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10 Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Including key tips for a strong dental school personal statement.

Before you start crafting your own stellar dental school personal statement, you must review some dental school personal statement examples. Why? These sample essays can help you brainstorm and reflect on what you would like to include in your essay. This blog dives into some successful dental school personal statement examples from our own students, and then our dental school advisors will go over our proven strategies to help you create your own from scratch!

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Article Contents 10 min read

Dental school personal statement example #1.

In the final moments of a key game in a hockey tournament, I jumped over the boards and onto the ice without putting my mouth guard back in place. It was attached to my helmet, but I had a chance for the puck, and I took it. Moments later, an opponent’s stick caught me in the face, knocking out my front tooth. Play stopped, and my team found my tooth on the ice. I looked at the bleachers. My mom was already on the phone getting initial instructions from our dentist for saving the tooth. Within 15 minutes, we were outside the clinic as my dentist unlocked the door, despite it being a Saturday night. As I was treated within half an hour, my tooth could be saved by stabilizing it as it healed. Until that moment, I thought of my dentist as someone I only saw every six months; I hadn’t seen her as a critical part of my healthcare team.

I realized from this experience that time is a factor in dental care, and thus a career in dentistry. My tooth was saved because I lived in an urban center and had immediate access to care, not to mention the continuity of care I’ve had since I was a child. My mother is employed and has good dental coverage, but this is not the case for many. Without timely check-ups, both oral and medical issues that could be detected and prevented can become more serious conditions.

With this awareness, I have for the last 6 years volunteered in two ways. In the time since my hockey accident, I’ve worked with my dentist on a safety awareness campaign for young hockey players and their families, teaching about the necessity of mouth guards, as well as how a quick response to such injuries may help in recovery. I’ve also worked alongside dentists for the Smiling Children Foundation in vulnerable neighborhoods, where dental neglect is not uncommon, and continuity of care is rare. Recently, we set up a mobile clinic in a school, where I record personal information and take a medical history for each child. A young boy, 10 years old, complained of constant headaches and pain in his body. Upon examination, the dentist noticed his gums were dark purple in places and bled easily. Our team alerted a community doctor of a potential immune disorder, and the young boy was diagnosed and treated, returning to good health within months. That day, I learned that oral healthcare is holistic healthcare, and that it is a privilege to support those who may not have time, resources, or access to oral healthcare.

I have had this privilege in what began as dental shadowing and is now part-time employment, where I liaise between patients and insurance companies, manage team schedules, and comfort anxious patients. This might be as simple as holding a hand while the dentist performs the procedure. Or I might hold a baby while the father sees the hygienist. I’ve learned to read an X-ray accurately, prepare the instruments needed for a procedure, and balance the books. Through working for a dentist, I have been mentored by both a medical and business professional, and I have borne witness to our patients’ high and low points. I have worked hard to understand what goes into growing and maintaining a successful dental practice and feel capable of meeting the challenge of the multiple roles required in this dynamic vocation.

It bears mentioning why my first-year grades are not what I’d hoped they would be. I joined a good number of co-curricular clubs with the intention of participating in our campus community and developing my professional skills. By midterm, I realized I had oversubscribed myself. My grades suffered as I tried to manage my responsibilities. By attending time management seminars and learning to manage time rather than be managed by time, I was able retrieve my grades. From my second year forward, I’ve maintained a 4.0 GPA while moving up the ranks of student organizations and taking an active role in a research project. Resilience is like a muscle that needs time, exercise, and perseverance to build.

From a sports accident, to volunteer work in an underserved community, to employment in a dental office and an academic career that shows both mistakes and recovery, I have thought carefully about what dentistry is. A dentist is part of a larger healthcare team, and a dentist can often treat not only a single patient over decades but provide intergenerational care to a family. I aspire to dentistry to accompany my patients through life, 6 months at a time, offering compassionate, whole-person healthcare. (4,478 characters, including spaces)

Inciting incident: the moment that influenced the student’s outlook on dentistry as a career is highlighted in spades. Seeing the structure here as almost like a story, you’re taking the reader on a journey from point A to point B.
Addresses weaknesses: the student mentions how their first-year grades weren’t what they’d hoped for. They acknowledge their faults and briefly outline the circumstances without making excuses before getting into the most important part: what they did to improve or learn from their mistakes.
Major experiences are detailed: you need to show the admissions committee that dentistry is the right career for you. The best way to do this is to describe clinical experiences, ideally in a dental setting such as shadowing a dentist . However, you can also highlight extracurriculars that relate to dentistry.

