Residents Talk Summer Fun Tips for Dental Students
As the weather starts to get warmer and spring rain is watering the earth, many dental students are looking forward to summer break. It is always a balance between relaxing and being productive during any break in dental school. To make summer planning easier, here, current residents offer some recommendations on how to make the most of the season, as well as discuss their favorite memories from vacations past. What was your most memorable vacation? “I went solo-backpacking after D1 to London, Paris, Brussels, Cologne, Prague and Munich. I went on a non-profit photography organization trip to Iceland the year before, and I met a lot of people there. It was an organization where they took photographs and did exhibitions for charity. Although it was a solo-backpacking trip, I was able to visit the people I met through the previous trip.” —Gina Lee, DMD, Ortho Resident, Class of 2022 What was the most relaxing part of your vacation? “I went to Korea for the first time when I was invited to an International Association for Dental Research (IADR) research trip. My wife and I found a coffee shop with 3-D puzzles. We had some coffee, and made 3-D dinosaurs and butterflies. I enjoyed it so much that I bought the puzzles and brought them home. Eating good food in Korea also took part in that relaxation.” —Curtis Dugas, DMD, Perio Resident, Class of 2022 What did you do to have the most fun? “My 24th birthday was during the break, so I went to Amsterdam. I went with my three dental school friends, and we stayed in homestays. We went to all the places that tourists go. I was there for only three days, but it was a blast. Then I went to Brussels for the second time.” —Gina Lee, DMD, Ortho Resident, Class of 2022 What did you do during the break that was productive? “Research. I helped a lot of students who wanted to get into residencies with their research. I was involved in 15 different projects other than my own, and they all ended up getting into residencies. I was happy to help them with their journeys. I also felt accomplished, receiving awards and prizes. It was worth the trouble.” —Youjin Chung, DMD, Prostho Resident, Class of 2022 What did you do during break that might have helped you to get into residencies? “A research presentation for Perio and AGD. It was interesting to see everything geared toward the surgical end without restorative. It was field-focused. I was presenting alongside residents and their faculties. It was a great networking tool.” —Curtis Dugas, DMD, Perio Resident, Class of 2022 Anything else you wish you could have done in dental school? “I wish I enjoyed dental school more, [along with the breaks, taking more vacations]. I would have wanted to go to Europe and to Korea to enjoy my family’s company, but it was busy with school and my kid.” —Youjin Chung, DMD, Prostho Resident, Class of 2022 Although there are still some restrictions with traveling nowadays, we can always plan ahead to make sure we make the most of our summer break — whether it’s relaxing with family or having fun with close friends and enjoying new hobbies (such as coffee shops with 3-D puzzles). We can also be productive by doing research or participating in online conferences. These are only a few examples, but the options are endless. Have a happy and safe summer break! ~Se Won Hwang, Pittsburgh ’22 Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/06/residents-talk-summer-fun-tips-for.html June 24, 2021 at 12:11AM
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Direct-to-Consumer Aligners: The Rise of DTC Clear Aligners
The Direct-to-Consumer industry has aroused considerable controversy among dental professionals. It has impacted many dental fields, and Orthodontics is undoubtedly one of them. Nowadays, many companies offer DTC clear aligners as a more affordable alternative to traditional, dentist-supervised alignment treatments. This new system might not count with the dental community approval, but it is a fact that DTC aligners are here to stay. A survey by Virginia Commonwealth University invited patients interested in getting clear aligners to state their preference in provider type for clear aligner therapy, and the results were impressive. Out of 100 patients, 35 would choose DTC aligners over a supervised treatment by an orthodontist or a qualified general dentist. DTC aligners companies basically offer the same clear aligners that dentists provide to patients to correct misaligned or crowded teeth. The main difference is that the patient doesn’t need to have regular checkups with a dentist or an orthodontist, so the treatment is practically not supervised. To begin the treatment, patients can either visit a center where they are seen and scanned by a dentist (in some places, x-rays are also taken) or get a DIY impression set delivered to their house (they take their own impressions and post them back to the company). It’s this latter, do-it-yourself option that worries dentists the most. Although DTC aligners might work in mild to moderate cases, the central problem is that, in many cases, patients don’t even have direct contact with an orthodontist or general dentist. This is a significant inconvenience for two reasons. First and foremost, not all patients are eligible candidates for this type of treatment. Many severe cases still need to be solved with fixed orthodontic appliances. And second, moving teeth without clinical examination and radiographic evaluation can have a detrimental effect on the overall health of teeth and gums. It can even result in permanent tooth loss. Not to mention the fact that