what to write in dental school personal statement

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Dental School Personal Statement: The Ultimate Guide (Examples Included)

Learn step-by-step how to write a unique dental school personal statement, including full length examples.

your dental school personal statement can mean the difference between and acceptance and a rejection

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: how to write a dental school personal statement, part 3: common dental school personal statement errors to avoid, part 4: full length dental school personal statement examples.

If you’re applying to dental school and beginning to contemplate your dental school personal statement, you likely fall into one of two categories:

You aced the DAT, have an excellent GPA, and after all of the work you put in for those scores you’re thinking, “I have no energy left… Does the personal statement even matter?”

Your DAT and/or GPA are good or average, and you’re stressed about how you can improve your overall application by writing an absolutely amazing personal statement.

Whatever position you find yourself in, this guide will address your concerns. We’ll explain the importance of the dental school personal statement and why it can make or break even the best application. We’ll also provide detailed, step-by-step guidance on how to write an excellent personal statement, along with multiple full-length dental school personal statement examples so you can see for yourself how it’s done. 

How much does your dental school personal statement matter?

If you’ve got a good score on the DAT and a high GPA, this question has likely crossed your mind. It is true that admissions committees can and do use these scores to quickly sift through the thousands of applications they receive each year. That said, these scores are not on their own sufficient to get you accepted to the dental school of your dreams.

There are plenty of stories of applicants who had a strong GPA and an unbelievable DAT score but were not accepted to their top choice dental school (or any dental school at all). Often, the personal statement is the distinguishing element that can ruin a great application or significantly enhance an average application.

The good news is that there are predictable strategies for writing an excellent dental school personal statement—more on those momentarily.

(Suggested reading: How Hard Is It to Get Into Dental School? )

What is the goal of a dental school personal statement?

With both your GPA and your DAT score, the goal is quite obvious—the higher the better. It may be tempting to assume that the applicant with a 22 DAT and 3.8 GPA will be accepted over the candidate with a 20 DAT and 3.6 GPA, however the admissions process is not nearly this cut and dry, and it is often the personal statement that can separate these two candidates in the minds of an admissions committee.

So, what is the goal of a personal statement? The answer is remarkably simple: the goal of the personal statement is to get the admissions committee interested in you as a person, and to make them want to meet you. 

The entire goal of your application is to land an interview at as many dental schools as possible (or at least at your dream school), and the personal statement is your opportunity to demonstrate your unique and interesting characteristics.

Think of your application as building a house. 

Your GPA and DAT scores are like the blueprints. They are mathematically based and must meet specific structural and engineering requirements in order to support the eventual home. While there is certainly variation in blueprints between different homes, there are specific benchmarks and requirements that must be met for blueprints to meet city building codes and be approved. 

Your personal statement, however, is a much more creative process similar to the interior and exterior design of the home. What color of paint will you choose? What type of windows do you want? Will you select a specific theme for the furniture, drapes, and paintings? After all of these creative decisions have been made, two homes with identical blueprints could have a drastically different appearance. 

While the creative and subjective aspects of writing an excellent personal statement may feel overwhelming to the more analytical students who make up a large portion of dental school applicants, the good news is that there are very clear strategies that can help guide you in this creative process.

According to the ADEA , “ 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 .”

That doesn’t quite convey the real goal of your statement, which is to convince the admissions committee that you, as a person, are interesting and unique, and to compel them to want to meet you off the page. 

Just as understanding the goal of your personal statement is critical, starting the brainstorming process with a general roadmap can help simplify an otherwise overwhelming process.

Fortunately, there is a simple and well-tested format that has been followed by many successful dental school applicants. 

Outlining your dental school personal statement

We’re fans of knowing exactly where you’re going before you even begin writing. Here’s the general format that we recommend using for your personal statement:

Intro : Engage the reader immediately with an interesting introductory paragraph

Body : Illustrate your unique dental journey in 3–5 paragraphs

Conclusion : Reinforce your passion for dentistry and tie back to the introduction

But how do you fill these in paragraphs with information that’s engaging and, most importantly, conveys what’s unique about you? What should you include? Next, we’ll go over five steps that will help you draw out the best topics for your dental school personal statement.

Step 1: Brainstorming

Begin by brainstorming possible topics or areas for your personal statement. Our recommendation is to come up with far more than you’ll actually end up writing about—even as many as 30. 

We know what you’re thinking: Why would I brainstorm 20+ ideas and experiences when only 3–5 will actually make it into my personal statement?

The answer: Often a bad personal statement comes about because an applicant has chosen the wrong topic. Sometimes applicants choose clichéd material, or material that isn’t personally meaningful. Then they feel locked into the essay they’ve begun. But, by brainstorming strategically, and working with someone whose opinion you trust on subject matter, you can position yourself to enter the writing phase confident that you’ve got a subject you can write about fluently and passionately.

To get there, we like an exercise called “ the Rule of 5s ” that provides a systematic approach to guide the brainstorming process.

While we’re calling this the Rule of 5s, it could just as easily be the Guideline of 5s—the number five is simply a good target to help you stretch. However, don’t get too caught up on it. If you have three or four examples in one category and seven in another, that is fine. 

Here’s the Rule of 5s: Brainstorm five good examples in each of the five categories listed below:

Five significant life experiences

Five unique and interesting accomplishments

Five unique and interesting hobbies or interests

Five failures and five lessons you learned from them

Five challenges or setbacks you have faced and had to overcome

Step 2: Your personal journey to dentistry

After completing the Rule of 5s brainstorming activity, your next step is to outline your personal journey to dentistry in a way that clearly answers the question of why you want to be a dentist. This outline should be concise and can even be in bulletpoint form. That said, be detailed and try to think of any key experience, interaction, person, class, conversation, or “aha!” moment that influenced you to ultimately choose a career in dentistry. 

When your outline is finished, review it and identify 3–5 of the most interesting and unique aspects of your journey. If you are having difficulty narrowing it down, consider reviewing the other areas of the ADEA AADSAS application (Dental Experience, Employment, Extracurricular Activities, Research, Volunteer) and see if some of your experiences can be included in sections other than your personal statement.  

Step 3: Choose a memorable opening

Admissions committees will be reading thousands of statements every application cycle, and many applicants will have similar stories about why they want to become dentists. Perhaps they had a good experience in dentistry early on. Perhaps they like science and want to help people. Those aren’t unique attributes in dental school applicants. You’re going to have to begin with something that’s more particular, interesting, and specific to you. 

Let’s look at two different openings to see how they work and why.

Here’s June’s first attempt at an opening paragraph:

Growing up in a middle-class community I had the opportunity to go to my family dentist every six months. For most of my childhood, these visits were fairly routine as I had good oral hygiene and no major dental issues. However, when I was 16 years old, I chipped my two front teeth in an accident. My dentist was able to repair them and they looked even better than before the accident. At that point, I knew I wanted to be a dentist. I attended college and selected biology as my major as I have always enjoyed the sciences. I view dentistry as the perfect combination of art and science that will allow me to help other people the way my dentist helped me.  

What aspect of herself is June emphasizing here? It’s hard to tell. She’s beginning with a story of wanting to become a dentist, but the writing is noncommittal and generic. It doesn’t give us something memorable about her to hold onto, and this paragraph is in no way unique to her experience or dental journey.

Let’s take a look at Marissa’s opening:

As I looked down, I couldn’t believe what I saw. One of my central incisors had been knocked completely out of its socket and sat in a small but noticeable circle of blood near the free-throw line on the basketball court. Just seconds before, I had taken an elbow to the face at the start of the fourth quarter of our state championship high school basketball game. As any high school senior would do, I picked up the tooth, put it in a cup and handed it to my coach. I finished the game with only one central incisor. My parents still have a picture of me on their fridge, hoisting the state championship trophy with an awkward, closed-mouth smile as I tried to hide the missing tooth. Little did I know that six months later, after a failed attempt to save the tooth and the eventual decision to get an implant, the determination and effort I had previously put into basketball would be transferred into my passion of becoming a dentist.

What works here? It’s simple. Marissa tells a story. She gives us images, characters, and a scene. Then she immediately ties that scene into her long-term narrative: becoming a dentist .

By opening with an anecdote and setting the scene the way a movie director might, you draw us into your story and stand out from the pack.

As you think about what anecdote you might use to open your personal statement, remember that it does not have to be directly related to dentistry. Ultimately, however, you will want to tie the anecdote into your dental journey.

Step 4: Connect your opening with your personal journey to dentistry

With your memorable opening created (step 3) and your unique journey to dentistry outlined (step 2), you are most of the way to completing your personal statement.  

The key to an excellent personal statement is finding a creative yet smooth way to connect your personal experiences with your professional journey into dentistry, with a clear and concise answer to the question of why you want to be a dentist.

Let’s take one example from Yasmin: 

I can still remember my heart pounding before my first “major” performance. I was six years old and had been asked to sing “Happy Birthday” in front of the entire family for my grandma’s 80th birthday. I love singing, and in high school and college I sang in a folk band with three of my friends. At times, singing has been my life, providing an escape from the day-to-day stresses and difficulties that we all face. And oddly enough, there’s something we don’t think of when we think about singing: teeth. They’re critical to singing. My desire to pursue a career in dentistry stems from a chance encounter with a singer in Argentina who taught me about the significance of our dentition.

While the transition from singing to dentistry is somewhat abrupt, this candidate has effectively and concisely described a unique personal characteristic, singing, that transitions smoothly into telling the story of her journey into dentistry, which started in Argentina. After reading this paragraph you immediately know something unique about the candidate—she sings—and you are interested to learn more about how her interest in dentistry developed. 

Step 5: The conclusion

In most high school and college writing classes, you are taught that the conclusion should simply summarize your essay. However, in a one-page, 4,500-character personal statement, there is no room to repeat yourself. Rather than summarizing , consider using your concluding paragraph to reinforce two things in the mind of the admissions committee:

Why you want to be a dentist

Your personal and unique story

Your conclusion might refer back to one of your experiences, pulling through a message of how you hope to make an impact in the field of dentistry in the future.

Let’s look at two quick examples.

Here’s Eveline’s first attempt:

I have had several experiences that have all led me to pursue a career in dentistry. The opportunities I have had to shadow dentists have taught me that dentistry is much more than restoring individual teeth, as it incorporates a much larger scope including both oral health and systemic health. I am grateful for the opportunity to apply to dental school and I look forward to completing my studies and becoming an oral health professional focused on both the preventive aspects and restorative aspects of dentistry.

This concluding paragraph is full of buzzwords like “oral health,” “systemic health,” and “prevention,” however it ultimately does not leave the reader with any strong sense of the unique characteristics of this applicant. A paragraph like this could be found in almost anyone’s personal statement. It fails to reinforce the applicant’s specific and unique passion for dentistry, and it does not refer back to any personal experience or unique story. Eveline’s personal statement will blend in with all the rest and she will be less likely to get an on-site interview.

Here’s the conclusion that Yasmin, the folk singer, wrote: 

Much has changed since my “performance” as a scared, six-year-old singing at my grandmother’s birthday. I never would have guessed that my passion for singing would have led me on a 16-year journey: to Argentina and, eventually, to dentistry. But I know I’ve found the path for me.

This concluding paragraph is quite brief at only three sentences, but it effectively reinforces both the unique origins of this applicant’s interest in dentistry as well as the applicant’s memorable history as a singer. The reader is left thinking about the unique aspects of this applicant and will be much more inclined to want to meet them in person by extending an interview.

While there is no perfect formula that encompasses all excellent personal statements, there are some fairly common errors that can quickly transform a good statement into a poor one, drastically decreasing your chances of getting an interview. Below we will discuss six common errors to avoid.

