dentist essay

About ADEA GoDental
Our Mission

Why be a dentist?

Is dentistry right for you, need for diversity, preparing for dental school.

The admissions process

Application to Dental School

2024–25 application cycle updates, application instructions, refund policy, re-applicants, school-specific deadlines, dental school interview, new student video stories, customer service, cost of attendance, financing options, educational debt, applying for aid, international students, practice or residency, advanced dental education programs, practice options, advanced education in general dentistry, hear from practitioners, words from your peers, financial aid advice, advice from admissions officers, tips from current d.d.s./d.h. students, health professions advisor views, upcoming events, enrichment programs calendar, past events.

Information for:

Application Prep
Personal statement

Your personal statement is a one-page essay (not to exceed 4,500 characters, including spaces, carriages, numbers, letters, etc.) that gives dental schools a clear picture of who you are and, most importantly, why you want to pursue a career in dentistry.

Although there is no set of rules mandating what a strong personal statement should include, here are a few tips to help you successfully craft a winning personal statement:

Explain a defining moment that helped steer you toward a career in dentistry. Consider using that moment as the focal point of your essay.
Be colorful, positive, imaginative and personal when discussing why you’re a good candidate for dental school. Ask yourself—in a pile of 100 applications, would I enjoy reading my statement? Be sure to convey your passion for dentistry in your statement.
Be yourself. Don’t use jargon, clichés or big phrases that you would not use in daily conversation. Remember, dental schools want to know about the real you.
Be original and thoughtful: Discuss how you would contribute to the profession and patient care, all of which will help you stand out from other applicants.
Tell your story—make sure the essay is your story, not someone else’s.
Recruit a friend. Ask a friend, relative or faculty advisor to read your essay and provide constructive criticism. Ask them to think about whether the essay is a good representation of your character, and what they know of your ideals and aspirations.
Give yourself time to organize your thoughts, write well and edit as necessary. And don’t forget to proofread, proofread, proofread!

Here are a few things to avoid when writing your personal statement:

Writing what you think the admissions committee wants to hear.
Using a gimmicky style or format.
Summarizing your resume or repeating information directly from your transcripts or recommendation letters.
Emphasizing the negative.
Waiting until the last minute to get started on your statement.

10 Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Including key tips for a strong dental school personal statement.

Before you start crafting your own stellar dental school personal statement, you must review some dental school personal statement examples. Why? These sample essays can help you brainstorm and reflect on what you would like to include in your essay. This blog dives into some dental school personal statement examples from our own past successful students, and then our dental school advisors will go over our proven strategies to help you create your own from scratch! As you review these examples keep in mind that these are final works and the result of multiple rounds of reviews by our admissions experts as part of our application review programs. Writing fantastic statements for dental school requires patience and multiple rounds of revisions before a perfect statement can be written.

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free initial consultation here <<

Listen to the blog!

Article Contents 15 min read

Dental school personal statement example #1.

In the final moments of a key game in a hockey tournament, I jumped over the boards and onto the ice without putting my mouth guard back in place. It was attached to my helmet, but I had a chance for the puck, and I took it. Moments later, an opponent’s stick caught me in the face, knocking out my front tooth. Play stopped, and my team found my tooth on the ice. I looked to the bleachers. My mom was already on the phone getting initial instructions from our dentist for saving the tooth. Within 15 minutes, we were outside the clinic as my dentist unlocked the door, despite it being a Saturday night. As I was treated within half an hour, my tooth could be saved by stabilizing it as it healed. Until that moment, I thought of my dentist as someone I only saw every six months; I hadn’t seen her as a critical part of my healthcare team.

I realized from this experience that time is a factor in dental care, and thus a career in dentistry. My tooth was saved because I lived in an urban centre and had immediate access to care, not to mention the continuity of care I’ve had since I was a child. My mother is employed and has good dental coverage, but this is not the case for many. Without timely check-ups, both oral and medical issues that could be detected and prevented can become more serious conditions.

With this awareness, I have for the last 6 years volunteered in two ways. In the time since my hockey accident, I’ve worked with my dentist on a safety awareness campaign for young hockey players and their families, teaching about the necessity of mouth guards, as well as how a quick response to such injuries may help in recovery. I’ve also worked alongside dentists for the Smiling Children Foundation in vulnerable neighborhoods, where dental neglect is not uncommon, and continuity of care is rare. Recently, we set up a mobile clinic in a school, where I record personal information and take a medical history for each child. A young boy, 10 years old, complained of constant headaches and pain in his body. Upon examination, the dentist noticed his gums were dark purple in places and bled easily. Our team alerted a community doctor of a potential immune disorder, and the young boy was diagnosed and treated, returning to good health within months. That day, I learned that oral healthcare is holistic healthcare, and that it is a privilege to support those who may not have time, resources, or access to oral healthcare.

I have had this privilege in what began as dental shadowing and is now part-time employment, where I liaise between patients and insurance companies, manage team schedules, and comfort anxious patients. This might be as simple as holding a hand while the dentist performs the procedure. Or, I might hold a baby while the father sees the hygienist. I’ve learned to read an X-ray accurately, prepare the instruments needed for a procedure, and balance the books. I have been mentored by both a medical and business professional, and I have borne witness to our patients’ high and low points. I have worked hard to understand what goes into growing and maintaining a successful dental practice and feel capable to meet the challenge of the multiple roles required in this dynamic vocation.

It bears mentioning why my first-year grades are not what I’d hoped they would be. I joined a good number of co-curricular clubs with the intention of participating in our campus community and developing my professional skills. By midterm, I realized I had oversubscribed myself. Unfortunately, willpower and desire were not enough. My grades suffered as I tried to manage my responsibilities. By attending time management seminars and learning to manage time rather than be managed by time, I was able retrieve my grades. From 2nd year forward, I’ve maintained a 4.0 GPA while moving up the ranks of student organizations and taking an active role in a research project. Resilience is like a muscle that needs time, exercise, and perseverance to build.

From a sports accident, to volunteer work in an underserved community, to employment in a dental office and an academic career that shows both mistakes and recovery, I have thought carefully about what dentistry is. A dentist is part of a larger healthcare team, and a dentist can often treat not only a single patient over decades, but provide intergenerational care to a family. I aspire to dentistry to accompany my patients through life, 6 months at a time, offering compassionate, whole-person healthcare. (4,497 characters, including spaces)

Inciting incident: the moment that influenced the student’s outlook on dentistry as a career is highlighted in spades. Seeing the structure here as almost like a story, you’re taking the reader on a journey from point A to point B. For the personal statement, your opening should hook in the reader. This writer does this well.
Addresses weaknesses: the student mentions how their first-year grades weren’t what they’d hoped for. They acknowledge their faults and briefly outline the circumstances without making excuses before getting into the most important part: what they did to improve or learn from their mistakes. If you’re in a position to use your personal statement as a way to address gaps or inconsistencies, then you can follow the same rule.
Major experiences are detailed: you need to show the admissions committee that dentistry is the right career for you. The best way to do this is to describe clinical experiences, ideally in a dental setting. The student who wrote this sample described their experiences shadowing, being a part-time employee, and volunteering at a foundation. If you have many experiences like these, don’t simply list them off, but select a few to describe in more depth.

Want some tips for writing a dental school personal statement? Check out this video:

"Ready, Set, Bake,” shouted the host of Bake-Off. I was 16 and a contestant of a televised baking show. Our 6th challenge gave us 3 hours to perfectly bake the most decadent and timing consuming dessert: the mille-feuille – layers of puff pastry, filled with whipped cream and custard, and glazed on top. Despite being the only teenager in a field of contestants ranging from 20-70 years of age, I’d made it through several days of cuts for one of the spots on the show. I wish I could say that my dessert was a masterpiece, but as the timer counted down and I plated it, the filling oozed, and the pastry crumbled. I’d made to the Top Six, but the mille-feuille defeated me and I was asked to hang up my apron. As I reflect on this experience, the solo and team challenges, the practice to get on the show, the mastery needed to gain a top spot, I realize that I’m grateful even for the defeat, because I learned valuable lessons that helped me develop key qualities and skills that are in-line with the core competencies necessary for dentistry, my chosen profession. Both dentistry and competitive baking require innovation and excellence, communication and accountability, and the necessity of precision, focus, and a steady hand.

Both of my parents are dentists. While the influence of their careers on my own access to knowledge cannot be underestimated, I have been deeply cognizant of making an autonomous career decision. That decision is my own, but my parents have admittedly opened unique conversations around ethics, technology, and patient care to me. My earliest memories include attending dental conferences with them and being encouraged to explore the Exhibits Floor, where I learned about the newest dental products and treatments and “test drove” the latest innovations in dentistry. I developed an aptitude for predicting which products and technologies were gimmicks and which would effectively support excellence in patient care. This knack has made me something of an informal consultant for my parents and their colleagues, who value my insights on innovation and efficacy of new treatments.