Want some tips for writing a dental school personal statement? Check out this video:

"Ready, Set, Bake,” shouted the host of Bake-Off. I was 16 and a contestant of a televised baking show. Our 6th challenge gave us 3 hours to perfectly bake the most decadent and time consuming dessert: the mille-feuille – layers of puff pastry, filled with whipped cream and custard, and glazed on top. Despite being the only teenager in a field of contestants ranging from 20-70 years of age, I’d made it through several days of cuts for one of the spots on the show. I wish I could say that my dessert was a masterpiece, but as the timer counted down and I plated it, the filling oozed, and the pastry crumbled. I’d made it to the Top Six, but the mille-feuille defeated me and I was asked to hang up my apron. As I reflect on this experience, the solo and team challenges, the practice to get on the show, the mastery needed to gain a top spot, I realize that I’m grateful even for the defeat, because I learned valuable lessons that helped me develop key qualities and skills that are in-line with the core competencies necessary for dentistry, my chosen profession. Both dentistry and competitive baking require innovation and excellence, communication and accountability, and the necessity of precision, focus, and a steady hand.

Both of my parents are dentists. While the influence of their careers on my own access to knowledge cannot be underestimated, I have been deeply cognizant of making an autonomous career decision. That decision is my own, but my parents have admittedly opened unique conversations around ethics, technology, and patient care to me. My earliest memories include attending dental conferences with them and being encouraged to explore the Exhibits Floor, where I learned about the newest dental products and treatments and “test drove” the latest innovations in dentistry. I developed an aptitude for predicting which products and technologies were gimmicks and which would effectively support excellence in patient care. This knack has made me something of an informal consultant for my parents and their colleagues, who value my insights on innovation and efficacy of new treatments.

While technology is at the forefront of change, what remains consistent over time is the importance of communication and accountability to provide excellent patient care. I’ve had the privilege to shadow Dr. Ann Lee, an oral surgeon, over the past 3 years. Among many things, she showed me that inherent in communication is accountability. Many of her patients are children and teens having teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons. The son of a family who had been Dr. Lee’s patients for over a decade arrived for a complicated wisdom tooth extraction. Despite familiarity with the family, the doctor painstakingly reviewed the extraction process to prepare them effectively. The procedure went well in the office; however, on the way home, the boy began hemorrhaging. An artery had been compromised during the surgery. I watched as Dr. Lee packed bone wax around the artery to stem the bleeding. What struck me about this experience was the standard of accountability to which the surgeon held herself, as she communicated with the family by phone, made a house call later that evening on her way home, and remained on-call over the weekend to ensure the safety and healing of the child. The family maintained their trust in Dr. Lee because of her open communication and sense of accountability. I also learned just how fragile and technical dental work is, requiring both dexterity and precision.

Volunteering in a dental brigade in Haiti, taught me about vulnerability and trust. Six-year-old Mirlande was scared and reluctant to open her mouth for her first dental exam. I took her aside and, as she watched, I carved a perfect tooth from soap using dental instruments. I carved slowly and precisely, and then presented her with the gift. She put the tooth in her pocket and then allowed me to clean her teeth. I was immediately struck by the vulnerability of not only soft tissue, but of hearts, as she leaned back and opened her mouth in trust. This moment solidified my decision to become a dentist.

Though my earlier comparison between baking and dentistry is merely an analogy, it is one that suggests I have developed key skills and am aware of the core competencies a dentist must hold to best serve their patients professionally and ethically. Dentistry is my vocation, baking a hobby, but both speak to my investment in excellence, precision, and doing for others. (4,489 characters, including spaces)

What Did This Dental School Personal Statement Do Well?

Engaging hook: admissions committees will be reading many personal statements, so you need to make sure yours stands out! Starting off with a unique anecdote will help you stay in the mind of the committee. Similar to the “tell me about yourself” question you may get during a dental school interview, the personal statement is a time to be relatable and showcase your human side.
Demonstrating strengths: this student clearly has a wealth of experience in the field of dentistry. This essay has effectively showcased their depth of experience and details of relevant dental work including showcasing manual dexterity skills , without coming off as bragging.
Strong conclusion: drawing the reader back to the baking challenge keeps this unique essay strong. They have tied together an interesting anecdote with their practical experience in dentistry. Reminding the admissions committee of this in the final paragraph will make sure they have a positive impression of you as they finish reading your application.

Whether you're applying to dental schools in Canada or the US, a personal statement is usually one part of your dental school requirements . These tips compiled by our experts will help you craft a unique and compelling statement.

1. Tell a compelling story

Ideally, you will craft a story or detail a defining moment that helped you realize why you want to become a dentist . Providing an anecdote or vignette – perhaps an experience you’ve had as a dental patient, an interaction you’ve witnessed as a volunteer or while shadowing a dental care professional, a story about someone you know, etc., – is often a useful way of giving the evaluators a window into your life and motivations. Remember, you don’t need to brag about good DAT scores or GPA in your personal statement, this is about you as a person.

