anahorvath.com

Tag: orthodontics

  • Applying to Orthodontics Residencies!

    Tom Frost Reservoir

    For anyone who knows me personally or has been following this blog, you may know of my goals to become an orthodontist. Well… things are (hopefully!) rolling and I am working on my ADEA PASS application for orthodontics residencies with hopes of pursuing the speciality starting after my graduation from dental school in 2026. I -CANNOT- believe that I’m already at this point in my dental journey.

    It’s incredibly helpful that a majority of the applications for orthodontics residencies (and actually most if not all specialty residencies) are taken care of by ADEA PASS which is a general application for those who don’t know. Once I submit that, then I get to work through the supplemental applications for each school. I think that this is where the really time-consuming part comes in. That, and I have to be sure that I’m organized in keeping each of the different program’s requirements straight.

    To answer a few questions:
    How many programs? I am currently applying to 17 programs. I did a lot of research with each of the programs I’m applying too. There’s a whole spreadsheet of data, pros, and cons. It’s a lot! Biggest thing I want to say is that I’m determined to get into a residency. Orthodontics residencies are highly competitive and I really really want this.
    Where are you applying? In terms of location: I’m looking at places I think may be fun to live and explore for the next 2-3.5 years. Of course I’ll be busy in residency, but I think that being happy where you are matters too! It helps that I have family/friends/family friends in a lot of these places, so that was a big factor. Cost is another factor, of course.
    Match or non-Match? I am applying to a combination of Match and non-Match programs, with a focus on Match programs that are not exclusively Match.
    What letters of rec are required? Depends on the program. I have 3 letters of recommendation as of now (2 from faculty, 1 from an orthodontist). I am also currently awaiting a Dean’s letter. These are typically required by all programs and cover your class rank, performance in school, etc.

    For anyone looking to get into dental school or a dental residency, my biggest advice is to be organized and start on as much as you can early!! I asked for my letters of recommendation at least 2 months before they were actually due and then by the time the application opened, those were all ready to go. My personal statement was in the works around that same time and I think that it really helps to get everything that you can control done as early as possible so that you can have a bit of give when things maybe take a bit longer elsewhere.

    Of course I’m incredibly nervous as I go through this process. There’s only so much that I can control. That being said, I think I’ve done everything I can to show who I am and I hope that’s something the admissions teams at these programs can appreciate. The fear of not getting in is very real, though. When I get worked up over that fear, I try to remind myself that someone else’s perfect fit is THEIR perfect fit. Just because I don’t get in to that particular school doesn’t mean I’m not a perfect fit at another program. Everyone will have their place.

    Not to get cheesy or anything, but to everyone who has helped me along my dental school journey, thank you. ❤️ I literally would not be where I am today without your support and encouragement. Dental school has been the greatest challenge of my life. I have cried a lot and been beyond frustrated and scared more times than I can count. But I have also grown so much and learned so much. Eight-year-old Ana sitting in the orthodontist’s chair for the first time would be so proud to see where we are now. She really had no idea that getting all excited about picking orange and black for her first band colors would get her to where we are now. Or maybe she did know. Maybe she was already thinking about orthodontics residencies then. Have a good week everyone. ❤️

  • My Dental School Applications are In!

    dental school applications are in!

    This is something I definitely could have posted about last week, but my blogaversary was a bit more important, especially considering that I forgot it the year before haha! This is pretty exciting too though and based on the title of this post I bet you can guess it. My dental school applications are all in!

    This has been another big milestone in my journey of wanting to go into orthodontics and I’m really excited to have finished my applications! The whole application process was a bit confusing to me at first but I think I got it now. You basically just apply a full year before your want to go to dental school and preferably you submit your applications on the day they first open to be submitted, June 1st. Then the schools send you any supplemental applications they have and you do those and then you’re all set! And then if all goes according to plan, I’ll go to dental school for four years and do well and then apply to orthodontics programs which tend to be another 2-3 years of school and then I can practice orthodontics. I’ve potentially got a really long road ahead of me but I’m ready for it!

    Something that I’ve found stressful but also somewhat fun about the entire process is seeing the status of my applications. Just recently, two of the schools I’m applying to notified me that they began reviewing my applications! I’m looking at five schools and I’m really really really just hoping I at least get into one of them. I have applied to Texas A&M College of Dentistry, Creighton University School of Dentistry, University of Nebraska Medical Center School of Dentistry, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry (University of Southern California), as well as the dental school in my home state of Colorado which is the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine.

    I get a lot of questions about my top choice for dental school and that’s been floating between Creighton, Nebraska, and Colorado for a bit now. Like I said before, I’ll be thankful to get into one and if that’s the only school I get into, I’d be glad to go anywhere. If anyone wants to hear more about the application process for dental school or wants some advice and more info on the application itself, please reach out! I’m more than happy to help. Have a great week and let’s see how all this application stuff goes!!

  • Invisalign and Easter 2019

    First of all, I’d just like to say, HAPPY EASTER! Today is a beautiful, wonderful day and I hope you’re all spending time with family and friends, having a good time. This weekend has been another great weekend for me with family and it became a whole lot more interesting with the two pieces of plastic that I’m wearing in my mouth for the next three months. I got Invisalign!

    Saturday morning, one of the dentists my mom works with was willing to help my mom out and together, they applied these little buttons to my teeth that will help move my teeth around along with the retainers. In total, I have 14 sets of retainers that I will be changing every ten days and in total, the process should take three months, which is super cool.

    I had braces in second grade for about six months and then again in sixth grade for a year. Technically, I have a retainer that I’m supposed to be wearing nightly to prevent my teeth from shifting around so much, but it messes with my bite, so here we are with the Invisalign. That’s going to hopefully adjust the minor shifting that my teeth have done and give me a new retainer that doesn’t mess up my bite in the end.

    It’s been weird adjusting to the Invisalign (well it’s only been a day, but still) in the sense that I have to take the retainer out and then put it back in after eating or drinking liquids that aren’t water. I’ve always taken pretty decent care of my teeth, but I feel like I’m going to go into hyper-cleaning mode as a result of this, which isn’t a bad thing. Because I want to eventually go into orthodontics, it has been interesting to see the process for Invisalign so far and be able to experience some of the technology that I will be working with some day in addition to regular braces that most people associate with orthodontists.

    Now I need to go plan a quick little surprise Easter egg hunt for my sister before I head back up to Fort Collins… Thanks for being here on this Easter Sunday! I hope you all have a wonderful rest of this wonderful holiday and that you have a great week. See you next Sunday!