A new year of hope

I started this newsletter couple of months back, as a way, to help and stay connected with new graduates, dentists and international dentists. More so it is a way to guide and share my thoughts with the foreign trained dentists, who might be in the process of applying to Advanced standing programs and want guidance. With this year 2024 almost coming to an end, I wanted to thank all the subscribers and readers for their support and I appreciate all the kind words through emails or DMs. This encourages me and makes me going on this path. With this newsletter, I wanted to start a new tradition. With each newsletter, along with my other words of wisdom or experience, I am going to tell you about any interesting article that I have read and if possible, would love to know your opinion on the same. Sharing knowledge and being hopeful that we can make a change in the lives of our patients, is the goal here.

The title of this newsletter is HOPE and I want to tell an interesting story that, I hope, will motivate anyone who is still applying for these programs and is feeling disheartened. This was in 2021, when I had just started my AS program in Boston, that I had a fellow dentist from Saudi Arabia approach me. He said that he has been applying to schools (not disclosing for confidentiality purpose), and has not even received a letter of interview. He was quite disheartened and had heard about me from someone, who I had coached for iNBDE. Not being a professional counsellor, I had asked him to contact someone who can review his SOP/resume. He said he had his SOP reviewed by a professional agency and they had been helping him apply to dental schools but no luck. He had begun to start losing hope and when he heard about me, he wanted to try seeking another approach. Again, I only help with editing the SOP, so I agreed to help him, told my charges and started.

One thing that I noticed with this accomplished dentist was there was everything in the SOP about his past achievements, his present work and his intent to move to US and do dentistry but there was no mention of a WHY? Like Why of all the students in the world who want to do these AS programs, he should be given a chance? He said this was pointed out previously by agency people too but he thinks that his credentials are so good that any school would want him to be their ambassador! Hmmm, it took a lot of counselling and back and forth to make him understand the reasoning and importance of the competition. Finally, we were able to figure out the reasoning and his thought process and put it on SOP. I guided him to apply to different schools with a different SOP and CV. I would only call that "beginner's luck" that he did get an interview atleast that year. One good thing about this dentist was his perseverance. He did not lose hope. 5 years now but atleast 1 interview. He applied again, took help of an interviewing agency to prepare him, we edited his SOP a little bit more and the luck decided to shine on him. He got the interview, cleared the bench exam and yes! He got in!!!! What a relief!

1. I do not take any credit for his success but this story is all about cumulative effort, resilience and willingness to listen and not lose hope! It was new beginnings for him and me as I started helping students with editing SOP and resume also after that.

2. Also, another takeaway from this story is the importance of that personal statement. The importance of WHY? Why do you want to do residence or the AS program? Yes, your past achievements are important in the decision making but what will keep you going in the bad times during the program? Everyone writes about the change they want for their family, about a better life but you should understand that admission committee is in charge of admitting students who are going to contribute to making dentistry in the country better or who have an ambition to advance. These are few examples of the WHY in the SOP. This video discusses a few important points about the same.

With this story, my hope is that all of you, will not lose HOPE even if the skies seem cloudy and there is only a single lit candle in the dark. Perseverance, right guidance, willingness to achieve your dream at any cost, will take you far, no matter the time because in the end it all is worth!

Keep dreaming and keep working to achieve your dreams.

For any help with your CV/SOP. iNBDE- DM or email at [email protected]

Article that I am reading at this point: Evidence-based clinical practice guideline on antibiotic use for the urgent management of pulpal- and periapical-related dental pain and intraoral swelling. Lockhart, Peter B. et al. The Journal of the American Dental Association, Volume 150, Issue 11, 906 - 921.e12

Read it and let me know your thoughts. Do you agree with the author?

Would love to know your thoughts. Happy new year and keep working!