2. Demonstrate why you’re a “good fit”

Your dental school personal statement should also express why you are a strong candidate and a "good fit" for the school and program, similar to the “why this dental school?” interview question . There are a variety of dental schools with different pros and cons, so make sure you review dental school acceptance rates to find out which schools are best suited for you and make sure your personal statement is tailored to your target school.

Here are some more tips for writing a dental school personal statement:

3. Be authentic and relatable

In your personal statement, you want to present your very best self, emphasizing your genuine passion for the field and your enthusiasm for working in a healthcare profession like dentistry. Remember, to include personal notes that humanize you, not just a list of achievements. This can take practice. You might go through multiple drafts of your essay before you’re confident in submitting it. If you’re having trouble getting to this point, consider dental school admissions consulting .

4. Express your skills and desired contributions to the field of dentistry

Dentistry is a profession that involves many different sets of skills. Emphasize skills and experiences that involve teamwork, leadership, and your communication skills, and especially soft skills that might not be present in other parts of your application. You can achieve this by sharing personal anecdotes and experiences that reflect on these skills. For example, you can share an anecdote from an extracurricular activity that showcases your leadership skills in a tough situation.

Need help with your dental school application? Learn what our students say about our services:

Some common mistakes to avoid are listing experiences rather than going into detail on select ones, boasting or showing off rather than being humble, and spelling or grammar errors.

While the majority of your personal statement should be about you and your experiences, you can certainly include information relating to another person. For example, you could mention a family member's struggle with a disease, a patient's story, or a conversation with a dentist.

Your personal statement must adhere to the ADEA's character count of 4,500 characters, including spaces unless otherwise specified.

Your personal statement is one of the most important aspects of your entire dental school application. It will serve as your introduction to admissions committees – letting them know who you are a person, who you are as a candidate, and essentially, that you're suitable for a career in dentistry.

No, remember, this information will be included elsewhere in your application, so it's not suitable to include this in your personal statement.

Here are some ways to get started on your dental school personal statement:

Brainstorm ideas.
Create an outline.
Focus on body paragraphs first using a maximum of 3 experiences.

Yes, you can mention experiences in your personal statement that are non-academic or not related to dentistry. A strong experience to mention should be one that taught you important skills and that influenced your decision to pursue dentistry. Personal experiences can also have a strong influence on which profession you pursue, so you can mention non-academic experiences.

Just like you would address this during an interview, your statement can address areas of concern by being honest and emphasizing what you have learned from your past mistakes.

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Have a question ask our admissions experts below and we'll answer your questions.

Yutika Maharaj

Hi there Do you have any sample personal statements for a foreign trained dentist applying to ADEA PASS and ADEA CAAPID. Thanks

BeMo Academic Consulting

Hi Yutika! Thanks for your comment. As an international applicant, your personal statement should follow the same structure and contain pertinent info about yourself and your application. Use these samples to construct your own, unique narrative!

It is remarkable, very good information

Thanks, Code!

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In response to popular demand, we are including a sample dental school essay. Note how the author reveals a lot about herself without overtly saying "I am this and I am that." She is obviously hard working and disciplined, probably compassionate and kind. Interested in dentistry for a long time, she has clearly considered other options. And she tells a good story . Our experts can help you tell your story just as effectively -- check out our AASDAS application packages here .

I could hardly keep myself from staring at the girl: the right side of her face was misshapen and bigger than the left. Only later did I notice that Cheryl, about nine at the time, had light brown hair, lively brown eyes, and a captivating smile. When she walked into the candy shop where I worked six years ago, Cheryl told me she was a student of my former fourth grade teacher with whom I had kept in contact. We talked then and spent time talking each time she visited. She became a very special friend of mine, one whom I admire greatly. At the time we met, I was taking honors and AP classes, working about twenty hours a week, and feeling sorry for myself. Cheryl's outgoing confidence and good cheer put my situation in perspective. Cheryl was strong, kind, and surprisingly hopeful. She never focused on her facial deformities, but always on the anticipated improvement in her appearance. Her ability to find strength within herself inspired me to become a stronger person. It motivated me to pursue a career where I could help those like Cheryl attain the strength that she possesses.

At the time, my initial interest turned toward psychology. Impressed with Cheryl's outlook, I overlooked the source of her strength: she knew that treatment will improve her appearance. Focusing on the emotional aspects of her illness, I volunteered at the Neuropsychiatric Institute. There, I supervised the daily activities of pre-adolescents, played with them, and assisted them in getting dressed. I worked with crack babies, autistic children, and children who had severe behavioral problems. I enjoyed interacting with the children, but I often became frustrated that I was not able to help them. For instance, a young autistic boy frequently hit himself. No one was permitted to stop this child. We had to turn away and allow him to continually strike and hurt himself until he tired.