Error #1: Writing a dental school personal statement that reads like a medical school personal statement

It’s no secret that medical school and dental school applicants have many shared characteristics. The prerequisite courses are almost identical, the overall undergraduate experiences mirror each other, and the extracurricular, leadership, research and clinical shadowing experiences have significant overlap. That said, dental admissions committees don’t want lukewarm applicants who appear to have been on a premedical route their entire undergraduate career, as this brings up questions of whether the applicant is truly dedicated to a career in dentistry or merely views dentistry as a backup plan to medicine.

Of course, many students are “pre-health" during their freshman and sophomore years as they take prerequisite science coursework and explore various health professionals including dentistry, medicine, pharmacy, PA, etc. It’s normal to have had experiences in research, leadership, direct patient care, or other extracurriculars that span various health professions and which you may want to include either in your application or your personal statement.

The secret is tailoring all of the experiences you include in such a way as to leave no doubt about your interest in dentistry. 

Let’s look at some example sentences that show how pre-health or premedical experiences can be described in a way that reinforces an applicant’s interest in dentistry.

Here’s what not to do: 

While conducting research on the production of insulin in pancreatic beta cells, I became fascinated with the human body which sparked an interest in pursuing a career that would enable me to help other people. 

An interest in the sciences and a desire to help people are two common characteristics found in nearly every applicant to any healthcare-related profession. While these are important characteristics, it is essential to take them a step further and make sure you connect them directly to dentistry. 

 It can sometimes be difficult to make that connection to dentistry if the experience occurred while you were either investigating all healthcare professions or perhaps were focused on a profession other than dentistry (i.e. medicine or pharmacy).

One tip is to realize that the connection does not have to be synchronous, meaning that even though you were not thinking about dentistry at the time of the experience, you now see how that experience connects to dentistry and enhances your interest in the field. 

We can easily imagine that the candidate who wrote the previous example was conducting research regarding diabetes during their sophomore year as a premedical student. A year later, during their junior year, they decided to switch to pre-dental. While there is a year-long gap between the research and the eventual interest in dentistry, the link between the experience and their desire to pursue a career in dentistry is easily made in an honest and genuine way as follows:

While conducting research on the production of insulin in pancreatic beta cells, I gained an appreciation for the systemic effects of diabetes. I have subsequently become fascinated with the oral manifestations of this disease, which can allow dentists to recognize the oral signs of pre-diabetes, sometimes even before a physician.  

This example takes what could be viewed as a very medical experience (research on pancreatic beta cells) and seamlessly connects it to the applicant’s interest in dentistry. Sometimes you may need to do additional research—for instance, learning about the oral manifestations of diabetes—in order to make these connections.

Taking the time to focus any story or experience in your personal statement on dentistry will transform your essay from average to excellent. As you write your statement, continually ask yourself whether the examples and descriptions you have included could just as easily be found in a personal statement for medical school or pharmacy school or any other health profession. If the answer is yes, go back and find a way to make it hyper-focused on dentistry. 

Error #2: Telling rather than showing, or using clichéd statements rather than specific examples

It is a common pitfall to tell rather than show the reader what you are trying to say.

For example, most students choose to pursue a career in dentistry for their shared interests in science, art, and helping people. It is completely appropriate if these are your reasons as well. The secret, however, is avoiding these clichéd statements by diving in-depth into the experiences and journey you have had that has ultimately led you to a career in dentistry. Rather than telling the reader that you enjoy science, art, and helping people, show them through your unique stories and examples. 

As you write your statement, make sure to frequently ask yourself whether each paragraph and story uniquely describes you or could just as easily apply to someone else. Be sure to include details such as your hometown, family, culture, heritage, creative hobbies, physical characteristics, and anything else that is distinct to you.

Let’s look at a quick example of how you can add personalized elements and descriptions to a clichéd statement to transform it into something that is uniquely you.

What not to do: 

Growing up, I was always interested in artistic and hands-on activities. The opportunity to pursue a career in dentistry, which is a perfect blend of both artistic freedom and working with your hands, is therefore particularly appealing.

What works:

As the only child of two working parents in a rural part of Oklahoma, I often had time alone and gravitated towards hands-on, artistic pursuits, eventually developing a passion for building model airplanes. Visualizing how each small piece would eventually come together to form an airplane actually has many similarities to the field of dentistry.

Notice how the first, clichéd example tells very little about the applicant. We have no details about what makes them unique, and the sentence “tells” us that the applicant enjoys artistic and hands-on activities; however, it does not “show” this through an example.

The second example, on the other hand, provides details that likely only apply to this candidate regarding two working parents and growing up in a rural part of Oklahoma. Additionally, rather than simply telling us about their interest in hands-on, artistic pursuits, they provide a specific example of building model airplanes. 

Putting yourself in the shoes of the admissions committee, which of these two candidates would you rather meet? 

Also, take heart: the second example isn’t telling some dramatic, flashy story. It begins with something simple—being an only child in rural Oklahoma—but ties it to the larger point of the applicant’s interest in hands-on activities as well as art. You do not need to have a life-changing or dramatic story to paint a unique picture of who you are as an applicant.

Error #3: Trying to convince the admissions committee that you are smart

The hypercompetitive nature of dental school admissions can lead applicants to use the 4,500 characters of their personal statement to try to demonstrate their superior intelligence. 

This can be evident in either the specific examples and stories an applicant chooses to use or in the language the applicant employs to write their statement. Either way, this approach is rarely effective.

Here is an example of what not to do: 

As valedictorian of my high school, my teenage years were occupied by hours of studying and homework each night in order to maintain my 4.0 GPA. When I entered college, I increased my level of discipline and dedication to my studies allowing me to maintain that same level of academic excellence throughout my collegiate career, finishing my undergraduate studies with another perfect 4.0 GPA. 

Having a 4.0 GPA and being valedictorian of your high school are certainly accomplishments that should be included in your application. However, trying to convince the admissions committee of your intellectual abilities by including them in your personal statement is not wise. 

Your GPA will be apparent from your transcripts, and the “achievements” section of the AADSAS application is a perfect place to include the distinction of being valedictorian. Neither your GPA nor your high school class standing are directly related to your desire to be a dentist and therefore need not be included in your personal statement.

Personal stories and unique experiences that relate to why you want to be a dentist or that help the admissions committee get to know you on a more human level should comprise the majority of your statement.  

Remember, the goals of your personal statement are to convince the admissions committee that they want to meet you in an interview and to demonstrate that you’re personable enough to be in this patient-facing field. Sounding pompous, self-satisfied, or unrelatable will work against you.

Error #4: Repeating or summarizing what you have already described elsewhere in your application

Another common mistake is simply telling a chronological story that includes or repeats information from the rest of your application. This type of personal statement often reads like a resumé in prose form.

While it is certainly appropriate to use the personal statement to expand upon something mentioned elsewhere in your application, make sure that you are providing additional, specific information that cannot be gleaned from other parts of your application. 

For example, if you have mentioned your shadowing experience in your application, it can be appropriate to include a story in your personal statement that occurred while shadowing a dentist . Make sure, however, that you focus your personal statement on a very specific event—remember, a story or an anecdote—rather than just mentioning your overall shadowing experience.

Here are two examples that illustrate the difference between simply summarizing what you have already described elsewhere in your application and providing additional, specific information. 

What not to do:

My shadowing experience at the Jamestown Public Health Clinic taught me the importance of oral health education and prevention, especially in socioeconomically disadvantaged groups.

The above sentence provides little information beyond what can already be assumed by this applicant listing their shadowing experience at a public health clinic. Stacking sentences like these one after another wastes valuable space in your personal statement. 

One day, while shadowing at the Jamestown Public Health Clinic, a three-year-old patient named Alice came in with her parents. Nearly all of her teeth were black and carious and she was crying because of the pain. Unfortunately, this situation of early childhood caries is not uncommon, especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. It was sobering to realize that, while the treatment options available for Alice were now limited, the entire situation could have been avoided by providing her parents meaningful oral health education and prevention techniques a mere one to two years earlier.

This example dives into the applicant’s shadowing experience in detail by describing a very specific patient encounter. The story brings to life this applicant’s shadowing experience and highlights the applicant’s ability to think critically and observe specific patient encounters with empathy while making broader connections to oral health education at a population level. This type of critical thinking will certainly be noticed by an admissions committee.  

Error #5: Including too much information rather than focusing on a handful of meaningful experiences

With only 4,500 characters, and your chances of being admitted to dental school on the line, it is understandably tempting to attempt to fit as much as possible into your personal statement. Fight this temptation!

With a personal statement, depth is more important than breadth. You can offer an angle on yourself, a story about why you want to be a dentist, and 3–5 compelling details from your personal and professional history. Don’t try to do more.

Remember, the personal statement is only one portion of your application. There are several other sections that allow you to include many experiences and achievements beyond what you discuss in your statement (i.e. Academic Enrichment, Dental Experience, Employment, Extracurricular Activities, Research, and Volunteer). 

Additionally, you will also be asked to write secondary essays for most schools, which provide additional opportunities to bring in other experiences to your application. 

And remember: this work will help you in your interviews!

The personal statement can initially appear daunting. Following the process outlined above and avoiding the five common errors can help you craft a unique and genuine statement that catches the eye of the admissions committee and secures an invitation for an on-site interview.

Additionally, taking the time to write a thoughtful, introspective, and unique personal statement will not only help get you an interview, but will be some of the best time spent in preparation to set you up for success in your interviews.  

(Suggested reading: How to Ace Your Dental School Interview )

Error #6: Not leaving enough time to edit, revise, and get feedback from trusted readers

As one of the most important components of your entire dental school application, you’ll want to invest considerable time not only in writing your personal statement, but also in editing and revising it. Part of that process involves recruiting trusted readers, such as friends, mentors, and admissions consultants, to give you valuable feedback from an outside perspective.

For these reasons, it’s a good idea to begin the writing process well before you want to submit your application. We recommend beginning about six months before you plan to apply—so if you’re counting on submitting your application on June 1st, the earliest possible day, you’ll want to start brainstorming in December.

Aim to have a full-length first draft completed by no later than the end of April. This will give you at least one month to edit, revise, and solicit feedback before submitting your application in June or July.

(Suggested reading: The Ideal Dental School Application Timeline )

Part 4: Full-length dental school personal statement examples

Let’s now take a look at two full-length examples in order to put together everything we’ve discussed. Each of these essays successfully conveys who its writer is, what is unique about them, and why dentistry is their ideal career.

Dental school personal statement example #1

The summer after my freshman year, I studied abroad in Buenos Aires to learn about Argentinian culture and history, especially Argentinian folk music. I spent many evenings in town squares and restaurants listening to local folk bands. One evening, I introduced myself to an impressive lead singer after a concert. We connected, talking music and influences. I was shocked when he reached into his mouth and removed a “flipper,” which included prosthetic teeth for all four maxillary incisors. This Argentinian singer became emotional as he recounted the story of a serious motorcycle accident that had left him without his four front teeth, making it physically challenging and emotionally impossible to sing in front of a group. Unable to afford any dental treatment, he had to quit singing wholesale for several years. Fortunately, a friend eventually introduced him to a dentist who restored his pronunciation and his ability to sing in front of a crowd.   

Upon returning from Argentina, I began shadowing in dental offices. One afternoon, I observed Dr. Ashani, a general dentist, deliver a set of overdentures to a 36-year-old woman named Ashley. She had lost all her teeth due to xerostomia caused by radiation treatment for throat cancer. As Dr. Ashani placed the dentures in her mouth and handed her a mirror her entire face lit up. She had regained a sense of dignity and self-worth. I also noticed a change in Dr. Ashani. Later that day, we talked, and he said he’d been anxious about delivering the dentures as he understood both the responsibility and the opportunity he had to dramatically change this woman’s life. Those two words, “opportunity” and “responsibility,” seem to capture the essence of dentistry.

