Your personal statement provides the admissions committee a glimpse into who you are, beyond your GPA and DAT score. This is your chance to “sell yourself!” Why should you be selected for admission? What past experiences demonstrate that you will be a successful dental student and dentist? Given the importance of your personal statement, it’s…
Tag: pre-dental
Specializing in Pediatrics
Interested in pursuing a specialty in pediatric dentistry? Read below for an interview of my colleague, Monica, who is entering her pediatric dentistry residency this fall! She provides some great advice for dental students who are considering peds! 1. What general advice do you have for students interested in specializing in pediatric dentistry? Volunteer, shadow,…
Oral Surgery Clinic
Initially, Oral Surgery can be intimidating! To help build your confidence and skills, I reached out to my colleague, Dr. Faranak Hamedooni, who was an oral surgery clerk during her D4 year. I have always admired Faranak's work ethic, and ability to make authentic connections with classmates and patients. I'm confident you will find her…
Preventing Patient No-Shows
As a dental student, there’s nothing worse than a no-show! You’ve wasted your time scheduling the appointment, reserving the chair, reviewing the patient’s file, reviewing steps for the procedure, and setting up your chair and instruments! Time is a hot commodity in dental school. Continue reading to learn how to protect your precious time and…
Tips for Starting Clinic (2)
You survived the first two years of dental school! Congrats! Transitioning from the didactic portion of your education to clinic can be both exciting and a little nerve-racking. Your time in clinic will fly by, so you must be strategic in how you manage your clinic time. This is my second (and final) blog post…
Tips for Starting Clinic (1)
You survived the first two years of dental school! Congrats! Transitioning from the didactic portion of your education to clinic can be both exciting and a little nerve-racking! Your time in clinic will fly by, so you must be strategic in how you manage your clinic time! For the next two blog posts, I will…
How to Win a Dental School Scholarship
Dental school is EXPENSIVE! Luckily, there are many scholarship opportunities to offset the cost. Scholarships usually focus on academics, community service, or both. For advice on how to excel academically (without working harder), see my blog post on How to Boost your Class Rank! One of the major obstacles to winning a scholarship is self-doubt! Many…
How to Boost your Class Rank
Ranking at the top of your class will open opportunities for scholarships and help you secure the specialty of your dreams (see my post, How to Win a Dental School Scholarship)! I graduated in the top 10% of my class. Here is my advice to boost your class rank! HINT: It’s all about working SMARTER,…
What to Expect During D2 Year
You’ve survived D1! Congrats! The worst is OVER! 🙌🏻 Now, you may be wondering what to expect during your second (D2) year. Are the rumors true? Is D2 really the easiest year of dental school? See below for a sample course list and interview of Freddy, a dental student who just completed his D2 year!…
Demonstrating Manual Dexterity
You will be asked to demonstrate evidence of manual dexterity on both the paper application and during your dental school interview. According to the ADEA, manual dexterity is “the ability to use your hands in a skillful, coordinated way to grasp and manipulate objects and demonstrate small, precise movements.” Most dental school candidates demonstrate their manual…