My Interest In Dentistry

Since I was little, I have been fascinated by dentists and intrigued by the different tools and procedures. Although I did not understand their methods, I have always wanted to find out. I started asking questions and paying closer attention, and I became of aware of my interest in the field of dentistry.

In middle school, I realized the importance of my appearance and how much confidence a beautiful smile can bring. Prior to receiving braces, I looked like a snaggle-tooth vampire and could not wait to get my smile fixed. I was captivated by my orthodontist, Dr. Sawaf, unscrambling the jigsaw puzzle in my mouth to match the complete picture in his mind. After three years of being Dr. Sawaf’s patient, it was clear he cared about more than my teeth. He made me feel like a friend as he joyfully answered all my questions and addressed my anxieties. This increased my interest in dentistry.

In spite of my early interest in dentistry, as I matured I was contemplating becoming a medical doctor. This stemmed from my family. My grandfather was a

This led me to Dr. Clair, a cardiologist. In addition to observing his interactions with patients, I discussed my career options with him. He helped me realize how interconnected dentistry is with the medical field. For example, patients with artificial heart valves take certain antibiotics prior to dental treatment to prevent infection. He explained the field of dentistry is expanding and there are many oral manifestations of general medical problems. Links are being found between gum disease and pancreatic cancer as well as Alzheimer’s disease. Acting as a first line of defense, dentists can refer patients to physicians to aid in preventing cardiovascular disease. While trying to get exposed to medicine, my experience with Dr. Clair only further increased my fascination with