will definitely not be possible without the aid of scholarships. I also live with my older brother, 21 who has a neurological condition called Aspergers which does not allow for him to participate fully in society. As I know that my brother struggles with simple daily tasks, I have always felt an immense desire to do great things with my future career and life, for both of us.

Ten years from now I see myself working as a dentist, making my patients smile. I believe dentistry is the career meant for me to pursue due to my passion for helping others live an improved quality of life. Dentists of multiple specialties have inspired me to pursue a dental career to help patients just as many dentists have helped me. Growing up desiring to become successful, I knew I would have to work hard from an early age. As soon as I could, I began joining clubs, sports, dual enrollment, volunteering, and even working. I knew I could learn much from participating and giving back to my school and community. I was able to do so throughout high school while maintaining a GPA higher than 3.9 out of a four scale and currently being ranked third in my class. However, when high school began, I felt self-conscious about myself. My smile was the culprit. I had a serious underbite, still had some baby teeth, and had severe crooked teeth. I had to make countless trips to dental specialists such as orthodontists and periodontists. These professionals always treated me with the utmost respect and care. My dentists made me feel hope for my future self. Slowly but surely, all the procedures and my dentists' hard work paid off. I now frequently get compliments on my smile like never before.

Just as several dentists changed my life as well as that of many others, I want to make improvements in others' lives. Not just in the lives of my future patients, but I would love to make an impact in the lives of those within the same community as I. I also cannot wait to give back to my family who has sacrificed so much for me to have the best possibilities in life. However, the rigorous education that I need in order to fulfill my dreams would not be achievable without the aid of scholarships. In conclusion, winning this scholarship will be a key component in allowing me to live out my dream of becoming "Doctor Daphne the Dentist". I am beyond grateful for having the opportunity to participate in this scholarship competition and would like to thank you all for helping students live out their dreams. Thank you.