Threads of my white coat

They say it takes a village to raise a child. I believe my journey to obtaining my white coat is a testament to that.

I come from a family of healthcare professionals. All of my relatives had a career in this line of work, from dentistry to medicine to nursing. Because of that, I had an early exposure to a variety of fields and quickly became fascinated with dentistry. I found dentistry was different from other professions because it borrowed traits from two monumental aspects of my life: arts and communication.

5 tips for applying to dental school as a foreign-trained dentist

“Congratulations on your acceptance to our dental program.”

No, I was not dreaming! In that one moment, all those tears and sleepless nights, hours of prepping plastic teeth, days of interview preparation and hundreds of dollars spent on applications and travel felt worth it. This is the one email every experienced dentist seeking to practice in the U.S. yearns to see in their inbox.

Yes, the most daunting yet exciting time for foreign-trained dentists applying to U.S. international dental programs is around the corner. How can you stand out and make the process less stressful? Here are five tips based on my recent experience applying to and graduating from an advanced doctoral program.

Finding a support system as a predental

A small fish in a big pond — that’s what I felt like. Despite being so excited to attend UCLA, I couldn’t help but feel lost in a crowd of highly accomplished people and plagued by a mild case of imposter syndrome. But your college experience is what you make out of it, and I was determined to live out my undergraduate years to its fullest potential.

Starting your journey with ASDA: Advice from ASDA’s predental consultant

As a predental, there are so many resources and organizations to help aid in your success and pathway to leadership and dental school, especially ASDA. As an ASDA member, students have access to tons of benefits and opportunities that allow them to flourish, such as leadership roles at the local, district and national levels.