Dentistry Personal Statement Example 12

The way faces are constructed and the effects that accompany damage to the oral region fascinate me. Reading 'The Smile Stealers' gave me an insight on the history and development of dentistry caused my interest in dentistry to grow. The teeth are a core part of a person's image and damage can cause major detriment both physically and mentally. This draws me to dentistry as it allows me to develop my skills to understand how to aid those that suffer from damage to their oral region.

Attending multiple dental lectures, gave me a viewpoint on dentistry that caused my interest to grow. One research lecture I attended at King's College London, touched upon the issues of oral cancer, citing cases where people would need invasive procedures to get rid of cancers to survive. From here, I researched oral cancer and read articles mentioning its increase due to sexually transmitted diseases making me want to learn more about dentistry and helping me discover and subscribe to the British Dental Journal.

I enhanced my understanding of dentistry by undertaking work experience - 1 week at my local periodontal practice and another week in Poland at a private dental clinic. The experience I gained was invaluable. I learnt the value of the hard skills of dentistry such as using dental drills that showed me the importance of manual dexterity, which I have developed doing fine measurement titrations in Chemistry, as well as soft skills where I was able to observe how dentists interacted with patients and staff. These soft skills were interesting to analyse. I saw how both dentists established a rapport with first time patients and made them feel welcome. However, the approaches differed as both focused on different social elements of the patient's life achieving the same goal of establishing rapport. This was intriguing to me as it helped display the communication skills necessary for a dentist and the flexibility in doing so. I also loved seeing procedures carried out on the gums at the periodontist, specifically that of a laser frenotomy. The simple procedure allowed the patient to regain normal movement of the bottom lip that was strained from the gum, which was causing discomfort. The technique was captivating, seeing the usage of the CO2 laser coupled with lasers that, with a specific dye, killed bacteria pocketed around teeth showed me the breadth of dentistry. It allowed me to sympathise with the patient and want to emulate the joyous feeling after successful treatment by carrying out procedures myself in the future.

In the summer of 2017, I embarked on a World Challenge expedition to Mongolia. During this time, I undertook both physical and mental challenges, including trekking and volunteering at an orphanage. I developed the skills of independence and teamwork by managing a personal budget communicating with 14 team members for 4 weeks on the tasks we would undertake. I understand how teamwork is crucial in clinical settings and now have a realistic idea of what that will be like. Additionally, the charity work I undertook gave me a glimpse of how individual effort can aid the betterment of lives, something I hope to do as a dentist.

Other skills I have developed are that of leadership and confidence. As House Captain, Vice-chair of School Council and a Prefect, I have taken on many roles that have promoted my leadership skills. I work hard to guide my house, organising events and attending meetings with students and staff. As a school council member, I have engaged with the whole student body, developing interpersonal and communication skills whilst increasing my confidence. These skills are essential for dentistry, as they will allow me to build long-lasting relationships with patients.

A dentist must possess many qualities taking on many roles. One must be a clinician, leader and counsellor simultaneously. I believe I possess the skills needed to become a complete dentist and hope to pursue this career in the future.