several issues need to be solved before orthodontic treatment, as they can severely compromise the final results. So why are DTC aligners so popular? We need to accept this new reality and reflect on why more and more patients choose unsupervised dental treatment. The survey previously mentioned also revealed the two main reasons why this system is growing in popularity—cost and convenience. People prefer to save time and money rather than undergoing supervised treatment. In the hectic and complicated times we live in, it’s understandable why people choose DTC aligners. However, we should highlight another problem of this new industry: many don’t have access to trustworthy information that can shed some light on the risks and disadvantages of getting DTC aligners without professional advice. Most websites have low readability scores, which implies that the content in those websites isn’t clear enough. And in many cases, they directly fail to inform patients on certain key aspects that would influence their final decision. And this is when dentists should step up. We cannot forbid this kind of treatment or deny a more accessible alternative to patients who otherwise wouldn’t get orthodontic treatment. Instead of talking them out of DTC aligners, we can try to honestly explain the risks and benefits of this therapy so that they can make a sensible decision regarding their oral health. We can even think of alternatives to meet this problem halfway and offer services like a professional diagnosis previous to the aligners or even a professional oversight of the treatment. As health advocates, we should always think about each patient’s possibilities and try to give them dental attention that meets their needs. References: https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/5766/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889540619309692 Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/06/direct-to-consumer-aligners-rise-of-dtc.html June 23, 2021 at 05:21AM
5 Tips to Enhance Productivity in Your Dental Practice
Every business can surely use a boost in productivity, and your dental practice is no exception. With the challenges facing the dental industry these days, dental practice owners need to boost their productivity and efficiency not only to bring in new patients but to improve the patient experience as well. Whether you’re a general dentist or running a cosmetic dentistry practice, here are some tips that will help enhance your business’ productivity. 1. Don’t Keep Patients Waiting UnnecessarilyFar too many dental patients have waited for their turn only to be told an hour or so later that the dentist could not tend to them for the day for one reason or another. Predictably, the patient will leave disgruntled and won’t probably come into your office ever again. That patient is also likely to post a bad review about your dental practice online. To avoid situations where patients have to spend unnecessary time in the lobby, your staff needs to give them information about their estimated wait time as soon as they come through your office’s doors. The key word here is “estimated” since wait times can be difficult to predict in a dental office. With proper communication between your staff and patients, the latter can decide whether to wait that long or not. Even when it’s just an estimate, your patients will appreciate the heads up just the same. 2. Train Staff to Become Better Communicators Over the PhoneMore often than not, your office’s interaction with patients begins with a phone call. Patients get their first impression of your dental practice by the way your staff answers the phone and communicates with them as they inquire about your dental services. That’s why it’s in your best interest to ensure that your front-liners are trained to answer phones in a professional manner. To ensure that your staff answers common questions and even complaints from patients over the phone, you would do well to develop a protocol that they can refer to whenever they find themselves grasping for answers. With such a protocol in place, your staff can maintain consistency in their messaging and avoid the guesswork over the phone that could drive potential patients away. Your staff can also use training in interactive listening techniques that allow them to fully concentrate on what a patient is saying over the phone and get their concerns right when taking note of them. 3. Switch to Online Patient SchedulingIt’s okay if most of your patients still book their appointments by phone, but you have the chance to make the entire process quicker and more streamlined if you switch to online patient scheduling. There’s a world of dental appointment scheduling software out there you can use to make booking appointments a breeze not just for clients but for your office personnel as well. With online patient scheduling, you can minimize the risk of your staff manually entering incorrect data. Dental appointment scheduling software also helps you organize all the information and make it easily accessible. 4. Use an Appointment Confirmation Process That WorksThe productivity of many dental practices takes a hit when booked patients fail to show up or cancel their appointments at the last minute. These are losses you need to address, and you can do just that by establishing a more effective appointment confirmation process. Many dental offices remind their patients about their next visit by calling them and leaving voice messages on their home phones. The problem is, not all people check their messages all the time. By the time they do so, it might already be a bit too late. One communication mode that stands a higher chance of getting received and acted upon by patients right away is SMS messaging. Through texting, patients can respond instantly to appointment reminders you send, and that should help you avoid no-shows and last-minute cancellations. 