I was increasingly disappointed with the lack of progress I saw in my volunteer work at NPI, but my job again pushed me in the right direction. During the fall quarter of my junior year in college, I left the candy shop where I had worked for nearly five and a half years, and I began working as a senior clerk in the Anesthesiology Residency Program. Ironically work, which frequently made study difficult, helped me find the right path. There I learned about the oral and maxillo-facial specialty, which will allow me to help people like Cheryl.

To explore my interest in dentistry, I volunteered as a dental assistant in Dr. Miller's dental office. Dr. Miller introduced me to various dental techniques. Although I was mainly an observer, I had the opportunity to interact with the patients. I came in contact with a diverse patient population with different problems and dental needs. I observed as Dr. Miller dealt with each patient individually and treated each one to the best of his ability. He familiarized me with strategies for oral health promotion and disease prevention. I learned a great deal from him, and as a result, my interest in dentistry grew.

I choose to pursue a career in dentistry after following a circuitous path. My friendship with Cheryl motivated me to enter a field where I can help the severely disfigured cope with their condition. Although I initially turned to psychology, I found my work at the Neuropsychiatric Institute to be frustrating and was searching for a different way to achieve my goal. Ironically, Cheryl had told me all along the source of her strength: the knowledge that her condition was treatable and improving. Through maxillo-facial dentistry I will help others with serious facial deformities have the same knowledge and source of strength.

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Crafting a Winning Dental School Personal Statement Examples: Guide & Samples

Only 54.3% of dental school applicants get accepted each year. Nearly half face rejection. In this competitive field, your personal statement can set you apart. Let's explore standout examples to help you craft a winning essay.

A terrified girl with a swollen upper lip trudges into the endodontic clinic. She needs an emergency retreat of her root canal due to a poor previous obturation. As the needle pierces her gums, childhood memories of getting root canals without anesthesia flood her body with even greater pain and fear. Her student dentist wipes away her tears and holds her hand tighter. “The worst part is over,” remarks the soothing voice of the resident as she puts away the syringe. She is amazed by how fast the pain goes away. This girl was me three years ago, and it was this moment that I first envisioned dentistry as my career. I was born and raised Uyghur, a Turkic ethnic minority in Central Asia. Growing up in a mixture of Turkish, Middle-Eastern, and Asian cultures helped me appreciate cultural diversity and collaborative environments later in life. Shortly after my high school graduation, I made the biggest decision of my life: to pursue an undergraduate degree in the United States, where I would be able to blossom in a free academic environment. I packed my ambitious heart and dreams into a suitcase and headed for the U.S. Being away from home for the first time, I was thrilled to explore the world on my own. Determined to overcome the language barrier, I took every possible opportunity to practice my English skills while attending a language institute. Within six months, I passed the placement test and started taking college-level courses. Small victories like this strengthened my determination, and prepared me to overcome future obstacles that I faced while pursuing undergraduate studies and finding my career path. Dealing with frequent illnesses as a child led me to spend a lot of time in the care of others. Nurses, doctors, and dentists became my heroes, and I dreamed of being like them one day. In order to gain more experience in the healthcare field while pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Microbiology, I became a Certified Nursing Assistant and began working in an assisted-living facility caring for residents with Alzheimer’s disease. The bonds I built with these kind people and their families helped me realize how much I love caring for others and making positive impacts on their lives. Around the same time, I became a patient at the University of Florida College of Dentistry team clinics. A long history of poor dental care led me to undergo an extensive amount of dental work at the clinic. This is where I first met Magda, my student dentist from the root canal story. As soon as I expressed my interest in the healthcare field, Magda enthusiastically began explaining dental procedures to me, teaching me to recognize dental instruments and even how to interpret x-rays. Her proficient skills, professionalism, and concerns for patients truly inspired me to further explore dentistry as my prospective profession. I subsequently started shadowing at the team clinic, which enabled me to gain a closer look at dentistry. From various types of periodontal therapies, restorations, and extractions – every procedure I assisted with, pumped my body full of adrenaline. I fell in love with how much creativity is utilized in dentistry and relished every bit of patient interaction. The knowledge from the team clinic further inspired me to pursue a community-based dental experience. I began to shadow Dr. XXXX, a general dentist at ABC Dental Clinic. ABC is a community for people with developmental disabilities. Volunteering at the clinic has been the most eye-opening and rewarding experience I have had in my limited exposure to dentistry. Most of the patients are not verbally responsive and are very challenging to work with. Despite these obstacles, Dr. Garvey’s patience and empathy makes everything possible. His unwavering commitment to serve the underserved population is inspiring me to become a dentist like him. From there, I started working at the UFCD Pediatric Dental Clinic as a dental assistant. Luckily, I never had to return to the endodontic clinic again as a patient, but my unflinching determination in pursuing a dental career has only grown stronger since. Utilizing both creativity and discipline in caring for patients, serving the underserved, and relieving pain is what I have found I love doing the most. If that can become a lifelong career, then I am confident that dentistry is, absolutely, my future vocation. Even better, I will be the first Uyghur dentist in the U.S., now wouldn’t that be something?

