I could not hear the echo of my steps as I descended the stairs, I did not see any people who brushed past me, did not feel the chill of the wind which blew my scarf. From the window of the cab, I quietly admired the magnificent stretch of buildings of my alma mater for dental training and research getting smaller and smaller until they vanished from my sight, but not from my vision: the last day of my internship at The Manipal College of Dental Sciences. Now, what had been a dream on the first day of my dental school had already transformed into a firm resolve, to become a competent dentist and contribute to the vast body of scientific evidence. In the words of Richard Bach, “You are never given a dream without also being given a power to …show more content…
It furthered my understanding of periodontics and appreciation of periodontium, the foundation of teeth. I learnt that being a dentist is not just about treating disease but also about educating and motivating patients to maintain their dental health. It was enlightening to learn how the systemic health is linked to periodontal health. As a periodontist it gave me immense satisfaction to persuade patients to modify their dental habits and provide them a healthy lifestyle. Every patient experience was intriguing; it was exciting and challenging to formulate the treatment plan while meeting individual patient expectations. An encounter, particularly close to my heart is a patient who had severe periodontitis with multiple abscesses and halitosis. She expressed to me how her disease had affected her confidence to communicate and therefore her personality. I planned her treatment and saw her red, swollen, spongy gingiva shrink miraculously to normal size and form. It was most gratifying to see her beaming with …show more content…
I believe that the Periodontics Residency Program will provide me an opportunity to refine my skills further in my desired subject. I intend to enhance my knowledge in regenerative periodontics, stem cell engineering and contribute to research with an aim to develop better treatment options.
A few years down the line, I envision myself in an academic setting, actively involved in research and teaching, as I firmly believe that to teach is the best way to learn. I believe that my determination, attention to detail, positive attitude, and belief in myself make me an excellent candidate for your program, and will help me fulfill the goals I have set for myself.
“The secret to success is to find something you love to do so much; you can’t wait for the sun to rise to do it all over