As I continued along this path, I sought a research assistant position in the lab of Dr. Delia Acosta where we focused on stem cell tooth regeneration. While we are several years away from re-growing teeth, the possibility of stem cell treatment in dentistry is fascinating at a scientific level and potentially life-changing at a human level. It is exciting to think that I might be able to provide stem cell treatments to people like Ashley or the Argentinian folk singer to restore not only dentition, but also function and confidence. And while stem cell tooth regeneration is an exciting possibility, even a traditional root canal on a painful molar or a class III filling on a maxillary incisor can have a significant impact on the life of a patient.

What this essay does well:

As mentioned earlier, this applicant does a fantastic job of opening with a personal anecdote that hooks the reader. This humanizes the applicant and gives some insight into their personality as well as their interests.

In the following paragraph, the applicant continues the anecdote with a direct connection between their personal experience and their journey to an interest in dentistry. We get a front-row seat to the encounter that sparked her passion.

The applicant does a great job of naturally peppering the essay with dental-related vocabulary—a signal to admissions committees that this person is not only interested in dentistry, they’ve done the work to learn about it individually. Additionally, they have highlighted their knowledge in the essay in such a way that avoids the trap of error #3; trying to convince the admissions committee that you are smart.

The essay continues accentuating key moments along their journey as they delve deeper into their interest in dentistry—showing instead of telling why they are determined to pursue dentistry as a lifelong career.

The applicant then concludes their personal statement organically, tying it back to the introduction and reiterating their enthusiasm for the field through a recap of their entire journey and stating clearly that they’ve found the path for them.

Dental school personal statement example #2

With spindly legs and frizzy hair, I backhanded the bright yellow tennis ball across the court to my opponent. She quickly ran up to the net, hit an overhead shot, and the ball zoomed towards me faster than I had expected. The next thing I knew, I was on the concrete court with a handful of blood gushing from my mouth. The ball had hit me in my face, knocking out my front tooth. I was horrified—our yearly school photographs were the next day. The first thought that raced through my mind was how I would have to smile with lips glued together, fearful of being teased by my classmates. It was in this moment that I recognized how my teeth and, specifically, my smile were so integral to who I was as a person. My teachers and friends described my smile as a contagious form of love, and the thought of losing this trait was terrifying. This experience laid the foundation for my keen interest in dentistry, a career that will afford me the opportunity to enable my patients to smile brightly and to feel like their most confident selves.

My interest in dentistry matured after I traveled to India to assist with a dental health mission in the rural town of Dwarka. Here, our team set up a clinic in several tents and offered free dental services to those in need. I assisted dental hygienists with cleanings, observed dentists fill cavities and fit dentures, and helped with dental hygiene education. I recall meeting Mona, an 8-year-old girl with a lopsided ponytail. She inquisitively wrapped the bubble gum flavored floss around her fingers and mirrored my motions guiding the tasty strings through her teeth. Her mother told me that she had received floss before, but no one had taken the time to explain how to correctly floss or the benefits of flossing. Though a simple exchange, I recognized the power of dental education.

Upon returning from India, I began volunteering at a general dentistry practice. My main duties involved welcoming patients to our practice, performing health screenings, and coordinating their follow-up care. Through this experience, I also had the opportunity to shadow Dr. Simon, a pediatric dentist who had a cabinet overflowing with yo-yos and an ability to put children at ease despite the painful procedures they were anticipating. I was frequently reminded of my own experience as a child, as many of our patients came in with broken front teeth secondary to various misadventures. Dr. Simon took the time to ask each of his patients about their favorite class in school and any new comic books that he should know about. As we developed a closer relationship, Dr. Simon told me that he was drawn to dentistry because it enabled him to both help kids live healthier lives and have beaming, confident smiles. He spoke with genuine conviction, and his words resonated deeply with me.

My experiences working with patients motivated me to pursue research related to dentistry. My main project observed various demographics and categorized which adult patients have increased access to dental care as classified by yearly cleanings and required fillings. Here, I saw a stark contrast in which patients have stable access to dental care and gained a deeper understanding of the disparities that contribute to the less reliable care of those from underserved communities. My research motivated me to institute an outreach program at the pediatric dental clinic I volunteered at. I described the problem and constructed a proposal for which I received community funding that I subsequently used to create educational brochures for patients. We also utilized this funding to offer patients free cleanings and screenings on Friday afternoons for over a year. Through this experience, I recognized that, as a dentist, I would be able to serve as a health advocate and restore smiles across several communities.

Although my experience of losing my front tooth occurred at a young age, it left a lasting impression, just as a smile does when you first meet someone. I have been fortunate to learn about dentistry through the lens of different practitioners and patients in a variety of environments. All of these experiences have culminated in my strong desire to pursue dentistry, a career that will empower me to deliver care ensuring that others can live healthier lives with confident smiles. I will carry my compassion for helping others and my desire to increase equal access to healthcare services with me forward as a future dentist.

The applicant opens their essay with a life-altering anecdote and one in which they realized the a healthy smile is important to one’s sense of self-worth as well as to their identity. The realization mentioned in this anecdote grants the reader a deeper insight into the writer’s sense of what it means to be a dentist and their motivations for pursuing the profession.

The writer then does an excellent job of developing this idea further, showing—as opposed to telling—how their interest in and passion for dentistry grows. Furthermore, the applicant naturally showcases their genuine motivation to help others by discussing their dental service to those less fortunate. This also opens up an opportunity to highlight leadership qualities when they institute an outreach program for the underserved population in their community.

The applicant then wraps everything up by reminding the reader of the lost tooth that kickstarted their journey and calling attention to the compassion they feel for others that inspires them to help patients achieve their best smiles.

About the Author

Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on dental school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into dental school using his exclusive approach.

THERE'S NO REASON TO STRUGGLE THROUGH THE DENTAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS ALONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SO MUCH ON THE LINE. SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION TO ENSURE YOU LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE.

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Developing an Attention-Grabbing, Unique Dental School Personal Statement

A unique and engaging dental school personal statement is essential as it sets you apart from other applicants and captures the attention of admissions committees. It helps you stand out in a competitive pool of candidates and leaves a lasting impression. By showcasing your individuality, sharing your personal journey, and presenting your experiences and ideas in an engaging manner, you demonstrate your passion for dentistry and critical thinking skills. An attention-grabbing personal statement increases your chances of being invited for an interview and convinces the admissions committee of your suitability for dental school. A personal statement can make or break your application to dental school.

The ADEA personal statement prompt is capped at at 4,500 characters. In this space,  you have the opportunity to tell your story and show the admissions committee  why  you are an exceptional applicant.

Here are some key tips to help you write an exceptional and engaging dental school personal statement:

Start with a Compelling Opening: Begin your personal statement with a captivating introduction that hooks the reader's attention. Consider using an engaging anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful statement to create intrigue right from the start.

Highlight Your Motivation: Clearly communicate your passion for dentistry and what motivated you to pursue a career in this field. Share personal experiences, such as interactions with patients or shadowing experiences, that inspired and influenced your decision to become a dentist.

Showcase Your Unique Experiences: Stand out by highlighting the experiences that set you apart from other applicants. Discuss your involvement in dental-related research, community service projects, or leadership roles. Emphasize how these experiences have shaped your skills, knowledge, and commitment to the dental profession.

Demonstrate Your Personal Growth: Reflect on challenges you have faced and the lessons you have learned along the way. Discuss how these experiences have contributed to your personal growth, resilience, and adaptability. Admissions committees appreciate candidates who can demonstrate self-awareness and the ability to overcome obstacles.

Connect Your Background to Dentistry: Illustrate how your background, whether cultural, educational, or personal, has influenced your perspective on oral health and patient care. Showcasing the unique insights you bring to the field can make your personal statement more memorable and impactful.

Emphasize Your Skills and Qualities: Highlight the skills, qualities, and values that make you well-suited for a career in dentistry. These may include attention to detail, empathy, problem-solving abilities, effective communication, and a strong work ethic. Demonstrate how you have developed and applied these attributes in relevant situations.

Show, Don't Just Tell: Instead of simply listing your achievements and qualities, provide concrete examples that illustrate them. Use storytelling techniques to vividly describe experiences and convey the impact they had on your personal and professional development.

Discuss Your Future Goals: Convey your vision for your future dental career and how you plan to make a positive impact in the field. Explain why you are specifically interested in the dental program you are applying to and how it aligns with your goals.

Seek Feedback and Revise: Share your personal statement draft with trusted mentors, professors, or writing advisors for feedback. Incorporate their suggestions and revise your essay to ensure clarity, coherence, and strong overall structure. Take the time to proofread and edit meticulously for grammar and spelling errors. The Writing Lab staff is particularly trained to provide feedback on personal statements.

Be Authentic and Reflect Your Voice: While it's essential to present your best self, be genuine and let your unique voice shine through. Admissions committees are interested in getting to know the real you, so avoid using clichés or trying to fit into a perceived mold of what a personal statement should sound like.

Writing Your Opening

Tips for crafting a compelling opening.

Start with an engaging anecdote: Begin your personal statement with a captivating story or experience that is relevant to your journey towards dental school. This can help grab the reader's attention and create an emotional connection.

Showcase your passion: Express your genuine enthusiasm for the field of dentistry right from the beginning. Use compelling language and vivid descriptions to convey your dedication and interest.

Start with a captivating statement: Begin with a bold or provocative statement that challenges conventional wisdom or presents a unique viewpoint. This can pique the reader's interest and make them eager to explore your ideas further.

Craft a compelling hook: Create a compelling hook that grabs the reader's attention right from the beginning. It can be a surprising statement, a captivating story, or a thought-provoking observation that entices the reader to continue reading.

Pose a thought-provoking question: Begin with a thought-provoking question that prompts the reader to ponder an important dentistry or care-focused issue. This can stimulate their curiosity and make them eager to delve deeper into your personal statement.

Share a personal experience: Open with a personal anecdote or experience that influenced your decision to pursue dentistry. Be specific and provide details that highlight your growth, resilience, or commitment to your field.

Provide a compelling statistic or fact: Begin with a surprising statistic or compelling fact that underscores the significance of dentistry or a particular issue you are passionate about. This can immediately capture attention and emphasize the importance of your personal statement. Whatever statistic you use, immediately connect it to YOU as an applicant.

Paint a vivid picture: Use descriptive language to create a vivid scene or imagery that transports the reader into a specific moment or event. This can help them visualize your experiences and connect with your narrative on a deeper level. Talk about how the air feels in a treatment room, the grim in our eyes after a long day of shadowing, or how to make a cast. These details set you apart.

Use a unique perspective: Introduce your personal statement with a fresh and unique perspective that showcases your individuality. Avoid clichés and strive to present a fresh take on your experiences or motivations for pursuing law.

Your opening should be engaging, authentic, and reflective of your personal journey and aspirations. It sets the tone for your entire personal statement, so invest time and effort into crafting an impactful introduction.

Things To Avoid When Writing an Opening Paragraph 

Clichés: Avoid using overused phrases or clichés that can make your opening sound generic or uninspired. Aim for originality and authenticity in your writing. Statements such as "Since I was a kid, I wanted to be a dentist..." doesn't grab attention because it is overdone...unless it is core to your intent to study dentistry.