🎓 GradGPT Score: 92/100 🌟

Excellent Dental Personal Statement

What makes this essay great? The essay is well-structured and readable, with a readability score of 10, which is within the normal range for a personal statement. The structure is clear, and the coherence is good. There are no inconsistencies, clichés, or unnecessary flattery, and the writing style is engaging.

Introduction: Strong and engaging start, drawing the reader in with a vivid personal experience.
Cultural Background: Effectively highlights your unique background as an Uyghur and your adaptation to the U.S.
Academic Journey: Clear narrative of overcoming challenges, particularly the language barrier, and achieving small victories.
Healthcare Experience: Shows a genuine passion for caring for others, with specific examples of your work as a CNA.
Exposure to Dentistry: Well-detailed experiences with the dental clinic, showcasing your growing interest and knowledge in the field.
Community Involvement: The volunteering section is impactful, demonstrating your commitment to serving underserved populations.
Conclusion: Strong and confident, reiterating your determination and the uniqueness of being the first Uyghur dentist in the U.S.

My grandfather made me fall in love with the quote: “Use your smile to change the world, don’t let the world change your smile.” I grew up without my parents, and faced adversity and bullying throughout my childhood. It took a toll on my confidence, made me shy, and discouraged me from smiling. Whenever I feel discouraged, my grandfather’s words always comfort me and push me toward my goals. Last year, I found it incredibly painful to deal with his passing after he battled nasal cavity cancer for eight years. He persevered through harsh medical treatments and never stopped smiling in front of me. Even after his dentures stopped fitting him, he would still smile. He gradually lost his appetite and without dentures, he became nutrient deficient since he could not consume the range of food that he needed. This was when I learned about the importance of dentures and their impact on a person’s health. Watching how strong he was, I yearned to make him a perfect set of dentures as a special gift one day. My ambition was to watch my grandfather enjoy a wide variety of food and to see his old smile again. Since then, I began to see the power behind my grandfather’s smile. His smile speaks for the positivity, courage, and strength that taught me to embrace obstacles and challenges because they will help me thrive as an independent and a mature adult. Although I lost my grandfather, the pain of losing him strengthened my character and pushed me to pursue my dream to become a successful dentist. During my last quarter at UC San Diego, my grandfather’s condition worsened. I constantly worried about him, as he was the only close family I had. There were times when I struggled to balance family responsibilities with academics, and I had felt mentally and physically exhausted every day. Every time I went to see him in the hospital, he told me not to worry about him and to focus on my academics. My anxiety took a toll on my grades and I realized that it helped neither my dream nor his health. Gradually, I learned to manage my time and my stress, and improved my grades later on through more coursework in post-baccalaureate program. Luckily, my aunt is capable of taking care of my grandmother now, so I can further my studies and work as a dental assistant during my free time. As a dental assistant, I channeled my desire of taking care of my grandfather into taking care of patients. During the preparation for an implant case, I noticed a patient was clenching her fists anxiously. I offered her with a cup of water and started a conversation to ease her worries. Later, she calmed down and was ready for the procedure. She was cooperative when I took a periapical x-ray on the difficult position of tooth #15. Fortunately, the picture turned out clear and the dentist was able to see the depth of the post and the distance between her sinus. When I greeted the patient during her next visit for abutment, she said “thank you” and gave me the most heartwarming hug that I could ever ask for. Her expression of gratitude kindled my desire to serve more patients as an aspiring dentist. Knowing that my grandfather lacked oral health education and had limited dental care during his lifetime, I felt a sense of duty to help those who lack access to dental care . I helped serve the underprivileged by volunteering at the California Dental Association Free Clinic. In particular, I remember a forty-year old Hispanic immigrant named Julio, who was also a low-income immigrant and a father of four. Majority of his teeth was decayed and in need of urgent restoration. After talking to him, I learned that his condition was the result of a lack of access to quality dental care. Due to financial constraints, he could not afford to visit a dentist for a long time. He was grateful that the Free Clinic had given him this opportunity to restore his teeth. Talking to Julio was eye opening, as it inspired me to reach out to the disadvantaged population and educate them about oral health. One day, I wish to provide equitable access to dental care to all. After my grandfather’s death, I wrote a letter to him that ended with this passage: “Thank you, Grandpa, for helping me find my passion and for making me realize the power that genuine smiles can bring. Although you are no longer with us, your wisdom continues to motivate me to spread beautiful smiles and to improve the lives of others. As a tribute to you, I am ready to dedicate myself to the career of dentistry.”