While technology is at the forefront of change, what remains consistent over time is the importance of communication and accountability to provide excellent patient care. I’ve had the privilege to shadow Dr. Ann Lee, an oral surgeon, over the past 3 years. Among many things, she showed me that inherent in communication is accountability. Many of her patients are children and teens having teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons. The son of a family who had been Dr. Lee’s patients for over a decade arrived for a complicated wisdom tooth extraction. Despite familiarity with the family, the doctor painstakingly reviewed the extraction process to prepare them effectively. The procedure went well in the office; however, on the way home, the boy began haemorrhaging. An artery had been compromised during the surgery. I watched as Dr. Lee packed bone wax around the artery to stem the bleeding. What struck me about this experience was the standard of accountability to which the surgeon held herself, as she communicated with the family by phone, made a house call later that evening on her way home, and remained on-call over the weekend to ensure the safety and healing of the child. The family maintained their trust in Dr. Lee because of her open communication and sense of accountability. I also learned just how fragile and technical dental work is, requiring both dexterity and precision.

Volunteering in a dental brigade in Haiti, Mirlande, 6, taught me about vulnerability and trust. Mirlande was scared and reluctant to open her mouth for her first dental exam. I took her aside and, as she watched, I carved a perfect tooth from soap using dental instruments. I carved slowly and precisely, and then presented her with the gift. She put the tooth in her pocket and then allowed me to clean her teeth. I was immediately struck by the vulnerability of not only soft tissue, but of hearts, as she leaned back and opened her mouth in trust. This moment solidified my decision to become a dentist.

Though the earlier comparison between baking and dentistry is merely an analogy, it is one that suggests I have developed key skills and am aware of the core competencies a dentist must hold to best serve their patients professionally and ethically. Dentistry is my vocation, baking a hobby, but both speak to my investment in excellence, precision, and doing for others. (4,500 characters, including spaces)

A dental school personal statement is your opportunity to show admissions committees who you are as a person and aspiring dental professional, aside from your CV, GPA, Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) score, and other quantitative data. As any personal statement essay, the dental school personal essay should be a narrative account that gives the admissions committee the opportunity to learn more about you than what can be conveyed in a dry document like a CV or transcript.

For dental school ADEA AADSAS applications, the American Dental Education Association requires an essay of no more than 4,500 characters (including spaces), which must demonstrate your key personal qualities, aspirations, and reasons for pursuing a career in dentistry to the schools to which you are applying. This process isn’t as standardized in Canadian programs, so you’ll need to check the application requirements for the programs and schools to which you are applying to see if a personal statement is required. In doing so, you can also learn whether there are any specific requirements regarding the length of the essay, whether there is a specific prompt to which you must respond in your dental school personal statement, and whether there are any other application requirements.

Want some more personal statement examples? Watch this video:

Writing a Strong Dental School Personal Statement

If you're applying to dental schools in Canada or the US, a personal statement, or similar essay, is often required as part of your application package, regardless of whether you're applying through AADSAS or TMDSAS . It’s important to craft a statement that draws from your experiences, such as your dental school extracurriculars. You can also refer to your dental school application experience examples , or even your dental school letter of recommendation for help. This blog will help you understand the key things you must do (and that you must avoid) in composing your essay, with dental school personal statement examples that demonstrate these strategies, so that you can draft the strongest, most compelling dental school personal statement possible.

1. Tell a story

Ideally, you will craft a story or detail a defining moment that helped you realize why this is the profession you want to pursue. Providing an anecdote or vignette – perhaps an experience you’ve had as a dental patient, an interaction you’ve witnessed as a volunteer or while shadowing a dental care professional, a story about someone you know, etc., – is often a useful way of giving the evaluators a window into your life and motivations.

2. Demonstrate why you’re a “good fit”

Your dental school personal statement should also express why you are a strong candidate and a "good fit" for the school and program, while stirring the interest of your reader. Review our blog, dental school acceptance rates to find out which schools are best suited for you. Admissions committees will review hundreds of these personal statements, so draw on the values of the profession and the mission of the institution to highlight your alignment with the vision and goals of this vocation, and do so in a way that is engaging and enjoyable to read. Again, narrative is a great way of doing this – people love stories and are often naturally drawn in by them. Bear this in mind as you begin drafting your essay.

Here are some more tips for writing a dental school personal statement:

3. Be authentic and readable

In your personal statement, you want to present your very best self, emphasizing your genuine passion for the field and your enthusiasm for working in a healthcare profession like dentistry. Don’t try to cram in complicated terminology or jargon, thinking it will make you sound smarter (it won’t – true experts know how to explain their ideas effectively to an audience of non-specialists), and don’t rely on clichés (e.g., “I want to help people” – this is a lovely desire, but it’s over-used and too generic). Use polished prose that represents your genuine voice and reasons for pursuing the profession, and write in a way that will be comprehensible even to those outside this particular specialization. This can take practice. You might go through multiple drafts of your essay before you’re confident in submitting it. If you’re having trouble getting to this point, consider dental school admissions consulting .

4. Express your desired contributions to the field

Quite simply, you need to explain why you will be a good dentist, in both practical terms and in terms of devoting yourself to patient care. You need to show that you know how to become a dentist in terms of skills and experience; there will be other opportunities to address other aspects of your candidacy through things like the dental school manual dexterity question or the multiple mini interview (MMI) collaboration station . For now, answer the following questions: what does it mean to you to dedicate yourself to the profession and to patients? What experiences have you had with the dental profession so far, and how have these impacted you? What are your priorities as an aspiring dentist? Thinking through these questions, while also pointing to concrete experiences or accomplishments that support your responses, will help the committee see not just who you are now, but who you are working to become as you pursue the goal of becoming a dental professional.

Need help with your dental school application? Learn what our students say about our services:

Things to Avoid in a Dental School Personal Statement

Here are some key “don’ts” in composing your dental school personal statement:

1. Don’t summarize your CV

Your personal statement shouldn’t simply repeat information available elsewhere in your application materials. Referring to experiences discussed in those materials, for the purpose of expanding on them or contextualizing them, is fine. Just ensure that you’re actually doing that work and demonstrating the significance of the experience(s) you describe. For example, if your CV indicates that you’ve done volunteer work at a dental clinic or with an organization, it’s totally fine to discuss this volunteer work in your personal statement; however, that discussion must go beyond what is offered in your other application materials. Your dental school personal statement shouldn't be a dry recitation of events in your CV. It should be a persuasive and engaging work that draws on just a few select experiences that epitomize your interests, priorities, and the work you've done so far in working toward becoming a dentist. For example, instead of giving names, dates, and general facts about your experience as a volunteer, you can tell a story of a particularly meaningful accomplishment or interaction, reflecting on how it helped solidify your desire to pursue this career.

2. Don’t dwell on negative experiences

If you’ve overcome challenges or if there are less-than-ideal aspects of your educational experience so far (such as a term where your GPA took a dip), it’s fine to address these in a personal statement essay. However, it is crucial that you reflect on this from a perspective of growth, resiliency, and capacity for improvement, rather than focusing on the negatives. If your grades took a hit one term because of extenuating circumstances, by all means, take some time to explain this, if you think it will be helpful (and it often is). However, the discussion around the circumstances should be minimal – just a set-up for a more substantial discussion of what you learned, how you grew, etc. – and you shouldn’t use this as an opportunity to make excuses. Rather, briefly describe the event, own up to your mistake or misstep (if applicable), and then spend the most time explaining how you addressed the issue, how you moved past it, and why you will be a better future professional for having gone through it.

Probably the biggest mistake students make is to not take the personal statement seriously enough, waiting until just a few days before it’s due to even begin. You must begin early – a strong personal statement essay can take months and numerous revisions to be the best it can possibly be. You need to put a lot of thought into this document, as it is a very important component of your application. This is your chance – and often your only chance – to address the evaluators on a human level, prior to answering dental school interview questions , including MMI questions . So, rather than thinking of this as a chore, think of it as an opportunity to demonstrate your best self to the admissions committee.