Generic statements: Steer clear of generic statements that could apply to any applicant. Instead, focus on showcasing your unique experiences, perspectives, and motivations. "Treatment of teeth is important to the overall health of a community." This means nothing to a committee.

Excessive quotations: While a well-placed quote can be impactful, avoid relying too heavily on quotes to carry your opening. Your personal statement should primarily reflect your own voice and thoughts. YOU are who they want to hear from!

Negative or overly personal information: While it's important to be authentic, avoid sharing overly personal or negative information in your opening. Maintain a professional tone and focus on the positive aspects of your experiences and aspirations.

Rhetorical questions without purpose: If you choose to use a rhetorical question in your opening, ensure that it serves a purpose and relates directly to your narrative. Avoid using rhetorical questions solely for the sake of grabbing attention. "How important is dentistry?" is vague and meaningless. Show them why you think dentistry is important.

Excessive background information: While some context is necessary, avoid providing excessive background information in your opening. Get to the heart of your story or motivation without delving into unnecessary details. Rather than providing every detail of your research study on mice, cut to the findings. A committee does not need the gory details. They need to know what qualities you are trying to illustrate.

Overly complex or technical language: Keep your opening clear and accessible by avoiding overly complex or technical language. Aim for a balance between sophistication and readability.

Repeating information from your resume: Your personal statement should complement, not repeat, the information already present in your resume. Avoid duplicating information and instead focus on providing unique insights and perspectives.

Inappropriate humor or gimmicks: While a touch of humor can be refreshing, be cautious with jokes or gimmicks in your opening. Ensure that any humor you incorporate aligns with the professional tone expected in a law school personal statement. There's no way to know if your humor matches with the committee's.

Tips to Strengthen Your Authentic Voice

Why does an "authentic voice" matter.

Your medical school personal statement is an opportunity to showcase your unique perspective, experiences, and voice. Admissions committees are interested in getting to know you as an individual and future colleague, so it's crucial to convey your authentic self in your personal statement.

Be True to Yourself: Write in a manner that reflects your true personality, values, and beliefs. Avoid trying to mimic someone else's writing style or presenting yourself as someone you think the admissions committee wants to see. Authenticity shines through and helps you stand out among the applicant pool.

Pro-tip: Don't read too many example personal statements. Read 2-3 to get a feel for the genre. Then, set those examples aside and start outlining your own. 

Use Natural Language: Write in a way that feels comfortable and natural to you. Avoid using overly formal or complex language if it doesn't reflect your everyday communication style. However, remember to maintain a professional tone appropriate for a medical school application.

Share Personal Insights: Use your personal statement as an opportunity to share personal reflections, insights, and lessons learned from your experiences. Be open and honest about your journey, including any challenges you have faced. Sharing personal insights demonstrates self-awareness and maturity.

Showcase Your Passion: Convey your genuine enthusiasm for dentistry, research, and/or care. Share specific experiences, encounters, or academic interests that have sparked your passion for pursuing a medical career. Let your enthusiasm and dedication shine through in your writing.

Highlight Your Individuality: Embrace what makes you unique. Discuss your diverse background, perspectives, or interests that set you apart from other applicants. Your individuality brings valuable perspectives to the dental profession and can contribute to a diverse and inclusive learning environment.

Fun fact: You can break with convention in dental school personal statements. You can write a poem, write creative fiction, or break with traditional norms in mechanics or grammar. As long as you are intentional and you feel it is illustrating who YOU ARE, then you can submit something non-traditional. 

Use Personal Examples and Stories: Support your statements with personal anecdotes and examples that demonstrate who you are and what you have accomplished. Personal stories help the reader connect with your experiences on a deeper level and make your personal statement more engaging.

Revise and Seek Feedback: After writing your personal statement, revise it with a critical eye, focusing on maintaining your authentic voice. Ensure that the final version accurately represents who you are. It can be helpful to seek feedback from trusted advisors, mentors, or writing professionals to ensure that your authentic voice shines through. The staff at the Writing Lab is prepared to support your authentic voice. 

Being true to yourself in your personal statement allows the admissions committee to gain a genuine understanding of your character, passions, and aspirations. Let your unique voice and perspective be the driving force behind your personal statement, and present yourself as a confident and authentic candidate for dental school.

Tips for Emphasizing Empathy and Advocacy

Connect empathy to understanding clients: Show your understanding of the importance of empathy in medicine, particularly when working with patients and families going through challenging situations. Explain how you will approach patient care with empathy, compassion, and a commitment to their best interests. If you do not think that this figures into the way you are approaching dental study, emphasize your research interests instead. 

Discuss experiences working with marginalized communities: If you have experience working with marginalized communities or advocating for underrepresented groups, highlight these experiences in your personal statement. Demonstrate your understanding of systemic issues and your commitment to promoting justice and equality in dental care.

Describe your future goals: Explain how you plan to use your dental degree to advocate for positive change in society. Discuss specific areas of dentistry that interest you and how you hope to make a difference in those areas. This shows your dedication to using dental care as a tool for empathy and advocacy.

Connect personal stories to medical aspirations: Weave personal stories and experiences throughout your personal statement to humanize your narrative and demonstrate your personal connection to empathy and advocacy. Show how these experiences have influenced your decision to pursue a career in dentistry and how they will inform your approach to care.

Be specific and concrete: Provide specific examples, anecdotes, or experiences that illustrate your commitment to empathy and advocacy. This adds depth and credibility to your statement and helps the admissions committee understand the impact you can make.

Developing Your Storyline

Start with reflection: Take some time to reflect on your experiences, values, and motivations that have led you to pursue dentistry. Consider the key moments, challenges, or turning points in your life that have shaped your journey.

Identify a central theme: Choose a central theme or message that you want to convey in your personal statement. This could be a core value, a significant experience, or a particular aspect of your identity that is relevant to your interest in a dental care career.

Create an outline: Outline the key points and events you want to include in your personal statement. Organize them in a logical sequence to create a coherent narrative that flows smoothly from one idea to the next.

Use transitions effectively: Employ transitional phrases and words to connect different sections of your personal statement and create a smooth transition from one idea to another. This helps to maintain coherence and clarity throughout your narrative. Watch out for your habits in transitions. Don't repeat a transition in your statement. 

Show progression and growth: Demonstrate how your experiences have shaped your growth, maturity, and readiness for dental school. Highlight the lessons learned, challenges overcome, and the development of key skills or qualities relevant to the medical field.

Be selective with details: Choose the most relevant and impactful details to include in your personal statement. Avoid including excessive or unnecessary information that may distract from your central storyline.

Maintain focus and clarity: Stay focused on your central theme and avoid going off on tangents or introducing unrelated ideas. Ensure that every aspect of your personal statement supports your overall storyline.

Use storytelling techniques: Incorporate storytelling techniques such as vivid descriptions, dialogue, and engaging narratives to make your personal statement more compelling and memorable.

Tips For Connecting Your Experiences to Dentistry

Highlight relevant experiences: Identify experiences from your academic, professional, and personal life that have direct or indirect connections to dentistry. These could include clinicals, shadowing, internships, volunteer work, research projects, or leadership roles.

Draw parallels: Find connections between your experiences and the skills, values, or principles that are important in medicine. Showcase how your experiences have developed qualities such as care giving, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, or advocacy. Don't put the work on the committee to make these connections. Do that work as the writer. 

Provide concrete examples: Use specific examples or anecdotes to illustrate how your experiences have influenced your understanding of dentistry and its impact on individuals or communities.

Emphasize your unique perspective: Highlight any experiences or backgrounds that bring a unique perspective to medicine. This could include cultural, socioeconomic, or personal experiences that inform your understanding of justice and equity. 

Connect to your long-term goals: Explain how your experiences align with your long-term goals in dentistry. Articulate how your background and interests make you a strong candidate for pursuing a specific area of dentistry or a particular career path. If you don't know what your long-term goals are, that's okay. Do your best to illustrate your intent to study dentistry and find a specialization that best fits you as you learn more at their institution. 

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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 dental school personal statement examples from our own past successful students, and then our  dental school advisors  will go over our proven strategies to help you create your own from scratch! As you review these examples keep in mind that these are final works and the result of multiple rounds of reviews by our admissions experts as part of our  application review  programs. Writing fantastic statements for dental school requires patience and multiple rounds of revisions before a perfect statement can be written.

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Article Contents 15 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 to 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 centre 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. 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 to meet 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. Unfortunately, willpower and desire were not enough. 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 2nd 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. (4,497 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. For the personal statement, your opening should hook in the reader. This writer does this well.
• 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. If you’re in a position to use your personal statement as a way to address gaps or inconsistencies, then you can follow the same rule.
• 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. The student who wrote this sample described their experiences shadowing, being a part-time employee, and volunteering at a foundation. If you have many experiences like these, don’t simply list them off, but select a few to describe in more depth.

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 timing 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 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 haemorrhaging. 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, Mirlande, 6, taught me about vulnerability and trust. 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 the 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.  (4,500 characters, including spaces)

A dental school personal statement is your opportunity to show admissions committees who you are as a person and aspiring dental professional, aside from your CV, GPA, Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) score, and other quantitative data. As any personal statement essay, the dental school personal essay should be a narrative account that gives the admissions committee the opportunity to learn more about you than what can be conveyed in a dry document like a CV or transcript. 

For dental school  ADEA AADSAS  applications, the American Dental Education Association requires an essay of no more than 4,500 characters (including spaces), which must demonstrate your key personal qualities, aspirations, and reasons for pursuing a career in dentistry to the schools to which you are applying. This process isn’t as standardized in Canadian programs, so you’ll need to check the application requirements for the programs and schools to which you are applying to see if a personal statement is required. In doing so, you can also learn whether there are any specific requirements regarding the length of the essay, whether there is a specific prompt to which you must respond in your dental school personal statement, and whether there are any other application requirements.

Want some more personal statement examples? Watch this video:

Writing a Strong Dental School Personal Statement

If you're applying to  dental schools in Canada  or the US, a personal statement, or similar essay, is often required as part of your application package, regardless of whether you're applying through AADSAS or  TMDSAS . It’s important to craft a statement that draws from your experiences, such as your dental school extracurriculars. You can also refer to your dental school application experience examples , or even your dental school letter of recommendation for help. This blog will help you understand the key things you must do (and that you must avoid) in composing your essay, with dental school personal statement examples that demonstrate these strategies, so that you can draft the strongest, most compelling dental school personal statement possible.

1. Tell a story

Ideally, you will craft a story or detail a defining moment that helped you realize why this is the profession you want to pursue. 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.

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, while stirring the interest of your reader. Review our blog,  dental school acceptance rates  to find out which schools are best suited for you. Admissions committees will review hundreds of these personal statements, so draw on the values of the profession and the mission of the institution to highlight your alignment with the vision and goals of this vocation, and do so in a way that is engaging and enjoyable to read. Again, narrative is a great way of doing this – people love stories and are often naturally drawn in by them. Bear this in mind as you begin drafting your essay.

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

3. Be authentic and readable

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. Don’t try to cram in complicated terminology or jargon, thinking it will make you sound smarter (it won’t – true experts know how to explain their ideas effectively to an audience of non-specialists), and don’t rely on clichés (e.g., “I want to help people” – this is a lovely desire, but it’s over-used and too generic). Use polished prose that represents your genuine voice and reasons for pursuing the profession, and write in a way that will be comprehensible even to those outside this particular specialization. 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 desired contributions to the field

Quite simply, you need to explain why you will be a good dentist, in both practical terms and in terms of devoting yourself to patient care. You need to show that you know how to become a dentist in terms of skills and experience; there will be other opportunities to address other aspects of your candidacy through things like the dental school manual dexterity question or the multiple mini interview (MMI) collaboration station . For now, answer the following questions: what does it mean to you to dedicate yourself to the profession and to patients? What experiences have you had with the dental profession so far, and how have these impacted you? What are your priorities as an aspiring dentist? Thinking through these questions, while also pointing to concrete experiences or accomplishments that support your responses, will help the committee see not just who you are now, but who you are working to become as you pursue the goal of becoming a dental professional.

