Love Being at the Dental Clinic

Due to a scheduling conflict, I had to volunteer in the morning instead of in the afternoon. Since I was needed in the dental clinic again anyways, it didn't make much of a difference what time I volunteered. Once again, while I was writing down patient information, there were dentists that roamed in and out of the office while they waited for their patients to arrive. This time, one of the dentists was a permanent dentist who worked at the clinic everyday, and the other dentist volunteered about 3 times per year. I learned that the permanent dentist was a mechanical engineer before he chose to enter dentistry, and the other dentist was a hygienist before she became a dentist. After learning about my interest in dentistry, they both could not stress the importance of having fun in dental school. As with any professional school, the amount of work that students get hit with is unimaginable. They told me that there is no way to prepare for it until I'm actually in the situation. They told me that I absolutely CANNOT, no matter how much work I have, lock myself in my room and study because I'll go insane! They stressed that I should force myself to schedule time for...myself. Whether it's exercising for an hour a day, going out with friends, or joining sororities, there is something I must do to keep me well-rounded and away from studying.

With all of the advice that I have been receiving from experienced dentists over the past few weeks, I am excited to volunteer every week. When I used to shadow dentists, I mainly learned about technical dental procedures and how to run a successful office. Although learning this information is pertinent to me becoming a successful dentist, the advice I am receiving at San Jose is also critical. I'm learning about what dental school used to be like, the journeys all of these dentists have been through, and what I need to do in dental school to succeed. The information I'm learning at San Jose is definitely irreplaceable and hopefully I'll be able to utilize them in the future.