Example Dentistry Personal Statement
A highly motivated and dedicated individual, I seek a challenging career that matches my intellectual potential. Having completed a degree as a mature student, balancing my time with raising a family, oral biology was the topic that immediately inspired my passionate interest and dentistry promises the kinds of demands and satisfactions that I thrive on. It is the area of healthcare most tangible to me due to personal experience of undergoing corrective procedures; I was not taught the importance of good oral hygiene as a child and therefore sincerely appreciate the need for comprehensive public health education. This is an exciting time to commit to such a career and I will be at the forefront of a movement allowing Scottish communities better access to dental care. With many close dentist friends, I regularly discuss new developments and study relevant journals. I have also been proactive in arranging and undertaking six weeks of practical work placements. Choosing two different-sized practices proved extremely insightful; the realities of busy scheduling showed me how the range of staff (receptionist, hygienist, nurse, VT and dentist) work together to cope efficiently.
I particularly enjoyed witnessing dental procedures at close hand, including root canal treatment, where I was able to empathise with the patient at the same time as appreciating the precision and stamina required of the practitioner to manoeuvre their instruments. I possess the concentration and coordination levels that will equip me for such intricate work, as I have acquired manual dexterity skills whilst dissecting cadavers and, as Anatomy Demonstrator at Dundee University, facilitated the students’ own dissection work. As Demonstrator I interpreted many medical images including radiographs; similarly, whilst shadowing a dentist I saw minute details picked out from X-rays and translated into appropriate treatments. Dentists must be prepared to discover the unexpected and, as a flexible thinker, I anticipate that I will be able to innovate and solve problems effectively. Listening to individual practitioners communicating with their patients was very interesting for me, as I have worked as a lecturer at Dundee College and taught biology, anatomy and physiology up to HNC level. This post demanded that I reach students from different age groups and backgrounds with varying levels of understanding. I also had to adapt my communication methods to match individual learning styles. Working within strict time constraints meant that I know how to prepare and prioritise a workload. Using my own initiative is second nature, along with cooperative working (specific classes required ‘team teaching’ with a colleague). Students noted that I was very approachable and I am keen to work directly with people as I am a confident natural communicator.
So inspiring were my dentistry placements that I am now volunteering at one of the practices, having been offered a role in the decontamination room. Receiving dental nurse training, I am rapidly learning about tools, making up materials for treatments and how to prevent infections. My long-term goal is to become a dentist in a general practice as well as working as a community dentist. An active figure in my local area, I volunteer and fundraise for a school and a children’s club. I am also a member of a running and cycling group (having fulfilled an ambition to learn the piano as an adult, I now aim to compete in my first triathlon next year). This hardworking and independent attitude means that I am particularly drawn to your university and its dentistry course, where the teaching strategies, especially e-learning, appeal to my style. Reflective learning and gaining practical experience in clinics is very important, but all aspects of dentistry training are exciting to me and I am genuinely looking forward to demonstrating that I have the skills and qualities needed on the tasking journey to become a qualified dentist.
We hope this example Dentistry personal statement is a helpful point of reference when it comes to writing a personal statement of your own.