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

Things to Avoid in a Dental School Personal Statement

Here are some key “don’ts” in composing your dental school personal statement:

1. Don’t summarize your CV

Your personal statement shouldn’t simply repeat information available elsewhere in your application materials. Referring to experiences discussed in those materials, for the purpose of expanding on them or contextualizing them, is fine. Just ensure that you’re actually doing that work and demonstrating the significance of the experience(s) you describe. For example, if your CV indicates that you’ve done volunteer work at a dental clinic or with an organization, it’s totally fine to discuss this volunteer work in your personal statement; however, that discussion must go beyond what is offered in your other application materials. Your dental school personal statement shouldn't be a dry recitation of events in your CV. It should be a persuasive and engaging work that draws on just a few select experiences that epitomize your interests, priorities, and the work you've done so far in working toward becoming a dentist. For example, instead of giving names, dates, and general facts about your experience as a volunteer, you can tell a story of a particularly meaningful accomplishment or interaction, reflecting on how it helped solidify your desire to pursue this career.

2. Don’t dwell on negative experiences

If you’ve overcome challenges or if there are less-than-ideal aspects of your educational experience so far (such as a term where your GPA took a dip), it’s fine to address these in a personal statement essay. However, it is crucial that you reflect on this from a perspective of growth, resiliency, and capacity for improvement, rather than focusing on the negatives. If your grades took a hit one term because of extenuating circumstances, by all means, take some time to explain this, if you think it will be helpful (and it often is). However, the discussion around the circumstances should be minimal – just a set-up for a more substantial discussion of what you learned, how you grew, etc. – and you shouldn’t use this as an opportunity to make excuses. Rather, briefly describe the event, own up to your mistake or misstep (if applicable), and then spend the most time explaining how you addressed the issue, how you moved past it, and why you will be a better future professional for having gone through it.

Probably the biggest mistake students make is to not take the personal statement seriously enough, waiting until just a few days before it’s due to even begin. You must begin early – a strong personal statement essay can take months and numerous revisions to be the best it can possibly be. You need to put a lot of thought into this document, as it is a very important component of your application. This is your chance – and often your only chance – to address the evaluators on a human level, prior to answering  dental school interview questions , including   MMI questions . So, rather than thinking of this as a chore, think of it as an opportunity to demonstrate your best self to the admissions committee. 

4. Don’t submit your dental school personal statement without getting expert feedback

The personal statement isn’t just about what you’ve done, it’s about who you are – what your values are, what your priorities are, what your reasons for pursuing this profession are, and how all of these things align with the discipline and school you are approaching with your application package. Getting expert feedback from those on the “other side” of such applications, those who have gone through the process successfully or those who have been part of admissions committees, will give you incredibly valuable insights into how to make your own personal experiences stand out and work for you most effectively. At this stage of your professional development, you face a wealth of “unknown-unknowns”; i.e., things that you don’t even know to look for or consider, because it's likely that you simply haven’t been exposed to the field or the process long enough or in an official capacity. This can be a considerable hindrance, so don’t try to take on this task alone. Seek out expert feedback, and do so early enough that you can review, revise, and implement any necessary changes to make your dental school personal statement the best it can possibly be.

8 Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Dental school personal statement example #3, dental school personal statement example #4, dental school personal statement example #5, dental school personal statement example #6, dental school personal statement example #7, dental school personal statement example #8, dental school personal statement example #9, dental school personal statement example #10.

• Starting too late. Getting your personal statement right requires multiple edits and revisions. If you start working on your statement too late, you risk running out of time for proper revisions and edits, leaving a rushed, sub-par statement. Remember, your personal statement is a direct reflection of who you are as a person, and who you'll become as a dentist. It's not something that can be, nor should be rushed.
• Showing instead of telling, for example, saying “I'm a great listener” instead of demonstrating that you're a great listener through real examples in your essay.
• Focusing on too many experiences. In general, it's best to discuss 2-3 experiences in your personal statement. You should be able to discuss each experience in-depth, and reflect on what you learned from a particular experience. Too many experiences crammed in doesn't allow you to really expand on each experience and doesn't provide an in-depth analysis of how this experience was transformative on your path to becoming a dentist.
• Listing information that's already found in your application materials. Your personal statement is not a list, instead, it should be a story of your journey to dentistry.
• Jumping around in time. Your personal statement should be in chronological order, beginning with your initial interest in dentistry and evolving to your absolution that dentistry is the right career path for you. Jumping around in time makes for a disjointed essay that will come across as confusing to admissions committee members. In addition, you want to ensure that you utilize strong transitional sentences, as these tie together paragraphs and aid in the overall flow of your essay.
• Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Mistakes and errors in your personal statement are harmful because they tell admissions committees that you're not detail-oriented, you rushed your statement and because of that, you don't really care about it, or their program. Ensure your statement is reviewed multiple times, ideally with a professional's help, to ensure your essay puts your best foot forward and is free from any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.
• Boasting. While you can certainly highlight a few key accomplishments in your statement, such as finishing at the top of your class or raising money for a good cause, it's important that you are tactful in how you phrase your accomplishments. You always want to be humble, and think about what an achievement means to you and why. Lastly, it's a good idea to reflect on what you learned from your achievements and how that can translate in your career as a dentist.

While the majority of your personal statement should be about you - your experiences and how they relate to your decision to pursue dentistry, 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. As long as you circle back to why this story is significant in your pursuit of dentistry, what you learned from the experience or even how an experience changed your point of view.

Your personal statement must adhere to the ADEA's character count of 4500 characters, including spaces. However, this doesn't mean that you must include this many characters. As long as your essay is below the count, it's most important that you focus on creating a powerful, in-depth essay that proves to the admissions committee why you want to be a dentist and why you would be suitable for a career in this field, then it's perfectly acceptable.

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. A poorly crafted personal statement can result in rejection from dental school, so it's essential that your statement is both engaging and memorable to secure you an invitation to interview.

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

• Brainstorm ideas.
• Create an outline.
• Focus on body paragraphs first using a maximum of 3 experiences.
• Ensure you SHOW what you learned (don’t tell) by using examples.
• Write your conclusion.
• Write your introduction last.
• Attention-grabbing introduction: Not just a thesis statement, but something interesting to draw the reader in, like a quote or a story.
• Transitions: These should lead from one paragraph to the next, creating flow. Use linking words such as however, additionally, also, next, etc.
• Strong examples: This way you are showing, not telling.
• Clear and direct language: Your language does not have to be fancy, what's most important is that it's easy to read and follow. For example, “utilize” is one of the most over-used words in academic essays and “use” works just as well.
• Conclusion: This should summarize your main points, but also leave the reader with a compelling closing sentence that makes them want to find out more about you. For example, include a call back to your opening anecdote and highlight how far you have come.

Dental school personal statement editing, just like medical school personal statement editing , is very important. Begin by writing the BEST first draft you can and then begin your edit. Don’t write something of average quality, half-done, or way over the character limit. Trying to work from these copies will only create confusion and delays. Next, you should read your essay out loud to yourself sentence by sentence to ensure it flows well and to catch any grammatical errors. Each sentence should be contributing to the overall point. If you find yourself repeating your thoughts in multiple forms, think about paring your sentences down. Quality is more important than quantity.

Next, repeat this process 2-3 times. Resist the urge to keep tinkering over and over again. There are multiple strong ways to word sentences and express your thoughts. There are probably even multiple experiences you could highlight and have an equally strong personal statement. However, obsessing over each sentence and word once you have written a strong statement will just lead to changing too many things, delays, you feeling nervous, and sometimes even a weaker essay than you started with!

Yes, you can definitely 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 definitely mention non-academic experiences.

It’s certainly normal to want input from others when we are crafting personal statements. A strong reviewer is one who has experience and expertise with professional school applications and has helped other students before. For example, someone with an advanced degree like a practicing dentist or other professional. Even though you may feel tempted to ask friends and family, you may want to refrain from this, as they are often invested in your success and may find it hard to be objective.

Try to find someone who does not know you so well so they can give objective guidance. The other thing you want to avoid is having “too many chefs in the kitchen.” Too many different people reviewing your statement is only going to pull it in too many different directions, ultimately leading to confusion and even more delays. And again, some students might feel more comfortable using a dental school admissions consulting service for this aspect of their application.

Just like you would address this during an interview, your statement can address areas of concern by following these steps:

• Take responsibility.
• Explain mitigating factors.
• Don't make excuses.
• Share strategies for what you learned and how you would avoid a situation like this in the future. 
• Make sure you end on a positive or proactive note.

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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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The personal statement is one of the most important parts of the ADEA AADSAS ® (ADEA Associated American Dental School Application Service) application. It gives a dental school’s admissions committee the opportunity to assess your motivations and decide if you will be extended an invitation to interview. Often, it takes a long time to write it, and individuals may feel lost on how to approach it. I will help guide you on the path to successfully writing an effective personal statement. 

You should be very clear on the statement’s purpose. Apart from being clear on the dental or dental hygiene program and/or university’s mission focus, you should also be aware of and communicate what you want to achieve by becoming a health care provider. Ask yourself these questions:

• What drives you to be a dentist or dental hygienist?
• What will you achieve by becoming a dentist or dental hygienist?

These questions are important and should be answered within the personal statement. If you have clear answers, you will have a clear vision of the content of your personal statement’s purpose.

The next step is to define the content before you start writing the essay. It should revolve around your personal story, which could start from anywhere you like. For example, you could start when you chose to pursue this profession, or you can start from the present and explain how you’re investing time in and outside of school into building yourself into a better future dentist or dental hygienist. The beginning should be impactful , but do not sit on the beginning statement too long. Rereading and editing will help you get there. Sometimes, you might need to write the whole essay to identify a clear beginning statement.

After a decent beginning, focus on the rest of the story. Remember, it is a personal statement and it should be personal. Convey your story in an interesting manner. Project your personality. The admissions committee knows your GPA and have your CV/resume. What they want to know is who you really are. Add anecdotes from the journey that brought you to dentistry/dental hygiene. Add experiences from your personal life that highlight certain qualities essential to being a successful health care provider. If there were any dentists that you admired, shadowed or worked for who encouraged you to follow suit into dentistry, make sure you highlight the characteristics you admired in them.

Concluding statements are important, too. There should be a delightful epilogue to your essay summarizing the intent, while throwing light on the future and how completing the dental program will put you in a better position to help the community overall.

Use of Language

Judging the quality of your grammar is not the admissions committee’s goal when they read personal statements, but it serves to your advantage if you are meticulous with the words you choose. Certain avoidable grammatical or syntax errors may shift the focus of the reader from the message to the mistakes. It is important to reread and edit out such mistakes. Doing so also conveys your sincere efforts toward making a successful application.

Sentence structure is also important in making a script that flows well and keeps the reader’s attention. Small, interrupted sentences may not allow the reader to follow your thoughts through the punctuation marks, while long, complicated sentences may leave the reader stranded and confused with no closure. We often do not realize these mistakes as we write because the focus is not on sentence structure but on the content. Make sure you go back and read the essay thoroughly to make it easy for others to read. Follow up by using the most suitable conjunctions and transitional words and phrases.