4. Don’t submit your dental school personal statement without getting expert feedback

The personal statement isn’t just about what you’ve done, it’s about who you are – what your values are, what your priorities are, what your reasons for pursuing this profession are, and how all of these things align with the discipline and school you are approaching with your application package. Getting expert feedback from those on the “other side” of such applications, those who have gone through the process successfully or those who have been part of admissions committees, will give you incredibly valuable insights into how to make your own personal experiences stand out and work for you most effectively. At this stage of your professional development, you face a wealth of “unknown-unknowns”; i.e., things that you don’t even know to look for or consider, because it's likely that you simply haven’t been exposed to the field or the process long enough or in an official capacity. This can be a considerable hindrance, so don’t try to take on this task alone. Seek out expert feedback, and do so early enough that you can review, revise, and implement any necessary changes to make your dental school personal statement the best it can possibly be.

8 Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Dental school personal statement example #3, dental school personal statement example #4, dental school personal statement example #5, dental school personal statement example #6, dental school personal statement example #7, dental school personal statement example #8, dental school personal statement example #9, dental school personal statement example #10.

Starting too late. Getting your personal statement right requires multiple edits and revisions. If you start working on your statement too late, you risk running out of time for proper revisions and edits, leaving a rushed, sub-par statement. Remember, your personal statement is a direct reflection of who you are as a person, and who you'll become as a dentist. It's not something that can be, nor should be rushed.
Showing instead of telling, for example, saying “I'm a great listener” instead of demonstrating that you're a great listener through real examples in your essay.
Focusing on too many experiences. In general, it's best to discuss 2-3 experiences in your personal statement. You should be able to discuss each experience in-depth, and reflect on what you learned from a particular experience. Too many experiences crammed in doesn't allow you to really expand on each experience and doesn't provide an in-depth analysis of how this experience was transformative on your path to becoming a dentist.
Listing information that's already found in your application materials. Your personal statement is not a list, instead, it should be a story of your journey to dentistry.
Jumping around in time. Your personal statement should be in chronological order, beginning with your initial interest in dentistry and evolving to your absolution that dentistry is the right career path for you. Jumping around in time makes for a disjointed essay that will come across as confusing to admissions committee members. In addition, you want to ensure that you utilize strong transitional sentences, as these tie together paragraphs and aid in the overall flow of your essay.
Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Mistakes and errors in your personal statement are harmful because they tell admissions committees that you're not detail-oriented, you rushed your statement and because of that, you don't really care about it, or their program. Ensure your statement is reviewed multiple times, ideally with a professional's help, to ensure your essay puts your best foot forward and is free from any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
Boasting. While you can certainly highlight a few key accomplishments in your statement, such as finishing at the top of your class or raising money for a good cause, it's important that you are tactful in how you phrase your accomplishments. You always want to be humble, and think about what an achievement means to you and why. Lastly, it's a good idea to reflect on what you learned from your achievements and how that can translate in your career as a dentist.

While the majority of your personal statement should be about you - your experiences and how they relate to your decision to pursue dentistry, you can certainly include information relating to another person. For example, you could mention a family member's struggle with a disease, a patient's story, or a conversation with a dentist. As long as you circle back to why this story is significant in your pursuit of dentistry, what you learned from the experience or even how an experience changed your point of view.

Your personal statement must adhere to the ADEA's character count of 4500 characters, including spaces. However, this doesn't mean that you must include this many characters. As long as your essay is below the count, it's most important that you focus on creating a powerful, in-depth essay that proves to the admissions committee why you want to be a dentist and why you would be suitable for a career in this field, then it's perfectly acceptable.

Your personal statement is one of the most important aspects of your entire dental school application. It will serve as your introduction to admissions committees – letting them know who you are a person, who you are as a candidate, and essentially, that you're suitable for a career in dentistry. A poorly crafted personal statement can result in rejection from dental school, so it's essential that your statement is both engaging and memorable to secure you an invitation to interview.

No, remember, this information will be included elsewhere in your application, so it's not suitable to include this in your personal statement.

Brainstorm ideas.
Create an outline.
Focus on body paragraphs first using a maximum of 3 experiences.
Ensure you SHOW what you learned (don’t tell) by using examples.
Write your conclusion.
Write your introduction last.
Attention-grabbing introduction: Not just a thesis statement, but something interesting to draw the reader in, like a quote or a story.
Transitions: These should lead from one paragraph to the next, creating flow. Use linking words such as however, additionally, also, next, etc.
Strong examples: This way you are showing, not telling.
Clear and direct language: Your language does not have to be fancy, what's most important is that it's easy to read and follow. For example, “utilize” is one of the most over-used words in academic essays and “use” works just as well.
Conclusion: This should summarize your main points, but also leave the reader with a compelling closing sentence that makes them want to find out more about you. For example, include a call back to your opening anecdote and highlight how far you have come.

Dental school personal statement editing, just like medical school personal statement editing , is very important. Begin by writing the BEST first draft you can and then begin your edit. Don’t write something of average quality, half-done, or way over the character limit. Trying to work from these copies will only create confusion and delays. Next, you should read your essay out loud to yourself sentence by sentence to ensure it flows well and to catch any grammatical errors. Each sentence should be contributing to the overall point. If you find yourself repeating your thoughts in multiple forms, think about paring your sentences down. Quality is more important than quantity.

Next, repeat this process 2-3 times. Resist the urge to keep tinkering over and over again. There are multiple strong ways to word sentences and express your thoughts. There are probably even multiple experiences you could highlight and have an equally strong personal statement. However, obsessing over each sentence and word once you have written a strong statement will just lead to changing too many things, delays, you feeling nervous, and sometimes even a weaker essay than you started with!

Yes, you can definitely mention experiences in your personal statement that are non-academic or not related to dentistry. A strong experience to mention should be one that taught you important skills and that influenced your decision to pursue dentistry. Personal experiences can also have a strong influence on which profession you pursue, so you can definitely mention non-academic experiences.

It’s certainly normal to want input from others when we are crafting personal statements. A strong reviewer is one who has experience and expertise with professional school applications and has helped other students before. For example, someone with an advanced degree like a practicing dentist or other professional. Even though you may feel tempted to ask friends and family, you may want to refrain from this, as they are often invested in your success and may find it hard to be objective.

Try to find someone who does not know you so well so they can give objective guidance. The other thing you want to avoid is having “too many chefs in the kitchen.” Too many different people reviewing your statement is only going to pull it in too many different directions, ultimately leading to confusion and even more delays. And again, some students might feel more comfortable using a dental school admissions consulting service for this aspect of their application.

Just like you would address this during an interview, your statement can address areas of concern by following these steps:

Take responsibility.
Explain mitigating factors.
Don't make excuses.
Share strategies for what you learned and how you would avoid a situation like this in the future.
Make sure you end on a positive or proactive note.

Want more free tips? Subscribe to our channels for more free and useful content!

Apple Podcasts

Like our blog? Write for us ! >>

Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions.

Yutika Maharaj

Hi there Do you have any sample personal statements for a foreign trained dentist applying to ADEA PASS and ADEA CAAPID. Thanks

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Yutika! Thanks for your comment. As an international applicant, your personal statement should follow the same structure and contain pertinent info about yourself and your application. Use these samples to construct your own, unique narrative!

It is remarkable, very good information

Thanks, Code!

Get Started Now

Talk to one of our admissions experts

Our site uses cookies. By using our website, you agree with our cookie policy .

FREE Training Webinar:

How to make your dental school application stand out, (and avoid the top 5 mistakes that get most rejected).

Which program are you applying to?

A dental school application essay, get accepted speak with an admissions expert today.

In response to popular demand, we are including a sample dental school essay. Note how the author reveals a lot about herself without overtly saying "I am this and I am that." She is obviously hard working and disciplined, probably compassionate and kind. Interested in dentistry for a long time, she has clearly considered other options. And she tells a good story . Our experts can help you tell your story just as effectively -- check out our AASDAS application packages here .

I could hardly keep myself from staring at the girl: the right side of her face was misshapen and bigger than the left. Only later did I notice that Cheryl, about nine at the time, had light brown hair, lively brown eyes, and a captivating smile. When she walked into the candy shop where I worked six years ago, Cheryl told me she was a student of my former fourth grade teacher with whom I had kept in contact. We talked then and spent time talking each time she visited. She became a very special friend of mine, one whom I admire greatly. At the time we met, I was taking honors and AP classes, working about twenty hours a week, and feeling sorry for myself. Cheryl's outgoing confidence and good cheer put my situation in perspective. Cheryl was strong, kind, and surprisingly hopeful. She never focused on her facial deformities, but always on the anticipated improvement in her appearance. Her ability to find strength within herself inspired me to become a stronger person. It motivated me to pursue a career where I could help those like Cheryl attain the strength that she possesses.

