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SOP Draft 2

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Sudharshini Sridharan
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39 views2 pages

SOP Draft 2

Uploaded by

Sudharshini Sridharan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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“Why are my teeth like this?” “My parent’s teeth are straight, why are my teeth all crooked?

” With shattered
confidence and self-doubt, I remember setting foot into a dentist’s office as a pre-teen. I spent a gruesome
5.5 years in and out of the orthodontist’s office in pain with meticulous follow-ups, all while I was in middle
and high school. But it wasn’t long until I realized the paramount effect this treatment had on me, and
slowly the dentist’s became my second home. Right from the different types of x-rays to the different
colored ‘pastes’ (that I now know as impression material), I quickly figured my way around and was quite
intrigued with how everything worked. As I look back, I find myself pretty lucky to understand what goes
in the mind of a patient while on the dental chair, and now, how to comprehensively handle such patients as
a dental professional. My own life changing experience with dental treatment drove me into the field of
dentistry, with the hopes of rebuilding smiles I am fortunate enough to study Bachelor of Dental Surgery
(BDS) at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER), one of the top 10
dental universities in India.

SRIHER provided me with top class education and exposure to dental practice, helping me become a
confident academician and practitioner. However, growing up and spending my formative years in Boston,
I was always looking forward to moving back to the U.S to further pursue my career. Going to elementary
school in the States, high school in a British curriculum school, and pursuing my BDS degree from India,
I’ve always thought myself as a global citizen. And the U.S being the cultural melting pot it is, I feel it would
be a great opportunity for me to learn and explore how oral healthcare is practiced across the globe as well as
improve myself as a dentist.

One of the key differences I’ve noticed on how dentistry is practiced between India and the US, is the
comprehensive approach to treating one, as opposed to symptomatic treatment that I’ve been used to. To
further understand how dentistry is practiced in the U.S, I got the opportunity to shadow under Dr.
Rajshree Mulay, and Dr. Gregory Wu, from whom I learnt a lot, right from how they run their practice to
the wide range of procedure they provide to their patients. It is one thing to learn and read about latest
developments in the field but to actually apply and use it in daily practice is a whole different ball game and
my shadowing experience helped me realize this. America has always been known as the forerunner with
technological advancements, and the field of dentistry is not an exception for it. For example, the use of an
intraoral scanner for diagnosis and patient education was completely new to me. However, with the
knowledge I’ve gained from presenting a paper on the topic titled “Crown Quest: Conquering Digital
Realms for Prosthetic Mastery” at the 1st National Undergraduate Prosthodontics Convention, aided me in
quickly grasping how this device works and how useful it can be in practice. Therefore, I strongly believe
with my knowledge, skills and capabilities, I can be an efficient and valuable addition to the healthcare
community in the US.

My dentist knew me for being that kid who asked a lot of questions - ‘What does the blue light do to my
teeth?’, ‘Why do I need 2 injections to remove one teeth?!’ This habit carried into dental school, and while
the questions I asked as a patient have been answered now, my curiosity grew further into the field during
my 4 years of study. I was particularly surprised when I found out how dental health can affect my daily
activities, like dance (the established link between the way we bite and how our teeth are aligned with
postural balance which I, essential for all dancers), and the vast implications of dentistry in our daily lives
just makes this field so much more interesting for me. As a BDS student, I had the opportunity to go to
various dental camps to promote the importance of it dental health and the impact it can have on one’s
overall health. It was when I went to a camp organized by an NGO called ‘Smile Train’, who are partnered
with my college to provide surgical management for cleft lip and palate and patients free of cost, did I realize
how difficult it can be for these young children to go about with their daily lives. The multi-disciplinary
approach to treating cleft lip and palate patients was fascinating to me and with the help of my senior
professors at the department of OMFS, I was able to begin a project titled “Multidimensional pain
assessment at iliac donor site following local administration of clonidine as an adjunct to bupivacaine for post-
operative analgesia”. While I knew about the immense gratification from how my work could change a
person’s whole confidence and health - just as dentistry did for me, but also with my curiosity, I figured that
I could contribute to society and the betterment of health for all in the future.

Evidence based dentistry is the norm now, and to motivate my peers at the undergraduate level to delve into
its world to support their career, I started an interactive lecture series as an elect member of the student
council, where students get the opportunity to meet with established individuals in the field of dental
research, so they can be encouraged to initiate their own projects and contribute towards the field. Being in
this leadership role has taught me organizational, communicative and time management skills, which I
believe are beneficial and essential traits a dentist should behold.

I aspire to become an oral health professional, working collaboratively with several communities to improve
oral health globally, while I can feel fulfilment in alleviating pain and rebuilding confidence, contributing to
the greater good. I strongly believe with my skills and capabilities, I am certain that my collaboration with
DDS/DMD Advanced Standing Programs in U.S will help me to succeed with flying colours and achieve
my goals, as well as be a valuable addition to the dental fraternity in the U.S.

====
Was always someone who was comfortable with her own company, never really went out of my way
to make conversations/interact with people, had a small circle of friends always
However, dentistry forced me to step outside that shell - for the better (in a way dentistry itself helped
me get out of my comfort zone, something that im working on personally).

Growing up in Boston and Chennai, I found both cities pretty similar. Both are coastal cities with
beautiful beaches, rich cultural history, good balance between the old and new, and avid sporting
culture! (I love watching cricket, NFL and the NBA. CSK, New England Patriots and the Celtics have an
impressive record of being champions in their respective sports and I'm extremely lucky to be from
both cities and be able to cheer for them!)

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