A Personal Quest to Become a Dentist in The United States

Introduction

Since I started primary school, I have always had a deep passion for biology and art. I began making sculptures out of clay when I was in secondary school. During that time, I accompanied my cousin to a dental office, and I can vividly remember paying full attention to the dentist's hands: all the instruments and materials and the way he used them. It was art and science in one place. My cousin was all smiles when he looked at the mirror, and there it was, my future job—Dentistry. Giving smiles to people with your hands and knowledge is a great feeling. When I started dental school, I realized I was meant to become a dentist. I'm meticulous and very good at practical work; I always strive to do a perfect job. Being a dentist in the USA has always been my dream, as the level of education and clinical expertise is of the highest rank in the world. During my second semester of dental school, my mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer.

Challenges and Resilience

Although I was going through a very difficult time, I did not even think about giving up on dentistry for a moment. My mom passed away in the third year of my dental school. I still managed to surpass all those troubles and continued my studies. Despite getting average marks, I did not fail any subjects, even during the semester when I lost my mom. This experience taught me to handle my responsibilities and control unexpected events, even in the hardest parts of my life. I am the kind of person who will persist until I succeed. I moved to Iran after graduation and was accepted into an advanced standing program for foreign-trained dentists at the Islamic Azad University of Tehran. I completed that program successfully in one year and started working in Tehran. I found immense satisfaction working 8 hours a day in an impoverished region in the south of Tehran (the capital of Iran) more than anything else in the world. I also have a great passion for translating academic texts from English to Persian. Given the lack of good books and knowledge of English in Iran, this effort helps advance dentistry there. I translated "Therapeutic Guidelines: Oral and Dental," a reference from the Australian Dental Council, into Farsi for Tehran University Press (Australian Dental Council, 2010).

Transition to the United States

I moved to the USA in September 2013 and started working as a volunteer dental assistant in a dental office. I also conducted research at the Oklahoma University dental school. Soon after I started there, I realized I had made a good choice: The world of dentistry in the United States is highly advanced and of the best quality. I have an inquisitive mind and enjoy learning new materials in my field, and I believe here is the right place for me. Aside from my academic career, I have also enjoyed playing sports, dancing, and watercolor painting. I was on my city's swimming team when I was in high school. I also like learning different languages and have recently started French.

Conclusion

Although I know the road to becoming a registered dentist in the USA is demanding and highly competitive, I am a person with great passion and determination, and I will follow my dreams with all my heart and energy. Dentistry is my passion, hobby, and dream job, and I know I'm going to be a great dentist in the USA. I am confident that I can overcome all obstacles throughout this course and beyond.

References

• Australian Dental Council. (2010). Therapeutic Guidelines: Oral and Dental. Australian Dental Council.