Give yourself plenty of time for the writing process. Always try to start the personal statement early and do not leave it for last. Take a day off, sleep well, focus and write the first draft of the personal statement. At this point, do not think of the word limits and grammar—simply put your heart on paper and then, forget about it. Reread and edit it, afresh. Repeat the process three to four times and then seek help from an advisor or your friends and family. Let at least three to four trusted people read it and ask them to give their opinions and criticisms. Make sure they understand what you are trying to convey in the first place, then consider all their suggestions. Make edits per your liking and, at this stage of editing, lock down the major content of your essay. If your reviewers’ suggestions are contrasting and confusing, it is okay to make two separate drafts and elect to use the one that appeals to you the most. Edit and re-edit the draft you like the best and ask the reviewers to review the new version(s) again. You can always get new people to review it as well.

After you are happy with the content, focus on the language and presentation. Ask the reviewers to read it again and submit it after you feel confident about it. While taking suggestions from others, remember it is your personal statement, so stay true to yourself and do not sway from being yourself to impress others.

Good luck! 

About Anirudha Agnihotry, B.D.S., D.D.S.:

Anirudha Agnihotry, B.D.S., D.D.S.

General Dentist/Clinical Researcher

Private Practice, California

Dr. Agnihotry graduated from Manipal College of Dental Sciences with a Bachelor's in Dental Surgery (B.D.S.) degree in 2012. After a one-year clinical internship, he joined the faculty in the Operative Dentistry and Endodontics Department in Mahatma Gandhi Dental College, where he also maintained a faculty practice. After that, he moved to Divya Jyoti College of Dental Sciences and Research in the Public Health Dentistry. There, Dr. Agnihotry worked setting up community outreach clinics and school oral health programs as well as training dental students. In 2014, Agnihotry moved to the United States and completed a post-graduate certificate training in Restorative Dentistry and following that, worked as a researcher in the same department at the University of California, Los Angeles. After that, he enrolled in an intense accelerated program to obtain his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree in two years, graduating in 2018. He is currently practicing general dentistry in California.

Dr. Agnihotry has been in dentistry for 12 years, as a student and a teacher at times. He has published 12 international scientific research papers, presented in international conferences, is a referee for six international scientific journals and has also written a textbook chapter. His focus is patient-centered outcomes and secondary research with clinical outcomes in focus. Apart from dentistry, he enjoys swimming, playing squash, running, biking, barbecuing and takes a keen interest in all art forms.

• Dental Hygiene
• Community Health
• Dental School
• Post-doctoral Education
• Summer 2022
• Spring 2022
• Winter 2020
• Spring 2020
• Summer 2018

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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.

Read more @ ADEA Go Dental

Given how important the personal statement is to a successful application, Yang dedicated the entire second half of her book to it. In this section, 30 successful traditional and non-traditional dental students from diverse backgrounds share the personal statements they used to gain admission into a top school of choice.

These students crafted personal statements that genuinely impressed admissions committees and got them into dental school – the exception, not the norm.

 “We got over 50 submissions [for personal statements]. They were all very good. I worked with a team of eight other young dentists to distribute them, had them blinded, and had each essay critiqued and ranked based on quality of writing, how substantial the essays were and how effective they were.”

This process ultimately resulted in 30 top selections. Yang never thought she would get the submissions needed to fulfill the project, but the interest of young dentists to share their statements and help others was clear.

The personal statements showcase helpful examples of what works, and more importantly, expert feedback on why they worked. They offer practical guidance on how to present a story and background to gain an edge in one of the most competitive admissions processes out there.

“When I talk to pre-dental students, most people don’t think of themselves as unique or interesting or impressive. They are like ‘my grades are average, my stats are average. How on earth do I stand out?”

It’s a very common problem, but Yang recognizes that every applicant has something genuinely worthwhile to share, “The first thing I do when I meet with any pre-dental student is I get them to talk about themselves. From that, you can tell that everyone has a unique story that no one else has.

So even though they may not feel special because they lived with that their whole life, you can say ‘Look, no one else has your story. If you can wisely tell that story, that would make you seem different and more outstanding than other applicants.’”

Dr. Yang holds little back in this thorough book. She provides an unadulterated and authentic account of what it takes to thrive in the admissions process, present a compelling story and individuality, and plan for the long-term commitment that a career in the field demands.

Dr. Yang exudes a genuine passion for helping pre-dental students accomplish their dreams. Her book is an invaluable resource that has culminated from her years of experience in dental admissions and her desire to offer a more holistic strategy than the formulaic types of admission tips that are often seen.

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.

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Writing a personal statement for dental schools

Is what I’m writing too personal or not personal enough? Should I be writing more about teeth?  How do I shorten my personal statement without omitting important details? Am I even answering the prompt!?

Writing a personal statement can be an intimidating step in the application process for dental school. I remember reading dozens of example essays online trying to find the “perfect one” that would inspire me and guide my writing so that I would end up with a personal statement that could sum up my entire personality and life goals in just 4,500 characters. The reality is that trying to display who you are and the experiences that make you who you are in one page can be daunting and challenging. But is not impossible! Passion is something that can be detected through writing, so make sure to write about something that you are passionate about and it will be evident to the reader. A common misconception is that your dental school personal statement should be a list of dental experiences or how much you know about dentistry. Although you should be answering the question “why dentistry," the main objective is to paint a picture of who you are and what led you to pursue this career. So, where do  you start? 

Here are 3 tips on writing a personal statement that will make you stand out:

1. always keep the prompt in mind.

The personal statement prompt for dental admission usually doesn’t change and is posted on the ADEA website as the following:

“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.”

Make sure that every sentence- every word- you write serves the purpose of answering the question above. If you find yourself writing about something that you feel doesn’t answer the prompt in one way or another, then it doesn’t belong in your PS. The allotted characters are concise and don’t allow for fluff or fillers. Once you have understood the prompt and the message you want to get across to admissions, then picking your words and what you want to share is made easier. 

2. It is okay to be vulnerable

If there is a life changing moment that you believe ties in to why you are pursuing dentistry, then don’t feel shy to write about it. We all have vulnerable moments, and you might be on the fence on whether to include those moments or not. My advice is to go for it! These moments give the reader a chance to get to know you outside of an academic context. In a pile of 1,000s of essays, you want the reader to connect with you, stories of vulnerability help make that connection.

3. If you talk about an adverse event, make sure to write an ending 

Many applicants do a great job at setting the scene to their stories but forget to write the ending! Let’s say, for example, that I write about the time I worked at a bakery (I wish!) and had many complex orders that needed to be done by the end of the day. I write about how difficult the task was and how impossible it first seemed. Then, I write that I was able to finish everything up and felt good about it. There are many things missing that highlight the significance of why I am writing this story. If you write about a certain experience in a story format, it should answer some of these questions:

• What have I learned from this experience and how can I implement it to answering the prompt?
• What skills (leadership) traits did I gain from this experience?
• In adverse times, what/ who do I find myself turning to? And why?
• What did I learn about myself through this experience?

By adding dimension and reflection to your stories, the reader will have a better understanding of who you are and how you react to difficult situations. Remember, this point circles back to tip #1: always keep the prompt in mind. By showing growth through your experiences, you demonstrate the resilience that you have that is needed to get through dental school!

Hoda is a dental student at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. She previously earned a BS in Biological Sciences with minors in Chemistry and Psychology at the University of Illinois in Chicago, graduating summa cum laude.

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Guides & Info

Dentistry Personal Statement Examples

Last updated: 05/10/2022

• Is Medicine Right for Me?
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• Different Routes into Medicine
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The personal statement is changing to a series of free text questions for 2026 entry onwards, however it remains unchanged for 2025 entry. Keep an eye on our live updates page for guidance on these changes.

Writing a dentistry personal statement that you’re proud of is hard.

Many students struggle to boil down their skills and experiences to just 4,000 characters and it is tricky to know where to focus. 

Example statements are a great way to gain this insight.

In this article, we cover the following:

• Strong and weak dentistry personal statements 
• A breakdown of other peoples’ successes and mistakes
• Ideas for what to include in your own personal statement 

Once you've read this, check out dental interview questions to build on what you've learnt.

For an overview of personal statement writing, read our Personal Statement Guide for Medical and Dental Schools . This is essential reading and goes further than just examples!

Strong personal statement example

“I first became interested in studying dentistry between the ages of 12 and 15, when I visited my local dentist frequently to get my braces checked and tightened. 

I talked with her at length about the nature of her job and was struck by the huge impact she could have on the people she met daily. 

She actively improved the quality of life of every patient she encountered, and had to astutely apply scientific principles in a social setting in order to make patients feel at ease and achieve the best results. I was truly inspired by this experience and decided to investigate dentistry as a career.

In order to deepen my insight into the profession I carried out a week’s work experience in a local dental hospital. I saw how dentists of every stage were keen to learn, constantly assessing their performance and striving to improve. 

This drove home the importance of self-awareness and constant reflection, but also introduced me to the idea of lifelong learning which is something I find particularly attractive. 

During this placement I also took my first look inside a patient’s mouth and observed dentists constructing bridges, veneers and crowns. This exposed me to the aesthetic side of dentistry - a dentist not only aims to alleviate pain but can engage with the more cosmetic aspect of healthcare, something that most medical specialties cannot match. 

I organised a number of work experience placements in local dental surgeries, and throughout my shadowing was struck by the bonds dentists formed with their patients. They often had to utilise great communication skills and empathy to calm down or reassure anxious patients, and they worked hard to build up a rapport with everyone who entered the surgery. This encouraged patients to attend checkups more frequently and be more open about their worries, thereby improving the quality of care they received. 

As a result of my reflection on these experiences, I took up weekly volunteering in a local care home and reading to children in the dental hospital. These opportunities helped me become a far better communicator, as many of the residents of the care home were elderly or suffered from dementia meaning I had to adopt different visual or verbal strategies to get my message across. Many of the young patients in the dental hospital felt lonely and nervous, and by empathising with them I was able to help them relax and focus on the positives.

Outside academia, I play water polo and run in my school’s athletic team. Both of these sports have helped me become a better team player and I’ve learned that you can always achieve the best results by working efficiently in a team rather than going it alone. 

I am a particularly ambitious sportsperson and I’ve received the Most Valuable Player award in my waterpolo league for three years running, and have been a captain for four. 

As a captain, I am a decisive leader; In the heat of a match it’s important for me to make snap decisions and for my teammates to trust me. However, out of the pool I take every view into account and try to make sure that everyone has been heard and feels involved. 

I also try to identify the strengths and weaknesses of everyone in the team - myself included - so that we can play to our strengths in matches and work on our weaknesses in training.  

I think that the ambition, teamwork and leadership I’ve demonstrated through my sports will serve me well as a dentist, allowing me to work efficiently with others while constantly striving to improve personally. My participation in these sports has also allowed me to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Becoming a dentist would allow me to have a truly positive effect on the people I work with, while also challenging me and ensuring I’m always learning and improving. I believe that my work experience, volunteering and extracurricular activities have provided me with the skills and insight necessary to become an empathetic and effective dentist.”

Strong personal statement analysis

This example displays many characteristics of a good personal statement. 

• Well structured.
• The candidate comes across as well-rounded and motivated, without appearing arrogant.
• There are some minor areas that could be improved, but overall we think that this personal statement would impress university assessors.

Introduction

• The introduction uses an anecdote to illustrate the candidate’s interest in dentistry. This is a good way to show how your interest in dentistry might have started, but it wouldn’t be suitable to write that you decided to apply to dentistry simply because you liked seeing your dentist as a child. The candidate doesn’t fall into this trap, and makes sure to highlight that this experience only inspired them to do further investigation into the career.
• The candidate goes on to describe how they deepened their insight in the main body paragraph, adding cohesiveness.
• The candidate also demonstrates some good insight into dentistry by discussing the unique blend of social skills and scientific knowhow required by dentists.