At the time, my initial interest turned toward psychology. Impressed with Cheryl's outlook, I overlooked the source of her strength: she knew that treatment will improve her appearance. Focusing on the emotional aspects of her illness, I volunteered at the Neuropsychiatric Institute. There, I supervised the daily activities of pre-adolescents, played with them, and assisted them in getting dressed. I worked with crack babies, autistic children, and children who had severe behavioral problems. I enjoyed interacting with the children, but I often became frustrated that I was not able to help them. For instance, a young autistic boy frequently hit himself. No one was permitted to stop this child. We had to turn away and allow him to continually strike and hurt himself until he tired.

I was increasingly disappointed with the lack of progress I saw in my volunteer work at NPI, but my job again pushed me in the right direction. During the fall quarter of my junior year in college, I left the candy shop where I had worked for nearly five and a half years, and I began working as a senior clerk in the Anesthesiology Residency Program. Ironically work, which frequently made study difficult, helped me find the right path. There I learned about the oral and maxillo-facial specialty, which will allow me to help people like Cheryl.

To explore my interest in dentistry, I volunteered as a dental assistant in Dr. Miller's dental office. Dr. Miller introduced me to various dental techniques. Although I was mainly an observer, I had the opportunity to interact with the patients. I came in contact with a diverse patient population with different problems and dental needs. I observed as Dr. Miller dealt with each patient individually and treated each one to the best of his ability. He familiarized me with strategies for oral health promotion and disease prevention. I learned a great deal from him, and as a result, my interest in dentistry grew.

I choose to pursue a career in dentistry after following a circuitous path. My friendship with Cheryl motivated me to enter a field where I can help the severely disfigured cope with their condition. Although I initially turned to psychology, I found my work at the Neuropsychiatric Institute to be frustrating and was searching for a different way to achieve my goal. Ironically, Cheryl had told me all along the source of her strength: the knowledge that her condition was treatable and improving. Through maxillo-facial dentistry I will help others with serious facial deformities have the same knowledge and source of strength.

5 Fatal Flaws to Avoid in Your Med School Application Essays

Other Sample Essays >>

How to Get Into Dental School >>

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

View all journals
Explore content
About the journal
Publish with us
Sign up for alerts
Published: 21 July 2017

Dentistry, and why it is a great career

S. Ofori-Attah 1

British Dental Journal volume 223 , pages 81–84 ( 2017 ) Cite this article

91k Accesses

9 Citations

13 Altmetric

Metrics details

Offers guidance, motivation and encouragement to current and prospective dentists.

Reassures dentists over their career choice.

Provides reasons to go into and stay in dentistry.

The current climate of dentistry is one of sharply rising costs, increased litigation and more common placed stress, alongside the ever existing challenges that have persisted. This Opinion article looks into the reasons for embarking upon and staying within a dental career, despite the alleged drawbacks, and aims to promote a sense of positivity for the career that too often appears to be waning.

Introduction

Why did we choose to become dentists? Once I revert to my idealistic pre-undergraduate self, I could reel off several good formulaic answers. A more apt adjoining question would be: 'Why am I still a dentist?' That is, in spite of all the doom and gloom we encounter through dentistry talks, media, colleagues, websites, forums and blog posts, whether it is on the plight of the NHS, rising costs or the increase in litigation.

You don't just stumble into a job this unique: even within the realms of healthcare, dentistry stands apart. It is half business, half clinical; it is an incredibly intimate job with the potential for great impact: focusing on a part of the body that influences one's confidence, general health, how you eat, sleep, drink, talk and how you are perceived by others. So clearly some thought must have gone into the decision to take up this career.

Lest we forget public opinion: on at least one occasion, a patient will have told you, 'I hate dentists'. There are common negative stereotypes of dentists as money grabbing, fear inducing sadists – who would wish to be attached to this image?

It is a long journey too: you have sat the many exams to get into and stay in university. You have paid the exorbitant fees to complete the five years of training and to register with the regulator and an indemnity provider. Then you begin the job to learn first hand the issues with difficult patients, complaints, over regulation, rising costs, pay, stress, perpetually continuing years of training, the threat of being sued, high rate of depression and suicide and the physical demands (chronic back pain, hypertension, carpal tunnel syndrome to name a few). Adapting to the many types of people you see each day is mentally straining, along with its potentially repetitive nature.

Half of all respondents to the latest NHS Dental Working Patterns Survey 1 said they often think about leaving dentistry. Seventy-two percent of associates and 81% of principals in the UK did not have high or very high morale. Just under half of all dentists surveyed in England and Wales disagreed that they were fairly paid, and these figures were greater in Scotland and greater still in Northern Ireland.

Then there are the day to day things that go wrong, which can be stressful, such as that mouth that just won't open, the battle to run on time, the admin and paperwork (which must be done contemporaneously and immaculately), broken endodontic files, failed treatment you have previously done, anxious patients, crowns not fitting, difficulty numbing a patient, repeating the same oral hygiene and diet advice, bad debts, staffing issues, broken equipment, revenue targets, UDA targets, satisfying the regulators, etc.

So why choose dentistry?

' A person has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason .' J. P. Morgan

The good reason provides an explanation to others, the real reason gets you out of bed every day. Should the reasons be both 'good' and 'real' then one may say they have a great career.

Given the breadth of minuses, there have to be some pretty good plus points to dentistry otherwise we would have long since hung up our drills and forceps to take up other careers! There have to be things that people enjoy taking away from the job, given all the hardships they have to put in to get into and stay in the career. Quite frankly there are easier, better paid jobs with the same freedoms and controls. However...

For me, it's multifactorial

There are lots of good reasons below but on their own, each could be torn apart or better found in other careers. But together, the unique manner of dentistry truly shines through, as no career path offers quite the same blend of positives.

I want to help people

Dental treatment really can help people. A successful root treatment or filling can help to remove pain; a denture may help people eat foods they may previously have struggled with. Dentists help people's health through treating gum disease, dental caries and related pathology. This can in turn improve their quality of life. As can the impact of changing the appearance of their teeth through teeth whitening or orthodontics. I feel that in most encounters we have with patients, we are helping them, to some extent. Even if it's simply to give them a clean bill of dental health at a routine dental visit.

This goodwill can feel great. It can come immediately on the completion of treatment when you see a patient's reaction or when you see how good the bridge or filling you have done looks. But the reason, 'I want to help people' can't be everything. It's such a short lived sensation, a few seconds at the end of a treatment – some treatments take hours to weeks to complete, which can be a lot of hard work for just a brief bit of satisfaction at the end. And not all treatment we do works, which can take a hit on morale if the end result is one's biggest motivator.

Tying your enjoyment of the job with a patient's experience and patient journey can be very satisfying for a brief moment at the end of a course of treatment – when it goes well. But it can be hugely detrimental. You end up riding that patient journey with them: you may feel their anxiety over the treatment or the pricing, you will feel their disappointment if the treatment has not gone well and you have ultimately failed to help them or their relief that it is all over. There have to be stronger reasons to go with the 'helping people' one for it to work in reality.

I like the end result – compared to art, science research, musician, TV and film

Looking at a well-obturated molar tooth or admiring a completed smile makeover you've done can be very satisfying and rewarding. We cannot pin all our enjoyment of the job on the end result. There has to be some enjoyment of the process. Otherwise we'll feel every failure and every bit of disappointment the patient experiences. Compare it to a scientist researching a cure for cancer or a musician writing an album. The scientist probably cannot derive all their job satisfaction from the end result, as they may never get there. As a musician myself, I get immense pleasure from the process: the sound produced playing a sequence of notes and the harmonies upon hearing a chord or playing with other musicians. The joy does not necessarily come when I have completed a song or concert or reached whatever end goal I have set.

The long term impact of our treatment is questionable too. We may feel great doing these life-changing smile makeovers and feel like we are really improving a patient's quality of life or self well being. However, there is strong research to say our level of self-happiness returns to the same level after a life changing positive event. This is made more interesting when in contrast, life-changing negative events tend to have a greater negative effect on our base line level of happiness than positive events have on the base line level. Think of all those patients who come in saying they 'hate dentists' and further conversation reveals this 'hate' stems from a bad experience. We don't as often get people coming in saying they 'love dentists' as a result of a positive experience.

Happiness, its permanence and hedonism are complex topics that alone could provide one with a dissertation's worth of discussion but thankfully the likes of Brickman et al . (1978), 2 Lucas, Clark, Georgellis and Diener (2003), 3 Headey (2008) 4 and others have already walked that path.

Lifelong relationships with patients/working with people

Dentistry wouldn't really be the same without the patients, so it's definitely a good career for those who like to meet new people and develop relationships with them. It's wonderful when you see people throughout different stages of their year: birthdays, Christmas, holidays and also through different stages of their lives: births, weddings, leaving school, new job etc.

