Dentistry has long been a family profession beginning with my great uncle and my grandfather. This led to both my dad and my aunt following in their father’s footsteps. As I embarked on my first year of dental school in fall 2017, my cousin did as well.
When you think of going on vacation, you probably imagine yourself lying in the sand on your favorite beach, sipping piña coladas and listening to Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville.” Perhaps you enjoy driving out to the mountains and taking in the lush scenery, while trying to capture the perfect Instagram pic. While these experiences can be fun and exciting, there’s more to traveling than meets the eye.
ASDA members can help bring healthier and happier smiles to children in the community by volunteering with Colgate’s Bright Smiles, Bright Futures (BSBF) Dental Van program. BSBF invites members to volunteer by improving a smile, child by child, while having a rewarding hands-on community experience.
More than 1,000 dental professionals visited our nation’s capital in April to advocate for the profession. The dental voice was loud and clear as attendees supported principles to alleviate the student debt burden, promoted the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act and championed the repeal of the McCarran-Ferguson Act. Here are some highlights of the 2019 ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day, as well as action items on what you can do next.
When I graduated from dental school in 2011, I remember thinking that my student loan debt of $180,000 seemed insurmountable. My wife also had law school loans of about $175,000. Between the two of us, that’s $355,000 of student debt we paid off in less than seven years. Believe me, I know there are circumstances that mathematically will not allow for “early” payoff of student loan debt.
Dental school is not easy — and neither is getting into one. It requires hard work as well as smart work. I started applying to dental schools for International Dentist Pathway programs in September 2017. Soon, I realized how my ignorance of the process impacted my first Centralized Application for Advanced Placement for International Dentists (CAAPID) cycle. During my second and last application cycle, I was better prepared, which earned me multiple interviews and acceptances.
ASDA’s Council on Professional Issues is thrilled to celebrate World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development again this year on May 21. The council recognizes the importance of this day to reflect on the diversity of dental students, our colleagues and our patients.