Main body paragraphs 

• Variety - the candidate’s three main body paragraphs discuss some of their work experience placements, volunteering roles and extracurricular interests. 
• Quality over quantity - they focus far more on individual experiences while going into more detail, and avoiding lists (although they witnessed a huge number of things during a week of work experience, they choose to focus on a couple of key experiences).
• Insight - the statement demonstrates insight into the profession on multiple occasions. They talk about the prominence of lifelong learning, the aesthetic/cosmetic side of dentistry, and how building a rapport with patients can lead to better outcomes.

Re-read the example, consider how the candidate: 

• Reflects on their experiences 
• Built on their experience
• Demonstrates relevant skills
• Demonstrates that they are ready for the challenges inherent in dentistry

Conclusion 

• Short, brief, and succinct. It doesn’t introduce any new information.
• The candidate doesn’t really speak enough about why they chose to study dentistry over medicine. They mention the dual focus on health and cosmetics, but could mention some other factors as well - for example, the fact that dentistry is more specialised from the start of the degree than medicine.
• They could show some more awareness of current news in the dental world.
• The candidate could also speak a little more about the challenges dentists face in the workplace and how they would cope.
• Discussion of paid employment would also have been beneficial.

Find more in-depth advice, tips and examples in our Personal Statement Course .

Weak personal statement example

“Dentistry has fascinated me from a very early age, as to me it seems like the perfect combination of practical and mental challenges. This has become even stronger since my brother found work as a dentist, having recently graduated from manchester University.

For the past 4 years, I’ve been looking after a local elderly lady who sometimes struggles to go shopping or carry out her daily tasks. This has helped me appreciate the satisfaction one can gain from helping others, and inspired me to pursue a career which will allow me to improve the lives of those around me - like dentistry!

As a result of my interest in medicine, I studied biology, physics and maths at A-Level. 

I’ve also carried out a variety of work experience placements over the years. During my GCSEs, I spent a week volunteering in a local NHS surgery, which exposed me to some of the challenges dentists face; they were often overworked, and had to deal with frustrated and anxious patients on a daily basis. 

I really enjoyed this experience, so I decided to take on another two week block at a dental hospital . While I was there, I shadowed receptionists, helping them to book appointments and organise the dentists’ timetables. I also managed to see dentists make diagnoses and watch a huge range of different dental procedures, from regular checkups to fillings and root canals. I spent time in the in-house dental laboratory, and was taken through the construction of veneers, crowns and bridges. I was also able to shadow dentists over a whole day in their life, seeing the admin and meetings they had to trudge through on top of the more exciting clinical work.

In my free time I enjoy playing the violin and listening to music. I am also a dedicated member of a number of sports teams, including basketball, tennis and hockey. I am proficient at both individual and team sports, showing that I can work well with others, but also self-motivate and set my own targets. 

I also enjoy watching films and socialising with my friends. More recently, I’ve really enjoyed keeping up with current dental news by reading the Journal of Dental Research and my brother’s old copies of the British Dental Journal.

Looking to the future, my great ambition is to work within the dentistry profession, where I believe I could have a really positive impact on the lives of the patients I work with. 

My work experience has set me up well to succeed, and I feel I have the desire and commitment to stick the course and become a successful yet empathetic dentist”

Weak personal statement example analysis

• Likely not to score well
• It isn’t nearly long enough (2520 characters) 
• It hasn’t been proofread and contains errors
• Did the candidate genuinely want to study dentistry from a young age? If it is true, it implies that they made this important decision based on an emotional impulse as a child.
• Being inspired to go into dentistry just because your sibling did is also not recommended. Just because it was right for them doesn’t make it right for you. 
• The mention of helping an elderly neighbour is good, but too brief. This is a great experience to reflect on and use to demonstrate both your motivations to study dentistry and your suitability for a caring role.
• At no point in the statement does the candidate explain why another caring profession wouldn’t be just as suitable for them. 
• There’s no mention of anything particularly specific to dentistry.

Main body paragraphs

• The first paragraph follows a list, with the candidate demonstrating that they have a real range of work experience placements (which is good) but without going into sufficient detail.
• There is very little reflection throughout these paragraphs. The candidate clearly has a good breadth of experience but can’t really explain anything they learned from it.
• They demonstrate very few relevant skills throughout the statement. They should talk more about how each experience they’ve had has improved them, either by helping them develop or demonstrate key skills that dentists need. Then, they should explain why dentists need these skills in the first place. 
• Describing the dentist’s admin and meetings as a ‘trudge’ and clinics as ‘exciting’ isn’t wise. This may be the case, but the reality is that dentists do spend a lot of their time writing notes, filling out paperwork and liaising with other healthcare professionals. If you find this particularly boring you either won’t be able to handle the job in the first place, or you’ll cut corners and thereby put patients at risk.
• There’s no mention of the importance of a work-life balance when talking about how they relax.
• It is crucial not to lie in your personal statement. It is possible that they do 'really enjoy' reading dental journals, but it is likely that your interviewers will latch onto this and quiz you repeatedly on it. 

However, it is worth mentioning the things these main body paragraphs do well:

• There is some reflection on the challenges faced by dentists, which will reassure the assessors that the candidate does have some insight and can reflect on their experiences.
• The candidate discusses the skills they demonstrated through their sports which is exactly the right thing to do. The only thing they’re missing is a linking of this to dentistry.

The Ultimate Guide to Studying Dentistry in the UK

• Remains brief and concise while summarising the rest of the statement and finishing with a strong, confident claim. 
• It is better to show “desire and commitment” to the profession earlier in the statement before introducing it in the conclusion. 
• Saying that work experience will set you up well for a career in dentistry is simply not true. Watching a couple of weeks’ worth of dental procedures will not make you a better dentist later in life. It is the reflection on those experiences that assessors are looking for.

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DentalPersonalStatement.com by Dr. Robert Edinger [email protected]

Personal Statement Enhancement for Admission to Dental School, International Dentists, Residency Positions, Recommendation Letters, Disadvantaged Status, Endodontics, Orthodontics, OMFS, Oral Hygiene, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, Prosthodontics -  Dental School Personal Statement Samples, Professional Writing and Editing

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Dental School Personal Statement Examples

Updated: Aug 24

Introduction

Welcome to our collection of exemplary dental school personal statements. This page features two distinct personal statements from non-traditional applicants who have successfully transitioned into the field of dentistry. These statements are designed to provide inspiration and insight into how diverse experiences and backgrounds can be leveraged to create compelling narratives for dental school applications. By reading these examples, you will gain a better understanding of how to effectively highlight your unique qualities, experiences, and aspirations to strengthen your own application.

Dental School Personal Statement Example #1

This personal statement reflects a journey marked by early life challenges and a profound desire to give back to the community. Inspired by a life-changing encounter with a dental student during a difficult time for his family, the applicant shares a compelling story of aspiration, resilience, and a commitment to serving the underserved. This example provides an inspiring guide for those applying to dental school, emphasizing the importance of compassion and community service.

Early Inspiration and Motivation

I trace my adult aspirations back to the age of nine. At this time, my father returned to college in his late thirties to pursue a master’s degree in anesthesia. I was the oldest of three children, my mother was also unable to work, and we soon found ourselves scrounging out an existence on welfare. I will never forget my first Christmas on public assistance, my parents agonizing over how they could buy presents in addition to putting food on the table. Our church taught me the most important lessons in life at that time, compassion, and generosity. And these moral imperatives have become my principal frame of reference, what I aspire to accomplish myself.

One morning, my mother woke up in excruciating pain, and we realized that the local dental school clinic was our only option as welfare recipients. John, a dentistry student, recommended a root canal and patiently responded to each of my mother’s concerns in a simple, straightforward way with illustrations; I could even understand it at 10 years old. I could see that my mother felt safe and comfortable, fully trusting in John. During the procedure I saw the tears roll down her face as I held on to her hand. John let me hold the suction for part of the procedure. John became my first real life hero; and from that day forward I have nurtured and treasured the dream of becoming a dentist myself, and attending to the weakest among us, the underserved.

Developing Skills and Community Engagement

Later, we would move to Florida where I constructed a hockey workshop in our garage with numerous stick handling drills that helped develop my natural dexterity and coordination. One professional experience that has helped to prepare me for the great challenges of dental school was my employment with XXXX Marine Services. We helped to train helicopter pilots in the fields of search and rescue. Coast Guard helicopters would hover within ten feet of my head while I was raising and lowering rescue baskets.

Since entering high school, I have cultivated noble goals of wanting to give something back to the community. One of my early forms of engagement with the community in high school was serving as Captain of our ice hockey team. Even though we lost the state tournament, I went on to serve as Assistant Captain of the Hockey team, helping to bring XXU Ice Hockey to its first winning season. Yet, when I realized that my grades were suffering, I quit the team to be able to devote myself full time to my studies. During my first year I co-founded the XXXX Leadership Organization, beginning with only ten members. My first title was Social Service Coordinator, and I oversaw designing and organizing our efforts to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Foundation. Within 3 years, we had 150 members. I see my natural inclination for organizing philanthropic activities to be my greatest asset and I feel strongly that the greatest contribution that I might be able to make to society would be to provide free dental health care to members of our American societies with scant resources.

Vision for the Future

I see my home as the entire Caribbean area and I have spent a lot of time in Jamaica, the Bahamas, Cozumel, Belize, the Grand Cayman Islands, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. I was a close observer of healthcare systems on these islands, especially Haiti, and it is my sincere hope to make major contributions to dental missions to these islands in the future. I studied Spanish for 3 years in college and continue to improve through a concerted effort to practice. I have also dedicated a lot of planning to my goal of someday operating a free mobile dental clinic in rural areas of Florida, especially for the benefit of migrant farm workers and their families. I assure you that I will give my all to my studies if admitted and I want to thank you for consideration of my application.

Summary: Why This is a Good Personal Statement

This personal statement is compelling because it:

Highlights a Transformative Experience: The narrative of the mother's dental experience provides a powerful motivation for the applicant's career choice.

Emphasizes Compassion and Community Service: The applicant's commitment to serving the underserved and organizing philanthropic activities underscores a dedication to making a positive impact.

Demonstrates Leadership and Initiative: The applicant's involvement in leadership roles and community service projects showcases their ability to lead and inspire others.

Illustrates a Global Perspective: The applicant's experiences in the Caribbean and plans for future dental missions demonstrate a broad and compassionate view of healthcare.

Articulates Clear Goals and Vision: The statement outlines a clear vision for the future, including plans to provide free dental care and contribute to dental missions.

Dental School Personal Statement Example #2

This personal statement provides a compelling narrative of a non-traditional dental school applicant who leverages a diverse background in art, computer consulting, and life experiences. The applicant's journey from Korea to the United States, combined with a strong commitment to serving underserved communities, showcases their readiness and determination to excel in dental school. The statement highlights key qualities such as grit, perseverance, and a passion for helping others, making a strong case for their candidacy.

Non-Traditional Background

A non-traditional applicant at 33, I am an excellent candidate for dental school because of my experience as an artist and computer consultant. I have been in the U.S. for 14 years, emigrating from our native Korea with my family. I have fully adjusted to full-time English and the American way and have matured significantly. I am a good listener and get along well with people from all levels of society.

Commitment to Serving the Underserved

I would like to be a dentist who is sufficiently successful in devoting a large part of my time and resources to providing dental care to the underserved, especially minorities and immigrant populations in the inner city. I am especially drawn to the plight of inner-city children, in particular. The idea of being able to help them to better appreciate and respect themselves and their community through dental care is my long-standing dream of service.