🎓 GradGPT Score: 89/100 🌟

Great personal statement with room for improvement in structure

The essay tells the author's journey well but needs better structure and flow. Key areas for improvement are the transitions between discussing the grandfather's impact, the author's experiences as a dental assistant, and Julio's story. Also, cutting down on wordiness, avoiding repetition, and breaking up long sentences will make it clearer and more engaging.

College of Dentistry

How to craft a winning personal statement for dental school application.

Have you put some thought into how you will write your personal statement for application? How will you stand out among the hundreds of other applicants?

With over 11,000 potential candidates applying annually to US dental schools, competition has never been stronger. Above average DAT scores and GPAs aren’t good enough anymore to truly stand out.

That's why Helen Yang, DMD, a Harvard Dental School graduate and current endodontics resident at UIC, has written a new book to help applicants become more successful.

In her new book, Your Essential Guide to Dental School Admissions: 30 Successful Application Essays and Collective Wisdom from Young Dentists , Dr. Yang and collaborators offer a holistic strategy for a winning dental school application. The second half of the book focuses on the personal statement and consists of 30 essays written by dental students across the country.

With a background serving on Harvard Dental School’s admissions committee and working in admissions counseling, Yang offers an invaluable and highly beneficial perspective.

“I looked at what kind of books were already out there. They tended to be written by a single person, so just featuring one person’s experience. Also, they focused a lot on the statistics of getting into dental school, Yang explained, as her inspiration for writing this book.

About half of the book is devoted to crafting a compelling personal statement, because “the personal statement of all the things in the application plays such a big role in making the applicant seem like a real human being.”

“I wanted it to have a strong emphasis on the human aspect of getting into dental school. How can I present myself as a more interesting applicant, and what are the admissions officers looking for?

"The book really focuses on how to make yourself seem more interesting, more human and more like a valuable member of the community. I think that’s what really makes people stand out.”

Four key components of getting into dental school.

Each of the four chapters covers a different key aspect of getting accepted into dental school. These aspects of the admissions process are explored in detail in Yang’s practical and inspiring guide for dental school admissions.

1. Assemble an Outstanding Application. Creating an application package that is so compelling that it can’t possibly be ignored. This means going beyond application prerequisites such as competitive GPA, required coursework, and dentist shadowing .

2. write a winning personal statement. retaining individuality and standing out from the deluge of applications with the personal statement. structuring it for success and individuality., 3. ace the interviews. successfully preparing for and dominating the dental school interview..

RELATED: How to Prepare for the Dental School Interview

4. Map Your Road to Dental School. Deciding on worthwhile extracurriculars and hobbies. Making a seamless and successful transition to dental school.

RELATED: Roadmap to Dental School

Succeeding with the Personal Statement

The personal statement is crucial in terms of presenting your individuality as part of the dental school application. It helps admissions representatives understand who you are, your unique experiences and why you chose to become a dentist. Despite it's importance, there is often great uncertainty regarding how it should be structured, what it should focus on, and how to make the best use of it to stand out.

From ADEA Go Dental: What is the personal statement for?

Your personal statement is a one-page essay (not to exceed 4,500 characters, including spaces, carriages, numbers, letters, etc.) that gives dental schools a clear picture of who you are and, most importantly, why you want to pursue a career in dentistry.

Available on Amazon Now

The book has received highly positive reviews since its recent release in 2018.

Your Essential Guide to Dental School Admissions is available in softcover for $14.99 and Kindle for $9.99 on Amazon .

Get ready for dental school, get the information you need to begin your journey into an outstanding career in dentistry today.

Your guide to getting into dental schools [email protected]

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How to Write a Great Dental School Personal Statement

My wife kept asking me to watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi and I kept postponing it. Finally,last weekend, I took out 2 hours to watch it.

The movie is about Jiro, a 85-year old world-class sushi master.

Jiro is obsessed with making sushi. Even in his dreams, he is coming up with recipes. His obsession with details is fascinating. Although his obsession is borderline unhealthy, sometimes that is what it takes to be the best in the world!!

Jiro is very methodical and systematic. Every plate of sushi he makes is unanimously a masterpiece – the taste, texture, and appearance is always the same and top-notch. Even then, he does not stop. He is still on a relentless pursuit of improving his skills.

When one look at Jiro and his flawless sushi making art, one can’t help but think “I COULD NEVER DO THAT, he’s naturally talented”. But as you watch the rest of the documentary you discover the only thing that distinguishes Jiro is his passion, hard work and eagerness to improve himself. For 50 years he learned, made mistakes, persisted, and worked hard before finally becoming the BEST SUSHI CHEF in the world.

Being a master dentist also takes a burning passion, hard work, practice and relentless pursuit of improving your craft. It takes time to be

But you may ask : “Muhammed, I thought this is a post about personal statements. Why are you talking about a sushi chef?

A great personal statement is like a masterpiece sushi made by Jiro.