5. Practice Dental Treatment Cost TransparencyThere was a time when dental practices avoided being upfront about the costs of their services. Today, it has become essential for dental practices to be transparent about how much procedures are going to cost. Patients need to know how much money they will have to spend on your services or if a specific procedure they need is covered by insurance. It might seem counter-intuitive, but by providing patients with that information before they come in, you give them the chance to assess whether the procedure fits their budget or not. If it doesn’t, then that will at least spare you and your potential patient from wasting each other’s time. Better yet, your transparency about costs helps your practice avoid situations where a patient gets shocked by a massive dental bill after a procedure and all the potential headaches that come with it. These are just a few of the things that could help boost productivity in your dental practice, but they should help you get started. Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/06/5-tips-to-enhance-productivity-in-your.html June 17, 2021 at 05:11AM
Reflecting on our history and profession on Juneteenth
June 19, 1865. This date commemorates General Gordon Granger arriving with Union soldiers in Galveston, Texas, revealing the end of the Civil War and declaring the emancipation of those who were still enslaved two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This day is now commonly known and celebrated as Juneteenth, Emancipation Day or Juneteenth Independence Day, and it serves as a time to not only celebrate African American freedom, but it provides an opportunity to learn and appreciate African American history, culture and achievements. This year will mark the 156th year since the news of emancipation reached the slaves. Juneteenth is celebrated in a number of cities and states across the country. These celebrations involve traditional festivities including rodeos, picnics, barbecues, educational and historical services, and church ceremonies, just to name a few. Despite the various advancements African Americans continue to make in society, they remain an underrepresented minority in the dental workforce. According to the American Dental Association, Black Americans only make up 3.8% of the dental workforce. Dr. Jeanne Sinkford of Howard University College of Dentistry, the first woman dean of any dental school, said dental schools are only graduating 300 Black dentists out of 5,000 graduates per year. A few of my dental colleagues have made statements, such as, “I never saw anyone who looked like me” and have stressed the importance of representation within dentistry. Some have expressed that their motivating factors for pursuing dental school involved bringing comfort to others who look like them. The disproportionate growth in the dental profession, compared to other minority populations, could be the result of historical systemic barriers Black people have faced and continue to face to this day. A poll conducted by National Public Radio (NPR) in 2017 reported 32% of Black Americans who participated said they experienced racial discrimination when seeking medical care; 22% avoided seeking care due to the fear of being discriminated against. A 2016 Pew Charitable Trusts analysis reported that Black American adults and children experience untreated tooth decay at twice the rate of their white counterparts. Untreated tooth decay can eventually lead to a higher rate of tooth loss. Determinants such as socioeconomic status, access to care and access to affordable nutritious foods disproportionately affect communities of color, especially Black communities, and can influence oral health and overall health outcomes. Racial discrimination and challenges due to health disparities can oftentimes result in health conditions worsening for individuals, leading to shorter lifespans. Lack of oral health care can negatively influence people with diabetes or heart disease and can even affect women during pregnancy. As future providers, it is important to study and be aware of racial disparities individuals face in health care in order to dismantle these structures that create imbalance and distrust. As I reflect on my journey from a predental to a dental student, I give credit to my mentors and advice from people who looked like me. Social media has become a great method of networking and mentorship, and I have seen numerous individuals share their experiences and journey to guide and inspire people like them who are underrepresented in health care. It’s exciting to witness the increase in diversity, especially underrepresented people of color and women, in healthcare and how communities are being built with great leadership and mentorship for future health professionals. So, how can we as dental students celebrate Juneteenth? We can use this holiday as a time to educate ourselves and others about Black history and culture, and the inequities many in this community face in obtaining (and maintaining) health care. We can support and empower the efforts of Black dental students by participating in their campus-led or local events, in addition to supporting Black-owned businesses, artists and organizations. More importantly, we can amplify Black voices by creating meaningful conversations through listening, learning and teaching. Diversity and inclusion in the dental profession is important to show that it is a career that can be available to people of all backgrounds. This enhances the cultural competency amongst dental professionals and provides greater health outcomes. Patients in diverse communities may be more willing to seek dental care if they see dental providers who look like them. Representation matters. Happy Juneteenth! ~Karishma Ghadia, Arizona ’24, Chapter Lingual Groove/Gold Crown Chair for ASDOH ASDA Magazine Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/06/reflecting-on-our-history-and.html June 16, 2021 at 11:11PM