If you enjoy talking and listening to people, you will get to do this a lot as a dentist. When you see a person or a family regularly enough, you end up becoming part of their lives and part of your community.

For the artistic side

One definition of dentistry is that it is, 'the art and science of oral health'. The British Dental Association (BDA) have used the motto that they are here to 'promote the art and science of dentistry'. We often think of it as a science but there is definitely an artistic element, from shaping a white filling on an anterior tooth to realigning a whole arch.

Admittedly, the artistic boundaries are limited to what is anatomically and ethically reasonable: a dentist is unlikely to unleash the full extent of their artistic side on a patient by turning their teeth into a surrealist sculpture. But some of the characteristics of sculpturing, for example the precision, the respect paid to symmetry and cosmetics, are shared with dentistry.

For the money – financial independence

I am not sure I would do this job purely for the money. Well the money is good, it's very good. There aren't many careers where graduates earn over £33,000 in their first year. Medics certainly don't. By your second year of work, you may earn between £50,000 to £70,000, the latter figure being where the current average dentist's earnings lie.5 With an income at that level, financial independence seems very feasible. Then work hard enough, invest in the right training, practice, give it some time and the earning potential goes even further. Therein lies the issue of the money being a great reason to choose dentistry. It is not easy money – you have to work hard to meet your NHS targets, your revenue targets and your patients' wishes. You have to invest a lot of money back into your job, be it lab bills, overheads, training, indemnity or the GDC retention fee, so that handsome £5,800 a month soon gets whittled down. You will struggle to get through each day if you do not find something positive to take from the job, barring money.

It's a competitive career, particularly at university level. You have to work hard to get onto and stay on the five to six year course. To get onto the course, you have to be fairly academic and get good grades. These same grades could land you on a shorter bachelors or masters degree that may lead to a job in law, banking, finance or the tech industry, all of which may lead to higher financial returns.

Career independence

Self-employed. Pension. For the lifestyle: job security, hours

So the money is very good but there are jobs that offer higher incomes. What are the other financial benefits then, if any? In industries such as law, banking, finance and the tech industry, you will most likely be employed – especially in your early years. Being self-employed gives you a lot of freedom on where you can work, how much you work a week or a year and the opportunity to take career breaks. Working with the NHS gives you a generous pension and, provided targets are met, a steady income each month.

You have a lot of control in how you wish to work, from the choice of equipment, material and dental lab to staff and premises.

There will always be teeth so there will always be a need for dentists. The nature of our job may change and how we are paid but there will be employment. It's unlikely that machines will be able to do our job and it would take a brave government to completely remove the provision of NHS dental care.

Despite the ever increasing competition for jobs, it is still pretty difficult for UK graduates with a performer number to find themselves without a job. It may not be exactly where you want but there seems to be enough work out there for general dentists. So it is a secure career – at least for now.

For the love of dental science

This for me is the only reason that truly stands up on its own as a reason to do dentistry. No matter how bad things get with the administrative, business, stress or clinical side, you will always have dental science at the core of what you do. And if you like it you get to wake up every day with the knowledge that it will be at the heart of every treatment or bit of dental advice you impart that day. Nothing can take that away. I'm not saying you need to love teeth or gums or dental drills. That would be strange; saying, 'I love teeth' is akin to a plumber saying 'I love toilets'. But dental science, how teeth form, the theory behind demineralisation, the anatomy, the physiology, the oral biology... there is some interesting stuff in there.

I was never really big on the material sciences but I can appreciate those who are. I have met hundreds of dentists but could probably count on one hand those that truly like dental science. And I envy them, I truly do. I recall overhearing two colleagues discussing the light refraction indexes of two composite filling materials and being in awe. Not in awe of the conversation's content but of the sheer excitement and genuine enthusiasm they had that I may never replicate.

Yes, you could derive some of this satisfaction in a research career or as a sales rep but to truly appreciate dental science, you will want to see it in action, you want to see it at work on a patient, your patients. Only a dentist gets this privilege.

Do we have to love or even like dental science? Do ophthalmologists have to like ophthalmology? ENT doctors and otorhinolaryngology? No, but it would help.

To enter into dental research, academia or dental specialties

Well if you're interested in dental science and you have already made up your mind that a dental research or academic job rather than a patient-centred one is best for you then you have a pretty strong reason to enter this career.

Similarly, if you have decided that specialising in a certain field, such as orthodontics, is the end goal for you then a career in dentistry is the pathway there.

Want to get into healthcare/was a choice over medicine and dentistry and dentistry won

It's a strong reason. Dentistry fits firmly into the category of healthcare as a job. There are other routes one can go down after attaining their dentistry qualifications: academia, education, research and cosmetics for example. But if it's a job in healthcare you want, dentistry can definitely provide it. It is quite a niche area of healthcare though. Nursing offers a faster route into healthcare and does away with a lot of the business elements of dentistry. Medicine offers a wider range of healthcare and potentially greater impact on people's health.

Like doing things with my hands

This follows on nicely from the last point: from the get go, dentistry is very hands-on. More so than medicine. For the first three years of a medical school, most medics do not perform surgical procedures on patients. Some will do very few in their entire undergrad course. And this may carry over into their foundation training, general practice and a medical career, should they forgo the option for a surgical one. We do so much with our hands, be it intricate wax work with dentures or sculpting teeth with composite filling material.

Engineering is an obvious choice for those who like to do things with their hands but a lot of the top jobs in this field do not offer that much hands-on engineering once the degree is over. Much of it is management, planning and design.

That said, there are plenty of other careers that appeal to those wising to work with their hands such as art, construction, sport, jewellers, beauticians, hairdressers, fashion, plumbers, electricians to name a few.

The status and professional recognition

This will always be subjective but in my general experience upon people learning I am a dentist (barring the typical covering of one's mouth or immediate request for dental advice) is overwhelmingly positive. Some may say they 'hate dentists' or at least the experience of going to the dentist but they identify it as a respectable profession, one requiring higher education and expertise. And it is in this country, by the strictest definition, a profession: a self regulated industry.

I watched someone else do it, family, friends, work experience and it inspired me to do the same

I often hear this reason given and it makes perfect sense why: an influential person imparting their feelings on another can have a big impact on our decision making. Then seeing said person at work doing the work we may be able to one day do can really have an effect. This is particularly powerful if this person is a parent.

These second generation dentists are in an invaluable position to gain true insight into the career and are thus likely to have picked the right career.

I had a memorable experience with a dentist as a patient

I wish I could have phrased that better, as it sounds more like an account of a sordid episode with a dentist. That aside, it is a commonly given reason. Often bad experiences, extractions or braces trigger this early interest in dentistry. Some at the undergraduate interview shared theirs with me at the time. I had my own: I was eight-years-old and had an extraction of a deciduous molar in Ghana. It was horrific. The 'practice' looked more like the set of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', with the army of nurses there to hold me down all wearing the classic nurses attire. The screams of grown men that I could hear prior to my own turn were ominous. The anaesthetic was of questionable origin and certainly had no effect. How did this encourage me to become a dentist? It wasn't some altruistic urge in me that I would travel back to this practice riding a white horse wearing shining armour to deliver them from their dental despair. It was more that it was one of my only experiences I had with a dentist. It got me thinking about dentistry for the first time: what it was all about, what dentists did, how things worked.

There may well be other reasons: 'My parents recommended it', 'I am a sadist,' or 'I was inspired by watching Marathon Man and Little Shop of Horrors', but the reasons I have shared above consistently seem to be coming up in my observations.

During this research, an interesting conclusion could be drawn that dentistry may be the best job for some people, given how well many of the reasons listed apply to them. However, it may not be their perfect job. Perfection evades the necessity to be practical and realistic. My perfect job would be racing Formula One cars on a weekend, writing and directing films for the big screen during the week and performing music to sell-out crowds across the globe. Granted all three simultaneously is somewhat ambitious but one of those pursuits wouldn't have been unthinkable at certain stages of my life. But could any one of those match the attainability of dentistry? No.

I'm not going to pretend that everything in dentistry is great. Some of those aspersions cast at the beginning of this article are a constant bane that may take out any of the joy from the job.

If you still don't feel clinical dentistry is for you, there are several other routes within the industry that you may go down, whether its research, teaching, academia, consulting, business or management related. Not a week goes by where I pick up a dental publication or visit a website showing an entrepreneurial dentist with a new idea I'd never thought of such as a new orthodontic retention system or social networking database. At the very least, dentistry may give you a comfortable enough income to either work part time and pursue other interests on your day off or launch other business ventures.

