Throughout secondary school I was ridiculed because my teeth were crooked."What did you eat for lunch George, was it bricks?" That is just one example of the diverse jokes I heard on a weekly basis. As a teen, problems with my teeth damaged my self esteem, and made it difficult for me to be social with others. I believed that my peers would refrain from their constant banter if my teeth were properly aligned.
An appointment with an orthodontist was made by my parents. I will never forget the look on his face when he first looked into my mouth; His face inhabited the same bitter expression others usually acquired when they first saw my crooked teeth. The only difference was that following his initial look of shock he stated, "We will just have to correct this". His statement filled me with hope and assurance, now the ridicule I had been subjected to would be coming to an end. However, my joy was short lived. After being assessed by orthodontist his assistant arrived to schedule my next appointment and explained the cost of the procedure. My family could not afford the extra expense so I never returned.
Life moved on, I did not get my teeth aligned and I learned to cope with my crooked teeth.I tried to compensate for my crooked teeth by being an exceptional student. I possessed a strong voice so I took pleasure in reading out loud in class. I truly enjoyed participating in class, until my teeth became the focus of jokes. I was distraught. The more outgoing I became the more people began to stare and make comments about my teeth. I soon developed a speech problem and became afraid to open my mouth to speak. My social interactions declined and depression set in. In hind sight, I should have realized that people would make any imperf...
... middle of paper ...
...f both dentists has impressed upon me the concept that acquired skill and knowledge is only as valuable as the service you are able to provide to those that need it the most. I want to be capable of carrying on the legacy that those two dentists have imparted to me someday. There are many people from low income households that do not receive the dental attention and prevention knowledge required for optimal oral health. The majority of the population is overwhelmed by tooth decay which is one of the most common of all disorders. I know I can be a part of the generation that makes this disease and other preventable oral problems uncommon in society. I will also devote time and effort in legislative matters in order to make oral care a priority in terms of health care reform. I know that given the chance I can use my passion for dentistry to positively impact society.
We have all had those dentist or orthodontist appointments that were a complete nightmare. Getting poked, jabbed, and pinched in the mouth. Well, I have been thinking since I have had this experience and wouldn’t want anyone else to go through that. Maybe I could become an orthodontist and ensure to my patients that these problems do not happen. I enjoy helping people that I don’t know and being as precise as I need to be, to be an orthodontist. Though I have never had any experience at all with any of this, that is what school is for. I realize that being an orthodontist is the best career choice for me.
What I am looking for in my career as a dentist is embodied in the National Health Service Corps’ (NHSC) mission to serve the community through unification between healthcare providers and patients within the community. It’s uplifting to know that the NHSC Scholarship Program exists to promote awareness about the underserved population. I believe the NHSC Scholarship Program serves as the perfect platform upon which to start my career and will steer me in the right direction in fulfilling my career goals. I look forward to making use of all the valuable tools that NHSC provides, including resources and experience, so I can learn how to best ...
The Healthcare Professional that I chose is a Dental Assistant. The reason why I chose to use a dental assistant as the Healthcare Professional was because I think that they are very important along with the dentists. Without dental assistants, dentist’s jobs would be more stressful than it already is in their job. Dental assistants greatly increase the efficiency of the dentist in the delivery of quality oral health care are valuable members of the dental care team.
First of all, if I had not gotten my braces, then my teeth would not be how they are today. They are perfectly straight thanks to Dr. Spiller. I wear my retainer every night. Their company has allowed me to design my own retainer, and I wear it every night to keep my teeth straight for the years to come. Every time that I have an orthodontics appointment, I am greeted with a smile. The staff always makes me feel welcome, and they are gentle when working on my teeth. Every trip I have taken to the orthodontist has
One way orthodontic braces are the world’s greatest invention is they prevent embarrassment and boost your s...