Pay Attention to Things That Just Don’t Seem Right and Save Your Own Life
There was a murder-suicide only a few miles from my home at a grocery store two days ago. I was in that grocery store just a few days before. This “hits close to home,” literally. A grandmother and her 2 … Continue reading → Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/ via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/06/pay-attention-to-things-that-just-dont.html June 13, 2021 at 03:11AM
Practicing wellness through birdwatching and photography
I grew up in Heredia, Costa Rica, one of the richest coffee-producing cities in the country. Costa Rica has over 900 bird species, which account for 10% of the earth’s avian population diversity. Being surrounded by beautiful flora and fauna and being huge nature lovers, my dad and I would wake up early to go birdwatching. Later, in undergrad at the University of California – Irvine, I took bird biology and was able to learn and identify many bird species in California, which led me to continue birdwatching throughout college and in dental school. Here are some of the benefits I experienced as a result. Practicing mindfulness Incorporating birdwatching into my weekly routine is a great way to get outside and practice mindfulness. It helps me understand and appreciate my surroundings, and being outside provides me with comfort, a sense of well-being and connects me to nature. Research has shown that participants who listened to bird songs were more relaxed than those who listened to a meditation app. Another study found a positive correlation between the number of birds and trees in an area and residents’ mental health. Not only will birdwatching help you with stress recovery, but it is a great way to improve your physical wellness by going on a moderately paced walk or a hike. Becoming environmentally aware Birdwatching lets you explore and become aware of the number of bird species in an area. There are many birdwatching apps that can help you identify and record the number of species that you’ve seen on your walk. By observing and recording birds with one of these apps (such as eBird, a project of Cornell Lab of Ornithology), you can help scientists understand the impact of environmental changes and trends in breeding successes. Not only are you contributing to the understanding of bird species and conservation, but you are also taking a break from studying to enjoy the outdoors. Developing attention to detail It took me hours of studying for our dental morphology class to detect differences in a tooth’s tilt and noting small traits from different perspectives such as buccal or occlusal views. Much like the details that make each tooth unique and knowing each cusp and specific dental anatomy, after birdwatching continuously, you can fine-tune this observation. You will slowly become aware of different bird characteristics such as the seasonal changes in a bird’s plumage, their beaks’ shapes, and their webbed or palmate feet. You will develop an attention to detail while noticing these hard to see field marks. Telling a story If you continuously photograph in an area, you are likely to see the same birds. Of course, the birds you see may change with each season, but by paying them a visit, you will learn more about a species’ behavior, and you can create images that tell a story. When quickly grabbing your camera or binoculars to get the bird shot you have been waiting for, you are also practicing your reflex speed. Exercising your reflex speed will improve the time it takes you to capture these quick moments in nature or in your day-to-day photography. Practicing mindfulness in this way will give you the state of mind you need as a provider to care for and comfort the patients we serve. Taking a mental break outside will make you feel refreshed and ready to tackle your next midterm or crown prep. The skills used for bird photography, such as developing your attention to detail and reflex speed, can translate to excellent skills that can be used in the dental operatory as well. There are many benefits to birdwatching, but the most important is taking good care of our minds to be the best providers we can be to best serve our patients and communities. Always make time to take care of yourself by going outside. You never know what surprises you will find along the way! ~Nicole Iribarren, San Francisco ’23 Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/06/practicing-wellness-through.html June 09, 2021 at 11:11PM
The mental effects of ‘gunner’ culture
In dental school, we are often surrounded by ambitious and driven students, who are often called “gunners.” Gunners seek success, can be competitive and may act on self-interest without thinking of their fellow classmates. They may boast about their grades or accomplishments in clinic, and in doing so, they may cause other students to feel inadequate in their own efforts. Gunners are not often team players and can feel disassociated if assigned to work in a group environment. Working hard vs. overworking Wellness impact Read the rest of this article in the June/July issue of Contour magazine, focused on the road to residency. ~Olivia Kalloo, Roseman ’22 Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-mental-effects-of-gunner-culture.html June 02, 2021 at 11:11PM
