My Personal Statement: How I Got into Dental School

My art journey began when I was very young. On my first day of kindergarten I was so proud of myself as I colored precisely within the lines of each illustration on my paper. In second grade, I rushed into my first art show, holding my mom’s hand so that I could keep up with her quick pace as we tried not to be late. I had drawn the faces of two children, one a fiery, angry, little boy and the other a sad, blue, little girl. Before I knew it, I was a sixth grader at my school district’s art show. My drawing of a vibrant playground with children of all backgrounds happily playing together had won second place. I knew that art was a personal passion and I was driven to be as skilled as possible. Throughout middle school and high school I continued to explore my artistic abilities and most recently finished the piece I am most proud of. This piece shows my own two hands set against my piano. When I look at this piece, it makes me proud. It brings me joy because I know it did the same for many others who viewed it at the local art show. 

In retrospect, I realized that art parallels dentistry and these parallels have enticed me to pursue art as a hobby and dentistry as a career. Both art and dentistry have been a part of my entire life. My mom received her doctorate of dental surgery from Tver State Medical Academy and currently works in the profession in Colorado. I have always been inspired by her work and the dental field as a whole. I learned so much regarding the inner workings of a dental office and the language of the dental field from spending time with my mom at the office growing up. On a more general note, both dentistry and art require precision and attention to detail. There is steadiness and a requirement of well-developed fine motor skills too. Art and dentistry also have ways of evoking a variety of emotions but based on my experiences, both bring out positive emotions the most. 

This is why I want to pursue a dental career. I am passionate about bringing out the positivity in others. If they are in pain, I want to share my knowledge and expertise to make their lives more comfortable. Similarly, if a person is lacking confidence in the way their teeth look, I want to help them regain confidence and certainty in themselves and their oral health. I have seen how art can impact people in a positive way and bring about feelings of joy and comfort and I have seen the same positive impacts in dentistry. One situation that left an impression was a nervous patient who was stressed and scared about having two fillings done. When appropriate, I talked with him to comfort him and make him feel confident throughout the entire procedure. He talked about his love for cooking and we talked a lot about food, soccer, and his heritage. He became more comfortable the longer we interacted. It felt wonderful to be able to help someone in what they considered a scary or stressful situation. In that moment, it was so special to see how a dentist can connect with a patient too. I was shadowing at the same office on a different day and that same patient came in and brought the dentist, dental assistant, and me each a jar of homemade pico de gallo. Dentistry is a branch of healthcare that provides such special, personal opportunities like this to interact with others. I would be honored to have the ability to serve as a resource and support system in any way that is needed. From my time as an artist, I have developed the patience, fine motor skills, and eye for detail that will help me be successful in the dental field. Like my art, dentistry will be something I can be proud of and will be a life-long learner in. I desire to feel pride in the work that I do, not only by the aesthetic appearance of my future patients’ teeth and gums, but also in the way that I see immediate and long-term health changes in my patients. The most important thing I have learned as an artist is that art connects people. Dentistry does the same. I am eager to share my skills with my colleagues and patients and also develop meaningful relationships that last for years to come.