When you become a dentist, how will you improve the profession?

"I have chosen to become a dentist because of the broad impact I can make on my patients, their families, and my community as a whole. Being a dentist is a career where I can impact others by getting to know my patients more closely than most healthcare providers. I say this because the mouth and the state of one's mouth have an incredible influence on someone's confidence level. The mouth also impacts many health aspects, including how and what someone eats and drinks, their sleep quality, and even how they talk. As a dentist, I will improve the profession by bringing this whole-health knowledge and mindset to my patients. When my patients feel motivated and empowered to take their entire health into their hands, it will create a trickle-down effect on other aspects of their lives, including their family members' well-being. This ripple will help create greater respect for oral health care, improving how the public views our profession and how often a patient visits the dentist."

Since you are not yet a dentist, you may not know what can be done to improve the profession. Still, you must have personal reasons for pursuing this career. Describe what you envision doing to improve the industry as a dentist.

"As a dentist, I plan to improve the profession by volunteering my services to less fortunate citizens in my community. I live in an inner city where 54% of the community does not have affordable access to oral care. I plan to work with a nonprofit organization and hold weekly clinics where I can offer my services for free."