Taking time for the little things
If you have been on TikTok recently, you have probably come across a video featuring the following quote: “You have to start romanticizing your life. You have to start believing that your morning commute is cute and fun — that every cup of coffee is the best that you’ve ever had. That even the smallest and most mundane things are exciting and new. You have to because that’s when you start living. That’s when you look forward to every day.” Throughout my time in dental school, I have found this to be more and more accurate, and have truly seen the importance of making the most of every little thing every day. Dental school is a long, demanding four years of your life, and the one thing we can never get back is our time. In the May 2021 issue of ASDA’s Contour magazine, the “Probing Question” asked four dental students: “How do you take care of your mental health?” My answer to this question was that I make time for things that I love and enjoy outside of dental school, even the little things such as drinking coffee and reading in bed in the mornings, working out after clinic or doing yoga on Sundays. The Oxford dictionary defines wellness as the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal. Wellness is something that must be pursued. As dental students, it is often hard for us to put ourselves first, but the only way to achieve wellness is to consciously make time for the things that we enjoy. A good way to start is to establish a morning routine. My morning routine has made all the difference. This could be as simple as having coffee in the morning while not multitasking — just allowing yourself the time to enjoy your cup of coffee. If you like to read, I’ve found that sitting down with a book and reading something not related to dentistry is such a nice change of pace, compared to staring at a computer screen like we do so much in dental school. (My book recommendations include: “Tears of Salt: A Doctor’s Story” by Pietro Bartolo, “The Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley, “The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto” by Mitch Albom and “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson.) There are also many apps that focus on meditation and wellness. Spotify even has a wellness section with podcasts and guided meditations. Other apps include Insight Timer, Headspace and Calm. Regardless of what you decide to do, dedicating time to your wellness and the little things that make you happy is always worthwhile, especially while in dental school. ~ Stephanie Jaipaul, Georgia ’22, Chapter Immediate Past President Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/05/taking-time-for-little-things.html May 26, 2021 at 11:11PM
My journey into the complex field of orofacial pain
Every prospective dental student has their reasons for why they want to become a dentist. I came to the field like many others, taken by the opportunity to help patients day-to-day by relieving their dental pain and addressing their aesthetic concerns through clinical and artistic skills. Now as a dental student, approaching the halfway point of my dental education, I appreciate dentistry for these things and a considerable amount more. Perhaps one of the most influential reasons for my widened view was working as an assistant at an oral surgery practice during my gap year prior to dental school. My applications were already submitted, my personal statement documenting “why dentistry?” was finally set in stone, and interview season had begun. And still as I went on each interview, I felt my perspective on the field and on my future profession expanding in ways I had not expected. As an assistant in a practice taking emergencies every day, I saw more intense dental pain and fear than I ever had shadowing in general dentistry practices. In these times where patients were experiencing intense pain, I saw I had the ability to be a part of their relief. My role as an assistant was a smaller one. After all, I was not extracting the offending tooth or directly resolving the source of pain. However, I was standing there with each patient through their often uncomfortable and painful procedure, offering support for the dentist and our patient however I could. For the patient, that support was giving encouraging words, other times a reassuring look, offering a hand or just being present, but each time I could feel its importance. Orofacial pain (OFP) is a specialty built on being present for one’s pain. According to the American Academy of Orofacial Pain (AAOP), OFP pain is differentiated by the lack of a clear source or sign of pathology, which not only challenges our traditional perception of pain but also can lead to its misdiagnosis and unnecessary — and sometimes irreversible — procedures. I have witnessed relatives who have been searching for years for answers and hope of relief from their facial pain. Yet, after countless doctors’ visits and attempted treatments and treatment plans across specialties, their chronic pain has persisted. Unfortunately, cases like these are not unusual in the realm of orofacial pain. In 2020, the ADA officially recognized orofacial pain as the 12th dental specialty. According to the AAOP, OFP disorders include temporomandibular muscle and joint (TMJ), jaw movement, neuropathic