I considered one dichotomy of thoughts in respect to work ethic with a friend recently. We discussed two dentists, Ali and Jamie. Ali likes to do more challenging and interesting things each day, even if it means more stress when things do not go well. Jamie prefers doing simpler treatments, even if they are more repetitive, uninteresting and unchallenging, as Jamie wants a more stress free day. If you truly like the job you're doing, you won't want to be doing the same repetitive things – you'll want to push and challenge yourself, try and explore new areas of the job. Whereas if you did not, like Jamie, you just want to get through each working day stress free. This may be fine for a while but to really get the best return, find something else within the job that you can enjoy, which may in turn beneficially impact that patients you treat and the staff around you.

How many end up in their perfect job? Furthermore, how many are fortunate enough to end up in a job that is best for them? A privileged few perhaps. But given the collection of reasons to do dentistry, it would be a hard fact to dispute that as a dentist, we have all at the very least found ourselves in a great career.

Health and Social Care Information Centre. Dental Working Hours, 2014-15, 2015-16. Motivational Analysis, September 2016

Brickman P, Coates D, Janoff-Bulman R. Lottery winners and accident victims: is happiness relative? J Pers Soc Psychol 1978; 36 : 917–927.

Article Google Scholar

Lucas R E, Clark A E, Georgellis Y, Diener E . Reexamining adaptation and the set point model of happiness: Reactions to changes in marital status. J Pers Soc Psychol 2003; 84 : 527–539.

Headey B . Life goals matter to happiness: a revision of set-point theory. Soc Indic Res 2008; 86 : 213–231.

Health and Social Care Information Centre. Dental Earnings and Expenses, 2014/15. September 2016.

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Foxhall Road Dental Practice, 49 Foxhall Road, Ipswich, IP3 8JU

S. Ofori-Attah

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Ofori-Attah .

Additional information

Refereed Paper

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Ofori-Attah, S. Dentistry, and why it is a great career. Br Dent J 223 , 81–84 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2017.617

Download citation

Accepted : 08 June 2017

Published : 21 July 2017

Issue Date : 21 July 2017

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.2017.617

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

This article is cited by

Career expectations and the motivating factors for studying dentistry in libya.

Niroz Arhoma
Maha El Tantawi
Arheiam Arheiam

BMC Medical Education (2022)

Initial periodontal therapy before referring a patient: an audit

Amardip S. Kalsi
Ulpee Darbar

British Dental Journal (2019)

A Survey of Premedical Students: Vision and Familiarity About Choice of Profession

Arshiya Chhabra

Journal of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery (2019)

Young dentists: breaking the silence

British Dental Journal (2018)

Dental careers: Life-long friends

W. Fitzpatrick

British Dental Journal (2017)

Quick links

Explore articles by subject
Guide to authors
Editorial policies

Dentistry Essay Examples and Topics

Applying to dental hygienist program.

Words: 1146

Importance of Daily Oral Care

Words: 1528

Toothpaste Controlled Experiment and Hypothesis

Dentist interview: summary and reflection.

Words: 1117

Why I Want to Enter the Dental Hygiene Profession

The root canal anatomy of the mandibular first molar tooth.

Words: 4186

Dentists, How They Can Help in Society

Words: 1109

Definition of Dental Anxiety and Fear

Words: 3276

Staging and Grading of Periodontitis

Dental program in taiwan, cambodia, and australia.

Words: 1673

Dental Composites Analysis

Words: 1907

Caries Control in Health Service Practice

Monoclonal antibodies: the application in dentistry.

Words: 2641

Endodontics as a Career Path

Dental pulp functions and testing.

Words: 5064

The Role of Dental Hygienists in Enhancing Oral Health

Dental anesthesia and unsafe practices, dental hygienist: personal research proposal, burnout among dental hygienists in california, dental professionals and current issues in dentistry, guided biofilm therapy in dental hygiene.

Words: 1668

Alternative Dental Hygienist Career

Words: 1179

Dental Hygienist Career and Job Setting

Words: 2559

Dental Hygienist Career Path: Website Analysis

Radiation safety in dental practice, self-assessment in dental hygiene.

Words: 1140

The Significance of Dental Hygienists

Periodontal disease: patient-focused explanation.

Words: 1150

“This Is Going to Hurt” Series and Dental Hygiene

Ideal dental office: reflection, parental knowledge, attitudes, and cultural beliefs regarding oral health, oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial and ethnic groups, addressing oral health disparities via educational foci: review, dental care for medicaid-eligible patients, the dental board: infection prevention training, dentistry: the clinician professional role, oral care for indigenous people in the us, shortening time between tooth extraction and restoration, the implant-prosthetic rehabilitation, laser therapy and non-surgical periodontal therapy, tooth decay and tooth loss, implant overdentures with two attachment systems, the dental health program in preventing dental caries.

Words: 1205

Dental Caries Among Adults

“assessing the effect of fluoride varnish…” by autio-gold, oral health indicators, measuring dental caries in the mixed dentition by icdas, oral health: identifying potential partners, the enhancement of dental public education, prevention and eradication of dental caries in adults, assessing health surveillance frameworks, medicare and medicaid in connection to dentistry, sources of potential funding for community-based oral health research, dental health management work, theories discussion: theory of planned behavior, the children’s dental health project and its future, codes of ethics in dental hygiene profession, dentistry: profession or occupation, micro-tensile bond strength analysis.

Words: 1537

Dentists During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the UAE

Science, mathematics, and art in orthodontics, the use of opioids and narcotics in dentistry.

Words: 2825

COVID-19 Dentistry-Related Aspects

Gagging prevalence and its association with dental fear in 4-12 year old children.

Words: 1357

Oral Care on Dying Older Adult

Words: 1095

The Medicare Dental Benefit Act of 2019

Waiting time as determinant of patient satisfaction, entering the dental hygiene profession, cultivating hand hygiene compliance among dental health workers in uae.

Words: 2891

Accessibility of Dental Care Services Among Indigenous People of Australi

Words: 2322

Bleaching System and Dentists Awareness of Any Potential Side Effects in Saudi Arabia

Hypnosis in dentistry analysis.

Words: 1750

Fluoride-Containing Varnishes Development and Application in Dentistry

Caries: to save or to put implants, fluoride varnish and foams and gels preventing cavities, tooth brushing in critically-ill patients.

Words: 1455

Ajman University of Science and Technology

Words: 6896

Aging and Oral Health Implications in Australia

Biomimetics in dentistry: key issues.

Words: 2187

Bone Remodeling: The Compact Bone of the Jaw

Words: 2482

Dental Department JCI Accreditation

Words: 4257

Career and Education From Dentist’s Perspective

Importance of patient-centered collaborative relations, dentistry: aesthetics zone and smile.

Words: 10773

Longevity and Survival Rate in Different Types of Restorations: Dentistry

Words: 1656

Dentistry and Dental Hygiene in Saudi Arabia

Words: 1404

The Role Calcium Plays in Both Dental Health and Bone Health

Tricare health care policy analysis, efficacy of subantimicrobial dose doxycycline in periodontitis management, dentistry: prosthetics’ methods & approaches, periodontal disease and contribution of bacteria, dentin enamel bonding systems: generations and current trends.

Words: 1723

Osteoporosis and Periodontal Disease Relationship

Oral health strategy in new south wales, australia.

Words: 1945

Teeth Brushing Behaviors of Intermediate and Secondary School Students

Words: 1771

Dental Implants: Early, Immediate and Delayed Loading

Words: 8076

Post Doctoral Program in Paediatric Dentistry

Oral health status of the elderly in residential homes in saudi arabia.

Words: 4578

The Caries Prevention in Health Service Practice

Types of dentures: conventional, implant retained, overdenture, etc..

Words: 1777

Who Should Perform Dental Scaling?

Settings for oral health promotion action in nursing homes in sydling.

Words: 2570

Dentistry and Surgery: History of Composite Restorations

Words: 1644

Fluoride in Drinking Water, Its Costs and Benefits to Oral Health

Words: 2991

Periodontal Disease and the Gram Negative Bacteria

Analysis of “the children’s oral health education” program, oral health determinants.

Words: 3896

An Exploration of the Use of Amalgam in Dental Industry

Words: 4408

University of Washington: Dental School and a Hospital Within the Campus

Re-evaluation, healing, periodontal maintenance.

Words: 1225

Bleeding on Probing: Progression of Periodontal Disease

Patient’s role in periodontal therapy, advanced dental hygiene practitioners: solutions to the current oral health crisis in the united states, clinical periodontal assessment.

Words: 1505

Biographical Statement: Dr. Latisha Martin

Evidence-based periodontal therapy, nitrous oxide in dentistry pain management, back pain for the dentist.

