Hi all and happy Friday! As we are now 191 days away from my dental school graduation and Match Day for orthodontics nears, I have updates!
For those who want it short and sweet: I probably won’t be starting an orthodontics residency in 2026 and that’s ok. If you want to hear more about how I’ve come to that it’ll all be ok, then read on. And if you just came to see that I’ll be reapplying next cycle, more than likely, then that’s good too. See you when I post next!
For those wanting a bit more…
I applied to 15 orthodontics programs this year, 3 of which were non-Match and 12 that participate in the Match. I interviewed at 2 schools and unfortunately it looks like it won’t work out with either of those schools (and I know the decision of both schools I interviewed with because they were both non-Match programs). Orthodontics is something that has been part of my life since I was 7. That’s when I first became a patient. And then I was in ortho again when I was 12. At that point, I knew that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, even if I didn’t totally understand what it was all about. I literally remember the moment my mom and I were coming home from the grocery store and I turned to her and told her I wanted to be an orthodontist. 🦷🤍
From that point on, I continued to work hard in everything I did and years later here we are. I’m almost done with dental school and I did all the things I was supposed to do to finally get into an orthodontics residency and it didn’t happen this cycle. And you know what? That’s ok. And I know it’s going to be ok because I’m going to be an orthodontist at the end of all of this anyway. It may not happen exactly like I wanted straight out of dental school, but I will be an orthodontist.
In the past, and still occasionally, I struggle with perfectionism. I want everything to go the way I want it to 100% of the time. When that doesn’t happen, in the past, I have found it really hard to cope with things. I didn’t do as well as I wanted on an exam? Devastated, I’m clearly stupid. Didn’t play as well as I wanted in tennis? I’m a horrible tennis player. That filling I did is clinically acceptable but could have had a better contour? Maybe I shouldn’t have pursued dentistry. The path I’m on is not an easy one to be on and the profession I’m pursuing isn’t an easy one to get into. If I were to continue to let myself be my worst enemy and stress over every little thing that has happened and could happen, I would eat myself alive. Throughout the last few weeks, I’ve come to the realization that I can still pursue excellence and push myself to be the best version of myself. BUT- I also need to stress less (easier said than done). I can’t enjoy anything I do if I’m always worried about things outside my control. As long as I know I’ve done my best and did my part, then the rest is up to the universe and whatever greater plan there is for me.
Of course there’s still a chance that something could work out post-Match. I’m absolutely not giving up. But I’m trying to be realistic with myself and prepare for what needs to come next. I’ll work for the next year and do whatever I can to strengthen my application and then reapply next cycle. It will be ok. I know it will be. 🫶🏻