In the Dental Hygiene field, many challenges come about every day and during different situations. Every day there are new challenges and unusual situations that occur in the dental field, but one challenge that continues to come about and has been a big dispute over the years is the ability to provide beneficial information about oral health care for the underprivileged. For the individuals that are not fortunate enough to pay to have services done in the dental office, lack the knowledge of how important good oral health care is. They do not receive the one on one conversations explaining the significance of taking care of your teeth and gums that the patients who can afford to make appointments and receive essential services do. That
I am fortunate that my experiences have made me aware of these things so that when I do return to these communities as a dentist, I can not only better serve my patients as a provider, but I can also be a leading advocate for the change that is so desperately needed by the individuals in these communities. As I continue along my career path in dentistry, I intend to keep volunteering in dental clinics in underserved communities as well as participating in formal organizations such as Saving Smiles to more effectively address these issues as well as enhance my understanding of the dental field. Perhaps while I serve in these communities, I can inspire and support future health professionals that will continue to advance the incredible changes that our health fields are currently
Nine times out of ten, the idea of getting braces would instantly be met with resistance and dread by anyone, but more so by teens and young adults. It seems that wearing braces is always followed by the stigma of pain, discomfort, and being labelled as "geeky". But despite the slight pain and discomfort, braces get an important job done--that of straightening crooked, misaligned teeth, or correcting a bite. See, it's not really as bad as you think it is because braces have a purpose. Fortunately, there is now the Invisalign treatment.
I can remember being a little boy sitting at the piano in church, listening to the preacher talk of how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, which symbolizes the idea that we are here to serve. That message profoundly resonated with me throughout life. It was not until I began accompanying my grandmother to her multiple dental visits that I was able to see how I could put this calling of service into action. I saw firsthand the significant positive impact my grandmother’s dentist was able to make in her life, which encouraged me to want to learn about the field of dentistry. I then started researching dental health and learning of the importance of oral healthcare and how it affects the entire body. I then began to learn of how patient access to proper dental care was limited because of several factors such as, financial barriers, transportation, and dental fear, especially in the underserved minority communities. Given the shortage of black dentists, I realized I could make a positive difference by being an inspiration to those in the community, as well as serve in a professional career that would provide needed healthcare to the community. This is when I began to develop such a strong passion for
Imagine having to spend half your fortune on correcting your teeth. ”Tooth decay was a perennial national problem that meant a mouthful of silver for patients, and for dentists a pocketful of gold.” (Wallis, 17) If patients don’t take care of their teeth, many issues can start to appear later in their life. Some patients are not knowledgeable of the correct procedures for keeping a healthy smile. In order to maintain a healthy smile, patients must be better informed about the knowledge needed to achieve that success and also maintain it.
In my experiences, I have found pinpointing a career and channeling my aspirations extremely difficult tasks. That being said, like most difficult endeavors in life, there exists extraordinary reward. Through research, soul searching, and trial and error, I realize that I aspire to make an impact in as many people’s lives as possible, while still taking care of myself and my future family. That is where dentistry comes in to play.
It is 8:40 p.m. of Tuesday night and I'm leaving the King Fahd General hospital driving home with John Mayer melodies bringing peaceful and relaxing vibes into the car compartments.
I always wanted to be a dentist, but as I advanced in my education, I noticed the injustices in healthcare surrounding me, I realized that I want to dedicate myself to more than just simple office visits, but rather to make an impact in my field and the lives of those around me and I truly believe public health is the greatest tool that enables me to make that impact I desire.
It gives me a sense of pride to reflect back and write about my adventure, where working hard and staying focused has made me the person I am today. Until now I have seized every opportunity I could to increase my knowledge, think critically about my field, to be a better student, a responsible professional and a humble citizen. I entered dentistry when I was not really sure what I wanted to do in life. All that I was sure about was to be best in what I chose to do. Entering the dental school not only made my family proud of seeing their daughter be the first member in the extended family to be a healthcare professional but also put a big responsibility on my shoulder, which at first seemed daunting. When the sound of congratulations faded,
I participated in a mission trip to Mongolia after my first year of undergraduate studies. One of my mission team members was a dentist and provided free dental extractions to people in the town we stayed. I volunteered to help clean dental equipment and assist the team member while she performed tooth extractions. Although the work was arduous, the relief of having diseased teeth removed was clearly visible on the faces of those who received the procedures. I was very sad to find out the people chose to get rid of their teeth rather than receiving a simple restoration procedure because they could not afford to see a dentist. The trip to Mongolia reassured me of my passion for dentistry. Moreover, my respect for the dentist 's willingness to utilize her ability to serve others ignited the desire within me to serve those in underserved