Words: 4266

Putting Teeth in Health Care Reform

Dental providers should be going above and beyond.

Words: 6907

Writing a Winning Dental School Personal Statement

Learn the art of crafting an irresistible personal statement, a key element in the dental school application process. Discover the essential steps and techniques to create a captivating narrative that impresses admissions committees and showcases your unique qualities and aspirations.

Posted September 14, 2023

Featuring 3 top coaches

Crushing Your Dental School Interviews Panel

Starting wednesday, september 4.

10:30 PM UTC · 60 minutes

If you're planning on applying to dental school, then you'll need to have a strong and compelling personal statement. Not only is this statement your chance to highlight your unique qualities and experiences as they relate to dentistry, but it's also a way to demonstrate your passion for the field and your dedication to pursuing a career in dentistry. In this article, we'll be discussing what it takes to write a winning dental school personal statement and how to make your application stand out.

An Introduction to Crafting a Compelling Dental School Personal Statement

First things first, let's start with the basics. Your personal statement is a one-page essay in which you have the chance to tell the admissions committee who you are and why you want to pursue a career in dentistry. This essay is a critical part of your dental school application and will be evaluated alongside your academic record, letters of recommendation, and any other supplemental materials.

When crafting your personal statement, it's important to keep in mind that the admissions committee is looking for more than just a list of your accomplishments and experiences. They want to see your personality shine through and get a sense of your passion for dentistry. This is your opportunity to showcase your unique perspective and explain how your experiences have led you to pursue a career in dentistry.

It's also important to remember that your personal statement should be well-written and free of errors. Take the time to proofread and edit your essay, and consider having someone else read it over as well. A polished and professional personal statement can make a big difference in the eyes of the admissions committee.

Understanding Your Purpose

The purpose of your personal statement is to demonstrate to the admissions committee that you have the qualities and experiences necessary to succeed in dental school and in a career as a dentist. You should use this essay to showcase your personal attributes, your relevant experiences, and your passion for the field of dentistry.

It is important to note that your personal statement should not simply be a list of your achievements and experiences. Admissions committees are looking for applicants who can reflect on their experiences and demonstrate how they have grown and developed as a result. Your personal statement should tell a story about who you are and why you are passionate about pursuing a career in dentistry. It should also highlight any unique perspectives or experiences that you bring to the table, such as a background in a related field or a commitment to serving underserved communities.

Identifying Your Unique Qualities and Experiences to Highlight

To stand out in your application, you'll need to highlight your unique qualities and experiences. Think about what sets you apart from other applicants and consider how those qualities or experiences demonstrate your potential as a dental student and future dentist. Brainstorming these qualities can help you craft a more impactful and memorable essay.

One way to identify your unique qualities and experiences is to reflect on your personal and professional background. Consider your upbringing, cultural heritage, and life experiences that have shaped your values and perspectives. These can provide insight into your character and motivations for pursuing a career in dentistry.

Another approach is to think about your academic and extracurricular achievements. What have you accomplished that demonstrates your leadership, teamwork, or problem-solving skills? How have you contributed to your community or made a positive impact on others? These experiences can showcase your potential as a well-rounded and compassionate dental professional.

Tips for Crafting an Engaging Introduction to Your Personal Statement

Your introduction should be engaging and compelling enough to grab the attention of the admissions committee. You can begin with a story that shows your passion for dentistry, or you can start with a quote that resonates with you. A good introduction should make the reader feel interested in your story, and want to keep reading.

Another effective way to start your personal statement is by posing a thought-provoking question that relates to your field of study. This can help to immediately engage the reader and make them curious about your perspective on the topic. Additionally, you can use statistics or data to highlight the importance of your chosen field and why it matters to you.

It's important to remember that your introduction sets the tone for the rest of your personal statement. Therefore, it's crucial to avoid cliches and generic statements that don't add any value to your story. Instead, focus on showcasing your unique experiences and qualities that make you a strong candidate for the program. By doing so, you'll be able to capture the attention of the admissions committee and leave a lasting impression.

Key Elements to Include in the Body of Your Dental School Personal Statement

Your body should include information about your relevant experiences and how they helped you develop the skills that are essential for success in dentistry. You should also discuss your academic background, specifically any science courses that you have taken, as these are highly relevant to your dental education. It is also important to discuss any extracurricular activities that demonstrate your various skills and qualities.

In addition to discussing your experiences, academic background, and extracurricular activities, it is important to highlight your motivation for pursuing a career in dentistry. This can include personal experiences that sparked your interest in the field, as well as your long-term career goals and how dentistry fits into those goals.

Another important element to include in your personal statement is your understanding of the challenges and responsibilities that come with being a dentist. This can include discussing the importance of patient care, the need for strong communication skills, and the ability to work well under pressure. By demonstrating your understanding of these challenges, you can show admissions committees that you are prepared for the rigors of dental school and a career in dentistry.

The Importance of Authenticity

It is important to be authentic and honest in your personal statement. Do not try to create a persona or present any inaccurate information. Admissions committees are experts at gauging authenticity, and any deception can be highly detrimental to your application. Write from your heart and keep in mind that the purpose of your personal statement is to allow the committee to know you better.

One way to ensure authenticity in your personal statement is to reflect on your personal experiences and how they have shaped your desire to pursue dentistry. Share your unique story and highlight the qualities that make you a strong candidate for dental school. This can include your passion for helping others, your attention to detail, or your ability to work well under pressure.

Additionally, it is important to tailor your personal statement to the specific dental schools you are applying to. Research each school's mission statement and values, and incorporate them into your writing. This shows that you have done your homework and are genuinely interested in attending that particular school.

Examples of Effective Ways to Convey Your Passion for Dentistry

The admissions committee needs to see your passion for dentistry in your personal statement. You can begin by telling a story about a dental experience that inspired you, or you can describe your interest in a specific aspect of dentistry, such as orthodontics or oral surgery. You can also discuss how your past experiences or academic background has prepared you for your future in dentistry.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Writing Your Dental School Personal Statement

There are some common mistakes that can significantly decrease the quality of your personal statement. One of these mistakes is writing in a generic way without discussing your unique experiences. Another is writing a statement that focuses solely on your academic background without demonstrating your qualities and experiences of relevance to dentistry. You should also avoid writing personal statements that are too long or too short, making sure to follow the specified guidelines.

How to Edit and Revise Your Dental School Personal Statement for Maximum Impact

After you have finished your first draft, it is highly recommended to take the time to edit and revise your personal statement. One essential tip is to take a break before starting to revise so that you can look at your personal statement with fresh eyes. As you revise, ensure that your statement is clear, concise, and effectively conveys your message. You may also want to get feedback from friends, family, or professors as well as use online resources such as grammar checking tools.

Tips for Tailoring Your Dental School Personal Statement to Specific Programs or Schools

An effective way to make your personal statement stand out is to tailor it to the specific dental school programs you are applying to. Research and find information about each school's curriculum, facilities, and mission statements, for example, and choose to include information that shows your interest and compatibility with the program specifically. This approach will show the committee that you are serious about attending their specific program and that you've done your homework.

Strategies for Standing Out Among a Pool of Competitive Applicants

Standing out in a pool of competitive applicants can be challenging, but it is vital to remember that if you stay authentic and communicate your passion for dentistry effectively, you have a good chance of making a lasting impression. Additionally, take the time to review what you wrote before making the final submission, use the appropriate formatting guidelines, and be certain you have represented yourself and your aspirations as holistically and accurately as possible.

Making the Most of Supplemental Essays and Interviews as Part of the Application Process

In addition to your personal statement, there may be supplemental essays or interviews that are included as part of the dental school application process. It is essential to take these components seriously as they can play a significant role in the final decision. Be sure to prepare for these essays and interviews carefully, using tips and tools online and even seeking advice from current dental students or former colleagues. Remember, by taking advantage of all aspects of the application process, you can make your candidacy stand out.

Navigating the Admissions Process and What Comes Next After Submitting Your Personal Statement

The admissions process can be stressful, but always remember why you're applying and what your end goal is. It is important to stay organized throughout the application process, keeping track of deadlines and all required documents. After submitting, you can breathe easy, awaiting a decision. However, if you're putting all your eggs in one basket, you may want to consider applying to multiple dental schools. Knowing what to expect and what you'll need to do can help put your mind at ease and prepare you for whatever may come next.

Writing a winning dental school personal statement takes time, effort, and commitment. By keeping the tips mentioned in this article in mind and staying true to yourself and your motivations, you will have an excellent chance of getting admitted to the dental school of your choice, and ultimately following the path you envisioned for your professional life. Good luck!

