PreDental Essay #4

Sample Essay #4

Procession through the dental school application process has been a very positive experience for me. It has enabled me to evaluate my goals and motivations for choosing a career, and confirms that dentistry is the career for me. One of the first things I considered was the type of activity that would earn me the greatest amount of satisfaction at the end of the day. Of particular importance was a need to work with my hands, produce visible results, and find a great deal of pride in my work. What better feedback exists than a beautiful smile? As dentistry is closely coupled to the life sciences and changing technologies, I felt it would provide me with a continual source of new knowledge and new skills to master. Of significant interest was the ability to afford a great deal of time to devote to raising a family. I hope to instill in them the same strong morals and values my parents have instilled in me through many years of stable family life.

I first became interested in dentistry as a career late in high school, initially via a process of elimination. As I researched into the profession, the prospect of a dental career became increasingly appealing.

Observation and volunteer work with Dr. [Octopus], a [Specialty] Specialist in [a city] has served as a major reinforcement of my desire to enter dentistry. Time spent in his office has shown me many aspects of the profession I hope to experience in my career, such as development of strong relationships and friendships with employees, patients, and their parents. The atmosphere created in his practice of openness, painlessness, and welcome has become a paradigm of what I believe good dental practice should be. Using knowledge gained from this exposure, I have begun to build a niche for myself with friends and family. It is one in which I feel I belong and know I will enjoy filling in the future.

While employed in the day camp program at the [an institution], I gained a love of working with children and experience in leadership and planning. Primarily dealing with youngsters aged 4 and 5, I found that enthusiasm and leading via example are effective interaction tools.

Through many years of active participation in community hockey and baseball I have learned the importance of teamwork and contribution from all team members. These experiences have also given me a great deal of confidence in my abilities and myself.

Summer employment in the construction industry has given me an appreciation for the value of hard work. Days that begin as early as 3 a.m. and end as late as midnight have brought out dedication and responsibility in me. Interacting with persons from diverse backgrounds and occupations, I learned empathy necessary for developing positive relationships. Experiences in the maintenance shop have shown me the necessity of taking pride in my work and ensuring every job is done properly the first time, as well as aided in the development of an ability to critique my own work, polishing [big rig] aluminum fuel tanks, for instance. My inherent strong work ethic has resulted in much positive feedback from employers and colleagues. Earnings from employment and academic scholarships have financed 100% of tuition and books, incidental costs, 2 automobiles, and provided the means to begin retirement savings. I find my lack of financial debt a source of great pride.

Overall, I feel I am the type of person who will excel in any field I may choose as a career, and I believe that dentistry is the path for me. I know that I can add to the degree of integrity already present in the profession by maintaining honesty and continuing the lifelong learning process to ensure delivery of superior care.

I thank you very much for your time and consideration, and look forward to dealing with you in the future.

Once you have been admitted, send a "generic" copy of your essay to essays@predental.com .

For example: "While going to U.W., I worked 20 hours a week for Doctor Steve Jones" should be changed to "While going to [generic university], I worked 20 hours a week for [Doctor Generic]."