An experienced dentist from India, since March 2018, I have been making a new home with my husband in Portland, Oregon. I hope to be selected for your doctoral program for international dentists. I hope to restart my career here in the United States, taking full advantage of the enormous learning opportunities for dentists like me who could not be more devoted to lifelong learning. My husband and I adore the diversity of America and Seattle, in particular. We are learning Spanish together and making progress since we look forward to using this language and English for professional purposes. For my part, I am most enthused about the opportunities that present themselves to care for the oral health needs of the large immigrant community in Seattle, with Spanish widely spoken as a first language among our city’s underserved populations. Nowhere do I feel so fully alive and engaged as in a free dental clinic that helps large numbers of underserved.
Since arriving in the US, I have shadowed an excellent dentist at Kaiser Permanente, which will help me hit the ground running in your program and distinguish me as a fast and dedicated learner. I have also recently passed my boards and am thinking seriously about working towards a career in the US military, putting my dental skills at the service of my country as an exercise in patriotic service, and getting acquainted with the innovative way dentistry is practiced in America. I consider my move to America more than a change of location since I feel very committed to my adopted country. This is one of the primary reasons I am thinking seriously about working towards a career in the US military, putting my dental skills at the service of my country as an exercise in patriotic service and professional advancement in my field.
After earning my doctoral degree in dentistry, I hope to continue my Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery studies. I have had marvelous mentors and have always been an outstanding student, at or near the top of my class, in dental school and K-12. Oral and Maxillofacial surgery has been my greatest passion since I began dental school. As a student, I always sought opportunities to observe and assist in the surgery department. By showering them with warmth and attention, I bonded, particularly with many of the patients who were seniors; I soon found myself performing a few minor oral surgical procedures myself.
I worked on various educational projects and dental screening camps during my undergraduate studies. I went to primary schools in backward villages on Global Hand Washing Day with my team, educating families about proper hygiene and handwashing techniques. I have often been to orphanages with oral health awareness and treatment initiatives and attended many social events and fundraisers for oral health causes, including many 5k and 10k runs. I helped plant hundreds of trees on my campus with the theme 'Go Green Day. I'm volunteering in Portland with the American Red Cross and Cancer Society in Portland, Oregon.
As a dental student, I finished with the rank of seventh for my entire state in India. I am also immensely proud of the merit award from the Indian Society of Periodontology. I stay abreast, constantly reading articles in the American Dental Association and the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. I was active in helping with several research projects in dental school, particularly in medical emergencies, and I still read widely in this area concerning oral surgery. I have presented papers and posters at state and national dental conferences and workshops. In addition to Maxillofacial surgery, I am very much engaged in studying aesthetic rehabilitation/reconstruction and managing trigeminal neuralgia since a close family member was stricken with this disease.
I am pleased to have gained extensive experience in India before coming to America, working with advanced equipment, and managing a team of sterilization techs, dental assistants, lab personnel, etc. I also became adept at Implantology. Now, I look forward to participating in research on the reconstruction of the face, lips, and jaws, particularly as part of the battle against cancer and debilitating infections.
So far, some of my finest moments were spent serving on the magazine committee published by my dental school, organizing events and competitions, finalizing winners and runners, and promoting our cultural festivals. Highly trained in Indian classical dance, I have performed on many occasions and consistently won first place among my fellow dental students. I unwind and refresh by dancing, preparing my mind, heart, and soul for giving my all to dentistry the next day.
Sikh Indian IDP Applicant OMFS Learning Spanish
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