Want to learn more about the process for applying to dental school? Take a look at these resources to take your application to the next level:

How to Prepare for Your Dental School Interviews
Navigating Dental School Acceptance Rates: Strategies for Success
How to Get Into Dental School: Essential Tips and Guidelines
Letters of Evaluation for Dental School: Everything You Need to Know
How to Get Volunteer Hours for Dental School Applications
University of the Pacific Dental School: Application Requirements and How to Get In (2023-2024)

Browse hundreds of expert coaches

Leland coaches have helped thousands of people achieve their goals. A dedicated mentor can make all the difference.

Browse Related Articles

May 11, 2023

Planning Your Dental School Applications: How Many Schools Should You Apply To?

If you're planning to apply to dental school, you may be wondering how many schools you should apply to.

June 2, 2023

Exploring Dental School Curriculums: Courses and Requirements

Thinking about a future filled with flossing and drilling? Dive into this captivating piece as we unravel the intricate web of dental school curricula, equipping you with the knowledge needed to pursue a smile-worthy career in dentistry.

February 23, 2024

Everything You Need to Know About the CASPer Test

Uncover all the essential information about the CASPer test in this comprehensive guide.

How to Write a Powerful Dental School Letter of Intent

Learn how to craft a compelling and impactful dental school letter of intent that will set you apart from other applicants.

February 27, 2024

Medical School Early Decision Programs: Overview & Guide

Explore the advantages and considerations of applying to medical school through early decision programs.

August 18, 2023

Personal Characteristics Essay: Top Examples and Tips for Successful Writing

Looking to write a compelling personal characteristics essay? Our article offers top examples and tips for successful writing.

May 19, 2023

Crafting an Effective Personal Statement for SOAP: Tips and Guidelines

Crafting an effective personal statement for SOAP can be a daunting task, but with these tips and guidelines, you can create a standout statement that showcases your strengths and experiences.

April 1, 2024

Best Majors for Dental School: A Guide for Pre-Dental Students

If you're a pre-dental student, choosing the right major can be crucial for your future success in dental school.

May 4, 2023

Why ChatGPT Can’t Write Your Personal Statement

While ChatGPT is multifaceted, there is a compelling argument against using AI for your personal statements. Here is one expert's take on the revolutionary technology and application essays.

March 14, 2024

UNC Adams School of Dentistry: Application and Program Overview

Are you passionate about oral health and looking to apply to the UNC Adams School of Dentistry? Explore the application, admissions process, and DDS program in our article.

May 5, 2023

What GPA Do You Need to Get Into Graduate School?

How much does your college GPA actually matter to graduate programs? How high of a GPA is "good enough"? A former Director of Stanford Graduate Admissions addresses the importance of GPAs to higher ed. degrees.

January 9, 2024

Marquette Dental School: Application Requirements, Acceptance Rates, and How to Get In (2023-2024)

Considering applying to the Marquette Dental School? Familiarize yourself with the application requirements, gain insights into the acceptance rates, and understand how to increase your chances of securing admission.

October 17, 2020

Step-by-Step Guide: Tips on How to Write a Dental Essay

Do you dream of becoming a top-notch dentist someday? Dental students go through some of the most rigorous academic work in any discipline. The coursework is demanding because much is expected from a qualified dentist. Writing excellent essays is part of the coursework just like in other courses. When the coursework is too heavy, you can buy cheap essay and engage the services of professionals to assist you in generating perfect dental essays.

Step 1: The Essay Topic

Dental medicine is a broad subject, which gives you plenty of options in picking an essay topic. You will also find lots of research material if you have to work with a given essay topic. The 3 broad areas of dental care to write about are;

#1 Basic dental hygiene

Some of the topics here would be; • The correct use of a toothbrush • Must-have ingredients of healthy toothpaste • How to pick the correct dental products for different people • Dental hygiene for very young children • Making dental experiences friendlier

#2 Dental health and dieting

You can write on; • Different foods and their impacts on dental health • Food supplements for healthy dental • Children diets for healthy dental development • Proper nutrition to avoid dental loss in old age

#3 Dental ailments

Some of the topics here would include; • Identifying early symptoms of common dental ailments and their causes • Explaining common dental ailments such as cavities and gingivitis • Highlighting uncommon dental conditions such as bruxism • Explaining different dental procedures to treat dental ailments There is a variety of topics to write from these three broad areas. However, you are not confined to these three areas. You can write on what you see fit, or work with a given essay topic.

Step 2: Research

Writing an essay is easy when you have taken the time to research and gather supporting material for your essay. While the internet is full of information, you should also extend your research to special research databases e.g. Web of Science. You can also reach out to professionals who write essay for money to supplement your research. This would take much of the research load off your shoulders while enriching what you already have.

Step 3: Writing a Rough Draft

This is the basic structure for any essay;

• Introduction – This is where you introduce the topic and the one or two hypotheses your essay is proving or disproving • Body – This is where you make your arguments. You can do a paragraph for each argument. Support your argument with statistics, field data, and past arguments that support your points. An essay typically has 2-3 body paragraphs. Keep the required essay length in mind. • Conclusion – This is a summary of your whole essay. Ensure to tie your arguments to prove or disprove your hypothesis.

Step 4: Citations

All work that you use that is not originally yours should be cited and attributed. This includes internet sources. Ensure to use proper formatting e.g. AMA when doing the citations.

Step 5: Edit and submit

Always go over your first draft carefully. Check for missing information, gaps in evidence, and incoherent statements. Have a friend look at the essay before submitting it. Writing essays is part of every student’s life. It is inescapable. What you can do is take time to understand the basics of good essay writing. Your academic life becomes considerably easier when you internalize good essay writing skills.

Partners and Sponsors

Advertising with DentaGama
Terms and Conditions
Privacy Policy
Cookies Policy
Reviews Policy

Home / Essay Samples / Health / Medicine / Dentistry

Dentistry Essay Examples

The commitment to choosing dentistry as my career.

The integrity and rigorous nature of dentistry combined with my love of science has inspired me to pursue a career that alleviates suffering. My initial exposure to taking dentistry as a prospective career path came on a visit to the dentist with my grandfather for...

My Motivation to Improve the Oral Health of People as a Dentist

Poor oral health has been linked with systemic illnesses such as coronary heart disease and diabetes which may arbitrate links with mental health. The power that dentists have to improve the oral health of people, thus preventing the development of these life-threatening illnesses and by...

My Trip to the Dentist: a Tale of Dental Care

A trip to the dentist is often met with mixed feelings, ranging from a sense of responsibility to a hint of anxiety. However, this routine visit is an essential part of maintaining oral health and preventing potential issues. In this essay, I will recount my...

Diagnostic Wax Up and Mock Up for Dental Treatment Visualization

Today, the aim of prosthodontic and restorative dental treatment is to get an expected esthetic results. So, it is important to understand the patient desire and expectations. This can be possible only by communicating with the patient. Any treatment outcome should be known and visualize...

My Enthusiasm and Potential to Become a Dentist

My interest in dentistry began with my fascination in the way that sciences interlink, which was apparent whilst studying entropy in Chemistry. With further learning I realized that entropy links to chemical reactions that occur within the human body. I was absorbed by this topic...

The Importance of Informed Consent in Endodontics

Endodontics is one of the most demanding and technically challenging branches of dentistry requiring great deal of precision and rational decision making. The unpredictable nature of treatment outcomes predisposes a dental practitioner to litigation and malpractice lawsuits. Failure to communicate the potential outcomes, mid procedural...

Computer-aided Design/computer-aided Manufacturing in Dentistry – Future is Present

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is the use of computer systems to aid in the creation, modification, analysis, or optimization of a design. CAD is an important industrial art extensively used in many application, including automotive, shipbuilding, aerospace industries, dentistry, etc. It helps to increase productivity, quality...

Barodontalgia: a Study on Its Etiology in Saudi Population

AIM: To study the etiology of Barodontalgia in Saudi population. Methods: A total of 369 individuals having dental restorations and a history of flight journey were randomly selected for the study. A questionnaire was used to collect general data such as age, gender; flight experience...

My Drive to Become a Successful Dentist

The complex human anatomy, the various aspects considered during the development of treatment and the observable differences achieved through procedures is what sparked my interest in dentistry. Dentists applying their knowledge on oral health to improve lives of those within the community appeals to me....

Definition and Etiology of Gingival Recession

Gingival recession (GR): Defined as change in location of marginal gingiva leading to root surface exposure. According to American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), cementoenamel junction by movement of coronal extent of gingiva apically. There are two positions of gingiva which include Actual position - coronal...

Trying to find an excellent essay sample but no results?

Don’t waste your time and get a professional writer to help!