My Aspirations to Choose Dentistry as a Career Path

The initial impetus in choosing dentistry as a career path came when I became a patient at a local orthodontic practice. The treatment I received changed me from a timid boy to an assured young man, fuelling my interest in dentistry and filling me with a desire to change other people’s lives by enabling them to face life with a confident smile. This strongly influenced my choice of A levels. The sciences have nurtured my love of research, helped me to analyse important facts and figures and apply this knowledge to everyday scenarios.

A two week placement at both a dental and veterinary practice gave me insight into diverse areas of the medical profession. In spite of the differences I realised the importance of team work in ensuring the best outcome for patients was common theme. One particular instance where this became very much relevant was when a vet and a nurse worked together to sedate a frightened dog; the nurse held its mouth open whilst the vet further examined and subsequently extracted multiple decayed teeth. Observing a root canal treatment made me understand the high level of manual dexterity required to remove all contaminates within the tooth. I was very impressed by the way the dentist handled apprehensive individuals to minimise their discomfort by explaining each step in a calm and self-assured way. From this I gained an understanding of the necessity of good communication skills and determined to practise them in my own relationships.

Taking the ‘Discover Dentistry’ course educated me and peaked my interest in endodontics. As a result I further researched the subject. Reading a news article about the rising issues of dental care in young people inspired me to lead an oral hygiene presentation at a local primary school, demonstrating effective ways of reducing the risk of tooth decay whilst creating a fun and interactive environment.

During the past 3 years I have helped to clean and maintain the local temple by preparing for the morning worship, giving me a sense of responsibility which is standing me in good stead when assuming leadership roles. Last summer I completed the NCS programme where I project managed an awareness campaign for a local mental health centre. From this I learnt to tailor the care to meet individual needs to ensure satisfaction. I am also working on the D of E Silver Award. Even though this has meant pushing myself to new limits it has increased my self-confidence and reliance as well as being thoroughly enjoyable. For the past year I have volunteered to teach young children to read and become a science leader within school. This has improved my time management skills, having to juggle with my studies, hobbies and teaching commitments whilst still being an approachable role model.

I play doubles badminton and thrive on being part of a team whilst improving my hand eye co-coordination. To take this to the next level I aim to join the badminton team at university. Drawing has also been a passion of mine since childhood it has helped me to develop key motor skills and sharpened my powers of observation. My other main interest outside of school is travel and I regularly visit India. During one of my recent visits I met a distant cousin who had recently undergone corrective surgery for a cleft lip. On researching the subject I found out about how common cleft lips actually are in western India and that the majority of people affected by them can’t afford surgery. In the light of this, I feel there would be no better way of spending my time than to help those in desperate need. Surgery would not only alleviate the problem but open up new doors of opportunity for them to enjoy a healthier future, giving me a feeling of fulfilment by having a profound impact upon someone’s life.

As I near the end of my schooling I feel my aspirations growing. Gaining admission to study dentistry would be one more step towards attaining my goal of pursuing my interest in science whilst helping people.