and neurovascular pain disorders, as well as headache and sleep disorders. Oftentimes to successfully manage these disorders, a multidisciplinary approach is required that addresses pain through a “bio psycho social model,” the AAOP says. This approach acknowledges that there are the biological, psychological and sociological effects and consequences of diseases and disorders that have a reciprocal relationship with one another. The most effective therapy must treat all three aspects of pain. It is important to use this integrated approach from the beginning of treatment because when the main focus is on biological factors until treatments fail, later attempts to bring in the psychosocial aspects could be thought of by patients as reducing their pain to something imagined or in their head. The process of pain reduction can be far from linear, but as the specialty grows and research continues, it is hoped that patient access and quality of care will improve. In pursuing a specialty like orofacial pain, I hope to be able to offer my patients a light at the end of the tunnel, and to start, I hope to be a witness to their pain — a pain that is seldom understood. ~Colleen Proietto, Columbia ’23 Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/05/my-journey-into-complex-field-of.html May 20, 2021 at 12:11AM 5 minutes a day: Meditating and journaling to help navigate the dental school application cycle5/12/2021
5 minutes a day: Meditating and journaling to help navigate the dental school application cycle
Between balancing coursework, preparing dental school applications and maintaining a social life, it’s inevitable to not feel overwhelmed or stressed. The pandemic has exacerbated challenges with our physical health, while also amplifying many academic, mental and social challenges. During this uncertain time, I struggled to maintain a positive attitude as my mental health started to spiral. I felt depressed, lacked the motivation to complete my schoolwork and spent hours mindlessly scrolling through my phone. It wasn’t until I listened to a mindfulness podcast about the power of meditation that I realized I should regularly reflect on my day to regain control over my mental state. Meditating and journaling for at least five minutes daily allowed me to build a routine that prioritized my mental health and encouraged me to start my day with an optimistic mindset. What is mediation? Meditation is a mindfulness practice that requires patience and a clear mind. You are simply taking time to clear any mental chaos. There are two easy steps to get started:
It is recommended to meditate at the same time every day to instill the habit and slowly incorporate the activity into your routine. I recommend starting by lying comfortably on your bed with dim lighting to create a calm atmosphere. It will be easy to incorporate meditating into your routine in this position, as it mimics preparing for bedtime. I have found that meditating for about five minutes when I wake up and before I go to bed has allowed me to gain clarity for the day and relax my mind before bed. Several studies have shown links between meditation and improved mental state, stress, and anxiety reduction. Researchers also have found that people who meditate for at least 15-20 minutes over four months reported lower levels of stress and burnout compared to their counterparts. Why journal? Journaling can help reduce stress and build your communication skills. During application season, journaling is a great way to organize your thoughts and concerns; that way, you don’t displace any frustration you are experiencing onto a friend or family member. The journal can also serve as a way to hold yourself accountable by creating a space where you set personal goals and are reminded of them the next time you check-in with yourself. As predentals, we accomplish so much in just one day but tend to overlook our hard work. By journaling, we can celebrate our everyday accomplishments by reflecting on even one positive moment or success of the day. An easy way to start journaling is to grab a notebook you may already have lying around or purchase a journal with guided prompts and other tools designed to reduce stress and provide daily motivation. While journaling and meditating might not seem like obvious ways to help prepare for the upcoming dental application cycle, they are beneficial. By journaling, you can keep track of hobbies and interests that make you stand out and brainstorm talking points for your interviews. Additionally, if you are shadowing a dentist, you can jot down procedures that stuck out to you, something significant you learned, enjoyed or even disliked. This method can help you better recall the learning experience or use it as a refresher before interviews. You can also use your journal to help inspire your personal statement by keeping track of your personal experiences, relationships and values that influenced your growth as an individual and your passion for dentistry. Meditating, however, can allow you to reduce any application-related anxiety, limit imposter syndrome and prevent you from comparing yourself to other applicants. It is easy to compare ourselves to others, especially when looking at social media or dental student blogs. However, it is key to remember everyone’s journey is different and comparison is the thief of joy. Good luck to all the predentals applying in the upcoming cycle! ~Maryum Cheema, Lafayette College ‘21 Via Dental Tips http://www.rssmix.com/via Blogger http://rickymanguson.blogspot.com/2021/05/5-minutes-day-meditating-and-journaling.html May 13, 2021 at 12:11AM |