It's officially 2014 and I'm back in the school mode. I just wanted to update everyone on my current standings and details.
As of December I was accepted into dental school. I accepted my seat and will be starting school in the middle of July this summer. Until then, I am finishing my undergraduate degree at Truman State with my last semester of coursework! I will graduate on May 10, 2014 as a certified health education specialist with a bachelor's of science degree in Health Science, with a minor in biology. Thinking about no longer being a Truman student is unreal.
Last week my brother and I picked out a duplex 5 minutes from campus that suits all of our wants and needs. I'm so glad we found this place and am relieved it was such a quick process!
I was notified that I needed to collect extracted teeth from dentists and I have been offered all the teeth I need by one of my favorite dentists who has been very supportive and helpful through my pre-dental career. I am so blessed!
I am very excited to begin the life of a dental student. I am so ready to be done with undergraduate work and begin learning about strictly dentistry. I am excited to get my white coat, get my dental glasses, a name tag, wear scrubs or business clothes everyday, and learn how to be the best possible dentist I can! I know it will be a lot of tough and rigorous work, but I am really excited to start my journey as a dental student. I can't believe it's so soon!
A lot of people have been asking me why I decided to go to my school and decline second rounds at UMKC. Let me tell you, if you would have told me I would make this decision two months ago I would have laughed in your face. Let me tell you the reasons for surprising decision.
1. It uses a modular learning system. Meaning I will only learn one subject at a time and it will last 1-3 weeks. As soon as we are done with the unit, it is done. I think this will work much better for me than semesters.
2. I will learn on a mannequin instead of a set of teeth. Going from just teeth to a human is a huge change. So, I will practice on a mannequin with a set of teeth which will help me learn how to work around silly things like cheeks and heads. Ha!
3. I won't have to do too much lab work. As a dentist I will almost never do my own lab work, so learning how to do it perfectly is pretty silly and time consuming.
4. I will be in a class of 45 students instead of over 100. I'll get to know my teachers at a deeper level, and get more one-on-one help if I need it.
5. I will have an actual residency. Something most dental schools go without. My fourth year, I will have four, 6 week residencies that could be anywhere in Missouri that I choose. Instead of only seeing one patient in the morning and one in the afternoon, I will see 8-10 patients a day, like a real dentist does. The Arizona school my school is based off of is the number 1 school for experience hours and it beats the second by 1,000 hours!
6. I will be working with the state-of-the-art technology. Because it is brand new, everything is up to the highest standard. The clinic will use the field's newest products and systems.
7. I have the opportunity to receive my Master's in Public Health at the same time as earning my DMD. I believe it is only 5 extra classes and I could graduate with two degrees! Something I very much want to do and believe would help me immensely in my career.
8. God told me to. I pray He will use me in whatever way He wants and to put me in the position and place He desires. At first I didn't realize it, but I am 100% positive this is where I am suppose to be to learn how to be a dentist and serve God's people.
I probably won't update much between now and orientation which is in July, but if anything big happens I will post it. Thank you everyone for your support and encouragement. This process has been nothing but long and hard and I cannot take any of the credit for success. God had bigger plans for my life all along this journey and it has finally been made clear to me after 7 years of waiting. My life is not my own, but Christ in me.
