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jakesully123

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Hi SDN community,

I'm new here and this is my first post. I'm sorry if this post is where it shouldn't be, but I looked everywhere for 'personal statement review' threads, but couldn't find a "main" one.

Anyway, this is my personal statement. Helpful and honest criticism would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!


“Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” As a child, visits to the dentist were terrifying. I viewed dentists with utter fear. It wasn’t until I grew into my adult years that I began to truly admire dentists. I am lucky enough to have the privilege of shadowing dentists who go beyond their call of duty. Showing me that their practice is more than just a business. From working an extra half an hour to make sure patients receive proper treatment to spending an extra five minutes to explain the procedure, their dedication has become the “excellence” that has been instilled in me. After having shadowed various dentists and witnessing their commitment to people, I have realized that dentistry is a wonderful opportunity to use my hands to treat individuals less fortunate.

The first time I considered being a dentist was when I had braces. I saw Dr. Lee more often and really got to know him. Before, in my mind, I knew dentists were good with their hands and had sharp minds. But Dr. Lee showed me how important is to care for your patients. I witnessed the appreciation his patients had for him and that sparked something within me. This was the turning point for me as it changed my view of dentists, but more importantly, my view on their heart to serve. I have always been good with my hands and I saw dentistry as a privilege to use my hands to treat one’s mouth. It was clear to me that dentistry was more than just a job. It was a responsibility to serve the community and the underprivileged. For my last ortho appointment, the braces came off and I saw all of the hard work that went into my new teeth. I became overwhelmed with gratitude. It was through Dr. Lee that I initially decided I wanted to share this same experience with others through the discipline of dentistry.

After freshman year of college, my career took a significant detour as I switched majors from pre-dental to engineering. College was much more different than high school and I did not adapt accordingly. Doubting my chances of matriculating into dental school, I switched to an engineering major. Upon graduating with a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, I landed a job in the telecommunications industry. I was content with my career for about a year but I was missing that feeling of fulfillment. Instead of serving individual people, I was serving national cellular corporations. I lost sight of my initial vision of serving people. I remembered Dr. Lee and his commitment to serving others. After confiding with my friends, family, and mentors I decided to go head first into pursuing dentistry. One by one I took night classes, checking off the dental prerequisites all while having a full time job. Two years later, I’ve completed the prerequisites, scored well on the DAT and accrued over 300 hours of volunteer experience with my, now current, dentist Dr. Chang. These two years pushed me beyond what I thought I could handle, but I believe it has made me stronger and more prepared me for the intense rigors of dental school.

When I started shadowing Dr. Chang my passion for dentistry became even stronger. My role as a dental assistant created a new challenge that required me to start at the very bottom. Although I was not polishing teeth right away, I was learning the importance of sanitation and handling instruments in a safe manner. I realized that in order to achieve my goal of becoming a dentist I would need to know the basics and gradually take on more responsibilities. This experience has humbled me and has given me a newfound appreciation for dental assistants and the entire team as a whole. I eventually earned the privilege to assist Dr. Chang up-close and personal. My focus and awareness skills were honed in as I helped suction and gave him instruments. This shadowing experience has furthered my confidence for success in dental school.

All of the qualities that dentistry requires is what I strive for everyday. Attention to detail, caring for others, and aiming for excellence is just a few of the qualities dentistry is about. I wish to use these hands to make a difference in people's lives. In the future, my hope is to open my own practice and treat my local community, but more importantly, have the opportunity to treat the less fortunate. Lastly, I hope to become a role model for other aspiring young dentists in the same way Dr. Lee and Dr. Chang have been for me as they have taught me to keep the integrity and beauty of dentistry alive no matter where life takes you.

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