sop Statement of Purpose

Having perfect teeth and an ideal occlusion did not reflect the correct family dental picture I had. I came from a family with a long history of malocclusion due to a constricted palate. My father and his sisters did not get the opportunity to receive the ideal orthodontic treatment. However, I got the opportunity to observe closely how an advanced dental field can solve this problem properly. I will never forget the smile on my sister’s face when her orthodontist removed the braces completely. In fact, this experience has initiated a dream deep inside me, to choose dentistry as the future life path. I found dentistry the ideal profession for me especially that it means for me a combination between art, biology, and science.

I started my way in dentistry from the dental school at Damascus University in Syria, and I graduated with a GPA of 3.49 as one of the top students in my class. I demonstrated exceptional talents and skills especially in the practical part. I used to score the highest in-hand skills related tasks. My carving assignments and teeth preparations were reserved as models at most times.

After my graduation in 2005 I was offered a position as an instructor in the University’s Pathology lab, at the same time I started my own clinic at Damascus suburb as a general dentist. My clinic served many people that very much needed the dental care. My responsibilities included but not limited to: operative dentistry, dental hygiene; endodontics; fabricating routine lab work, and operating the radiology department.

In 2010 I moved with my husband and kids to the United States of America to pursue an advanced education and to learn more about the latest applied technology in the dental field.

I was eager to discover the dental world in the USA closely. Despite having the regular mother responsibilities, I was able to pass NBDE Exam Part I & II.

Given I am a ******** resident since May 2012; I had the chance to shadow Dr. ****** who is a general dentist. Then I was lucky to get another opportunity to shadow Dr. ********* the well-known endodontist and a great surgeon. This experience has expanded my knowledge through their detailed answers to my curious questions.

Building a strong relation with my community has always been my goal. Since my first year in the dental school I initiated a group named The Comprehensive Dental Awareness Project, the project mission is to hold trips to orphanages and to people in need to deliver dental exams and provide them with the proper treatment by taking them to our campus clinic in Damascus University. I was very fortunate to continue working in this project after I graduated. I am eagerly waiting to pursue such project in my community here in the USA; it gives me such a great self-satisfaction as an individual and more importantly as a dentist.

The international students program which is provided at your university covers my fields of interest and beyond, and will be a perfect match for an ambitious student like me. I am certain that this program will help me become a well-prepared dentist who will expand the frontier of human knowledge and skills. Moreover, I wish to have the opportunity to convey my knowledge and skills to my colleagues by filling an academic position.