However, acknowledge that, your first draft will be far from the great draft you will send to dental school.

When you look at a personal statement from an accepted student (like mine or aqz’s ), you are probably thinking, “I COULD NEVER WRITE THAT WELL”.

But that’s not true.

When I started writing my own essay, I struggled a lot. I didn’t know what to write. My mind was blocked. In my brainstorming phase, I looked at a blank page for two hours thinking what I should write. I literally started crying because I didn’t know what to write.

Then a dental student friend of mine told me, “Zia, just get something down on paper.” And I wrote anything down that came to mind.

It was terrible. But it was good enough for a shittty first draft.

I accepted that my first draft will be terrible and I needed to improve on it.

But how did I take a shitty first draft to a GREAT personal statement that got me into Penn and UCSF?

It’s no magic.

A great body of work is like an iceberg. You only see the visible result. 95% of an iceberg is hidden beneath the surface. You will never see it. That 95% = hard work, and relentless improvement on the first shitty draft.

You will never see the 50+ hours I spent crafting a GREAT personal statement. (The draft I uploaded on AADSAS application was my 25th draft.) But you will see a beautifully crafted personal statement

I always, put in double the effort than someone else doing the same thing. By putting 2X the effort, I reap 10-20x the reward. That’s why interviewers cry after reading my disadvantaged statement. And that’s why dental school interviewers become more curious after reading my application essay.

I put in a lot of work writing posts at SDN. Sometime to write one post, I spend 12-15 hours. But it’s totally worth it. Most of my posts get more than 3000-4000 views. The last post I wrote on personal statement was no different. I got 35+ requests from pre-dentals to review/edit their personal statements. Currently, I am having to turn down people because I am swamped with PS review requests. But you can read all my blog post on dental school coach blog.

I work hard, but I do it systematically. In that sense, I am almost like Jiro. However, for my systematic approach I have gotten comments like this:

Systematic approach is better than random act of non-productive techniques. If you are a pre-dental, you know how important systems are. Do you think dental schools will accept you if you didn’t submit your LORs or forgot to upload your transcripts? They probably won’t. (Dental School Application is a systematic process)

And yes! I do think in systematic, linear manner. In fact 99% of us do. The 1% of the human population probably don’t need a system (Good for them). For the 99% of us, systems liberates us and gives us opportunities to improve.

People who have criticized me by calling me a robot, should know better. Health professions are just full of systems, protocols and checklists. Read the book called The Checklists’ Manifest for your information.

Because I follow a systematic approach, I produce high quality results CONSISTENTLY. (ex: I attended Penn Undergraduate and got into dental school like UCSF and Penn).

I helped my friends using similar systematic approach to edit their personal statements and they all got into top tier ivy league schools in different fields of study. Not here to brag or anything.

In this post, I reveal THE SYSTEM I follow to consistently write high quality personal statements. It’s simple yet amazingly effective.

Let’s jump right in

a) Brainstorming + Creating a story Toolbox

Brainstorming is the hardest part in the essay writing process. Some people really struggle with what they should write about. See below

When I was in Ghana, my friend wanted to hook me up with girls. As a conservative Muslim, I didn’t know how to “hook” up with someone nor did I know how to talk to girls. ( I used to be a weirdo!)

So, my friend suggested I keep a story toolbox that will have pick up lines, jokes, etc. to tell when I approached girls.

The idea of a story toolbox has been pretty powerful in my life. I did not use it in dating, but I have used it to write master personal statements and win multiple interviews.

If you look at my personal statements, it’s full of stories.

How did I collect that many stories?

The answer is pretty simple. I keep a daily journal.

For example, when I was shadowing an oral surgeon, I kept note of things that I observed on a regular basis. If I saw something unusual/interesting, I made special notes about it. Once a patient came to the office with severe neuralgic pain. Dr. P patiently listened to him. When the patient finished ranting, he calmed and reassured him that he’ll be just fine. Instead of giving him any injection for his pain, Dr. P communicated to a pain psychologist and created a treatment plan for the patient.

A dentist calling up a pain psychologist !!! I have never seen that. That’s unusual, so I jotted it down in my journal.

Effective story telling is hard. It’s tough not because we suck at story telling. (You may be a story telling expert when you are hanging out with your friends.) But the stories you want to tell won’t readily come to your mind when you are sitting down to brainstorm for your personal statement.

So when you sit down to brainstorm, I recommend, do it in two or three different sessions.

Spend 30-45 minutes for the first session, take a 2-3 hour break and come back for another session. During the break you should take walk, run or shower. I recently read a book called The Power of Full Engagement. In the book, the authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schawartz illustrate a provocative study by Michael Gelb:

In his book, How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci , author Michael Gelb poses a wonderfully revealing question: “Where are you when you get your best ideas?” He asked that question to thousands of people over the years, and the most common response he gets include, “in the shower”, “resting in bed”, “walking in nature”, “listening to music”, “jogging/running”, “meditating”. “Almost no one claims to get their best ideas at work”- Gelb said.

