Devotion to Dentistry by Tiana

Devotion to Dentistry by Tiana - April 2020 Scholarship Essay

For as long as I could remember, I’ve always wanted to be a dentist. I was exposed to the healthcare field through my mother, who is a medical lab technologist, and my father, who works as a dental lab technician. They would come home everyday and talk to me about what they did that day at work, allowing me to ask questions about their job and grow my curiosity for healthcare. In addition to my parents’ influence, I had abnormally long roots on my baby teeth and crooked teeth, which resulted in frequent dental visits for extractions and orthodontics. My childhood experiences at the dentist added to my interest in the dental field and pushed me to apply to a career-technical education focused school in my community. At Benson High School, I was able to participate in the health-occupations program in the Dental Assisting Major. This program has allowed me to learn about a variety of dental assisting skills, such as seating a patient, preparing an anesthetic syringe, and taking dental x-rays, and gave me the chance to shadow at local dental clinics, which has resulted in me obtaining a job as a sterilizer at an office I shadowed at my junior year of high school. My experience at Benson has confirmed my love for dentistry, and fueled my determination to become an exceptional dentist. While college is not the path that everyone will take in life, for me, college is a direct path to my goal because it will provide me with the education I need, allow me to have more opportunities, and help me build connections in my community.
Attending college is important because it will provide me with the necessary technical skills and knowledge that is required to be a dentist that will provide the utmost care for her patients. As a high school senior, I have only explored the basic concepts of many of the subjects that I will need to know in depth to support my patients. The medication that will be given to patients, and materials and techniques used in procedures are two examples of things that require a deep understanding of educational subjects such as biology, chemistry, physics, and anatomy and physiology to ensure that patients will be safe.
A post-secondary degree will allow me to have more opportunities, both in the future as a dentist, and in the present as a student interested in dentistry. As a college student, I will be able to join many clubs relating to dentistry, such as a Pre-Dental Club, or compete at the collegiate level in healthcare related competitions like HOSA. Participating in these activities will give me a sense of what to expect in graduate school, as well as allow me to build a community with people who have the same interests as I do. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, many opportunities in dentistry will be open to me. Whether I decide to pursue dental assisting, dental hygiene, education, or a dental specialty, with my bachelor’s degree, all these paths will be open for me to explore. In addition, in the future if I were to want to go back and further my education to specialize, or open a business, a bachelor’s degree will allow me to easily access the education I need to make my new goal possible.
Another aspect of college that is important is the interactions with my peers and teachers. Beyond technical skills, another characteristic that makes a great dentist is their ability to connect with patients. As an introvert, the interpersonal side of healthcare has been the most challenging part of my journey. Being in a setting where I have to constantly be around people and communicate with them will force me to step out of my comfort zone to talk to others. I will be able to better my communication skills, both formally with my professors and informally with my peers, to prepare me to be able to speak with people of all ages and backgrounds as a dentist.
Without college, I will not be able to fulfill my long-time goal. It is an essential part of my journey to becoming a dentist that will help me gain more knowledge, provide me with opportunity, and help me overcome my shyness. The experiences and relationships I gain from college will not be forgotten as I make my dreams come true and create new dreams.