You can sit at your desk, stare at a blank paper for all day and get frustrated because you still don’t know what to write.

Or you can brainstorm for 30 min. Write down your ideas. Take a break. Come back. Throw away all the bad ideas. Brainstorm some new ideas .

Here are some questions you should try to answer while brainstorming;

What incidents inspired you to be a dentist? Who inspired you become a dentist? Do you have soft qualities that a dentist may possess? What are they and how did you come to acquire them? (ex: I talk about my immigration story and relate that to patience and perseverance, skills most dentists have) What did you learn at your dental shadowing? How can you apply what you learned as a future dentist? What did you learn at your Extra Curricular activities/Lab Work etc? Can you relate these activities to dentistry? Do you have any academic accomplishments that you are proud of and want to mention in the personal statement ( publishing a paper, etc) Did you pick up any manual dexterity skills ( playing guitar, violin, working at a science lab, etc)?

[In case you need help brainstorming, talk to someone who knows you well (close friends, parents, siblings, etc.). It really helps.]

c) Write Shitty first draft:

Once you have those ideas down on paper, take a break. Come back and write your shitty first draft.

Ann Lamott, author of Bird by Bird says,

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. Start by getting something — anything — down on paper. A friend of mine says that the first draft is the down draft — you just get it down. The second draft is the up draft — you fix it up. You try to say what you have to say more accurately. And the third draft is the dental draft, where you check every tooth, to see if it’s loose or cramped or decayed, or even, God help us, healthy.”

Just write something down on paper. Don’t worry about its quality, style, grammar. JUST WRITE.

Come back one or two days later. Print the essay out . Do a cold read of the first draft. Ask yourself, “What do I like and what do I not like about the essay? Does it logically flow? If I were an adcom, would I be interested in meeting this person?

d) Making an Outline:

After you have written your (shitty) first draft, make a detailed outline of the essay.

For example, my essay outline was:

Intro: How I became interested in dentistry? (story: My grandmother’s financial situation prevented her from getting dental care)
How I immigrated to the US? (relating how I learned to became patience and perseverant, skill dentist need)
Told stories about generosity and empathy ( First, I mentioned how generous my dentist was and then related that to how I showed kindness and generosity to a Somali refuge).
How I started “Community Dental Disease Prevention Society” and what impact I made. (Story of Tagita, a student I taught through the club).
My sculpture class and examples of my projects
How I honed my manual dexterity + Accomplishment in my research lab

Making a rigorous outline will take some time. But once you make that outline, writing a better draft would be a matter of time. I recommend writing this outline on a whiteboard. If you don’t have a whiteboard, do it in post it notes. Make the outline as visual as possible. Check if your essay outline is flowing logically. Send your outline via email to a few friends. Ask them to assess if your outline is logical.

Spend some time perfecting the outline. I used 3-4 hours white boarding until I knew I had an excellent outline.

e) Rewriting, revising and rewriting

Once you are satisfied with your outline, write the second draft of your essay.

(what are they revising? what are some elements they are looking to edit and what kind of a checklist should they follow in terms of what makes a good draft)

f) The best $5 I ever spent:

Once you are done with your second draft, start reaching out to your friends and professors.

Once I was done with my essay, I took my friends out to Starbucks, bought them a latte ($5) and asked them if they could read my personal statement. If they said yes, I immediately pulled out two printouts of my PS. My friends were brutally honest but that’s what I was looking for.

[I also reached out to my professors that knew me very well and ask them if they could review my PS. Some of them were busy, so they politely declined. But some of them got back to me immediately and offered to read my personal statement.]

g) Revise, Rewrite, Rewrite, and Rewrite

This is part of the iceberg that no one sees. Rewriting and revising is not fun. It’s boring and tough. But repeated rewriting is an absolute necessity to get to the perfect personal statement.

I rewrote my essay 25 times. Each time I re-wrote it, I printed my essay out, did a cold read, and ask “if I were an adcom, would I select myself for an interview.” I rewrote until the answer was yes.

To make your personal statement perfect, You’ve got REWRITE, REWRITE AND REWRITE.

Getting to the Perfect personal statement is no magic! You need to put in the hard work. Hard work is tough, challenging, and boring. Most people hate working hard.

Just remember, you are going to spend time and energy to write that personal statement; why not spend twice the time and energy to make it the world’s best personal statement.

On Thursday I will analyze my own personal statement and show you why it’s a GREAT personal statement.

Over the weekend, I will share the checklist that I used to review my rewritten drafts. I will also write a post about how to stay motivated (like an olympian) during the application season.

Stay tuned.