Personal Struggles and Resilience

My grit, determination, and appreciation for the less fortunate were reinforced while I was in middle school in Korea and my father's business went bankrupt. We soon found ourselves living in only one tiny room in a rural area, all four of us. We slept next to each other every night, and I listened to my sister, trying not to sob. One night, I stretched my arm to see if I could reach her and my father and mother with my hand. I felt their hair and the reality of underprivileged life so acutely at that moment that I vowed that this would never happen to my children. I started delivering newspapers before dawn to support myself, paying my school expenses so as not to be a burden to my parents. At 5:00 in the morning, in freezing winter weather that numbed every part of my body, I began my struggle to succeed in life.

Adapting to Life in the US

Even after immigrating to the US, my family struggled financially. I had to work full-time as a janitor for several years while taking courses at a nearby college. After I moved to a four-year university, I did the dishes in the dining hall. I worked as an administrator at a computing lab while maintaining heavy loads of academic responsibility. I was a computer science major; however, by the time I had fallen in love with the physical sciences as a senior at the University of XXXX it was too late to change my major. I discovered my greatest passion while working at the Genetic Programming Research Laboratory learning about biological metaphors and evolutionary biology. I made a vital contribution to my research team by creating a software tool for automated data analysis and experimental support that saved a lot of time. Of course, I am pleased to have advanced computer skills, and I am sure that they will also be helpful to my career in dentistry.

Professional Experience and Skills

Upon graduation, I accepted a position at IBM as a consultant; constantly traveling and involved in numerous projects at major automotive companies, I had the opportunity to cultivate many qualities that will serve me well as a dentist: persistence, endurance, insight, sound judgment, and the ability to deal with all kinds of difficult situations. Although I thrived in my career, I resigned from my consulting position to finish preparing for a career in dentistry. A few years before I moved to New Jersey to enroll in the Pre-Dental Program at Rutgers, I started volunteering with a group of people at a nursing home in Dearborn, MI, helping organize events for the residents. Many, if not most of these elderly residents, had trouble eating correctly due to deteriorating dental conditions. There was a volunteer dentist who often came to the nursing home and checked their oral health. Sometimes, I could assist him with his work, and I was amazed by his dedication and passion. I enjoyed sharing the patients' joy upon emancipation from their suffering. For these reasons, my dedication to dentistry has become increasingly firm.

Hobbies and Personal Interests

Finally, my keen sense of hand and visual dexterity fomented by playing classical guitar, model ship building, and graphic design helps make me a competitive candidate for dental school. I also believe that the montage of priceless life experiences that I have accumulated will help to make me a compassionate and highly responsible dentist and I look forward to dental school with keen anticipation. I want to thank you for considering my application.

Highlights Non-Traditional Background: The applicant’s diverse experiences in art, computer consulting, and personal challenges provide a unique and rich perspective.

Demonstrates Resilience and Determination: The narrative details the applicant's journey through financial hardship and personal growth, showcasing resilience and a strong work ethic.

Shows Commitment to Community Service: The applicant's desire to serve underserved communities, particularly inner-city children, underscores a strong sense of social responsibility.

Illustrates Relevant Skills and Qualities: The statement effectively links the applicant’s skills in computer science, art, and manual dexterity to the technical demands of dentistry.

Provides a Clear Vision for the Future: The applicant’s future goals in dentistry are clearly articulated, emphasizing a commitment to continuous learning and community service.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What should be included in a dental school personal statement.

A dental school personal statement should include your motivations for pursuing dentistry, relevant experiences, personal anecdotes that illustrate your passion for the field, and your future goals.

Should I discuss specific career goals in my personal statement?

How can personal experiences enhance a dental school application, can i include experiences from outside the dental field.

What is a successful dentistry personal statement example?

How to start a personal statement in dentistry?

How to write a personal statement for dental residency?

What is the personal statement of a dental assistant?

Additional Resources

For more dental school personal statement examples and expert editing services, visit our website to contact us directly. Our team is here to help you create a personal statement that stands out in the application process.

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Dentistry Personal Statement Examples

The following examples of dentistry personal statements are provided as guidelines only. When applying to dentistry , tailor your personal statement to your profile for the course you are applying for. Please read our detailed guide on how to write a winning dentistry personal statement .

What is a Dentistry personal statement?

A dental school personal statement is a document submitted as part of a UCAS application to a dental school and university . It is an opportunity for the applicant to demonstrate their personal qualities, experiences, and motivations that make them strong candidates for dental school. 

Here are 3 examples of dentistry personal statements.

Read guide:

• How To Apply To Dentistry In The UK
• The Best Dentistry Universities in the UK

Successful Dentistry Personal Statement Examples

As a dental assistant with three years of experience in the field, I have developed a passion for dentistry and am now seeking to further my education and training by pursuing a career as a dentist. I am excited about the opportunity to attend dental school and believe that I have the skills and dedication necessary to succeed in this challenging field.

One of the things that I love most about being a dental assistant is the opportunity to help people. I enjoy working with patients of all ages and helping them to feel comfortable and at ease during their dental visits. I am also skilled at providing practical assistance to dentists, such as preparing and sterilizing instruments and materials, taking X-rays, and assisting with various dental procedures.

In addition to my experience as a dental assistant, I have also completed coursework in biology and chemistry, which has given me a strong foundation in the scientific principles that are essential to dentistry. I am eager to continue my education and learn more about the latest techniques and technologies in the field.

I am confident that I have the dedication and determination necessary to succeed in dental school. I am a hardworking and motivated individual who is not afraid to put in the time and effort necessary to achieve my goals. I am also a team player and enjoy working with others to provide the best possible care for patients.

I believe that a career in dentistry is the perfect way for me to combine my passion for helping others with my interest in science and healthcare. I am excited about the opportunity to attend dental school and look forward to the challenges and rewards that come with a career in this rewarding field.

I have always been fascinated by the human body and how it functions. As a child, I loved learning about the different systems and organs, and I dreamed of becoming a doctor one day. However, it was not until I had my first experience with a dentist that I realised my true passion was in dentistry.

The dentist I visited was gentle, kind, and patient, and I was immediately drawn to the care and attention they gave to each of their patients. I watched in awe as they used their skills and knowledge to improve their patient’s oral health, and I knew that this was the career I wanted to pursue.

I am now excited to apply to dental school and begin my journey to becoming a dentist. I am confident that my passion for dentistry, combined with my strong work ethic and dedication to continued learning, make me a strong candidate for your program.

I am eager to learn from the best dental professors and to gain the skills and knowledge necessary to provide high-quality dental care to my future patients. Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to the opportunity to further discuss my qualifications and goals with you.

As a child, I always had a fascination with the human mouth and how it functions. This curiosity led me to pursue a career in dentistry where I could use my skills to improve the oral health of individuals and help them achieve a confident and healthy smile.

My passion for dentistry grew stronger during my undergraduate studies in biology where I learned about the complex anatomy and physiology of the oral cavity. I also volunteered at local dental clinics, where I observed and assisted dentists in their daily tasks. These experiences solidified my desire to become a dentist and make a positive impact on the lives of my patients.

In addition to my academic and clinical experiences, I have also developed excellent communication and interpersonal skills. I understand the importance of creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for patients, as well as effectively educating them on their oral health and treatment options.

I am confident that my passion for dentistry, combined with my academic and clinical experiences, make me a strong candidate for your dental program. I am eager to continue my education and become a skilled and compassionate dentist.

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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.

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How to Write a Compelling Personal Statement for the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Application

Learn how to craft a winning personal statement for your Harvard School of Dental Medicine application.

Posted May 19, 2023

Final Countdown: Last-Minute Dental Interview Prep AMA

Starting thursday, october 10.

6:00 PM UTC · 30 minutes

Table of Contents

When applying to dental school, one of the most important parts of your application is the personal statement. This essay gives you the opportunity to showcase why you would be a great fit for the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. In this article, we'll discuss how to write a compelling personal statement that will capture the attention of the admissions committee and help you stand out from other applicants.

Understanding the Importance of a Personal Statement in Your Dental School Application

First, let's talk about why the personal statement is so important. Your academic record and test scores will certainly be considered by the admissions committee, but they also want to learn more about who you are as a person and why you're interested in dentistry. The personal statement gives you the chance to explain your motivations, highlight your unique experiences and skills, and make a case for why you're the right fit for this prestigious program.

Secondly, the personal statement is an opportunity for you to showcase your writing skills. As a future dentist, you will need to communicate effectively with patients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals. Your personal statement is a chance to demonstrate your ability to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively.

Finally, the personal statement can help you stand out from other applicants. Admissions committees receive hundreds or even thousands of applications each year, and many of them will have similar academic backgrounds and test scores. A well-crafted personal statement can help you differentiate yourself and make a memorable impression on the committee.

Researching the Harvard School of Dental Medicine to Tailor Your Personal Statement

Before you start writing your personal statement, take some time to research the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. What are the school's values and mission? What makes their program unique? What kind of students do they look for? By understanding these things, you can tailor your personal statement to align with the school's priorities and show why you would be a good fit.

One unique aspect of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine is their commitment to community service. The school encourages students to participate in outreach programs and volunteer work, both locally and globally. This emphasis on giving back to the community aligns with the school's mission to improve oral health and overall health for all individuals. When writing your personal statement, consider highlighting any experiences you have had in community service or volunteer work, and how those experiences have prepared you to contribute to the Harvard School of Dental Medicine's mission.

Choosing the Right Tone and Style for Your Personal Statement

When it comes to the tone and style of your personal statement, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Some applicants may opt for a more formal and academic tone, while others may choose to be more personal and anecdotal. Whatever you choose, make sure it feels authentic to you and that it showcases your strengths and personality.

If you're applying to a highly competitive program, it may be tempting to try to impress the admissions committee with complex vocabulary and sophisticated sentence structures. However, it's important to remember that clarity and coherence are key. Your personal statement should be easy to read and understand, so avoid using jargon or overly technical language unless it's absolutely necessary.

Another important factor to consider is the audience for your personal statement. Who will be reading it, and what are they looking for? If you're applying to a program in the humanities, for example, you may want to emphasize your creativity and critical thinking skills. On the other hand, if you're applying to a program in the sciences, you may want to highlight your research experience and analytical abilities.

Identifying Your Unique Experiences and Skills to Showcase in Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement should highlight what sets you apart from other applicants. What unique experiences have you had that have influenced your decision to pursue dentistry? What skills do you possess that would make you a great dentist? By focusing on these unique aspects of yourself, you'll be better able to differentiate yourself from other applicants and make a strong case for why the admissions committee should choose you.

One way to identify your unique experiences and skills is to reflect on your past experiences and how they have shaped your interest in dentistry. For example, if you have volunteered at a dental clinic or shadowed a dentist, you can discuss how these experiences have influenced your decision to pursue dentistry. Additionally, if you have any research or academic experience related to dentistry, you can highlight these experiences to demonstrate your knowledge and passion for the field.

Another way to showcase your unique skills is to discuss any leadership or teamwork experiences you have had. Dentistry requires strong communication and collaboration skills, so highlighting experiences where you have worked effectively in a team or taken on a leadership role can demonstrate your ability to succeed in the field. Additionally, if you have any language skills or cultural experiences that could be valuable in a diverse dental practice, be sure to mention these as well.

Crafting a Captivating Introduction to Hook the Reader's Attention

The introduction to your personal statement is crucial. You want to hook the reader's attention and make them want to keep reading. Consider starting with a compelling anecdote or a thought-provoking question. Alternatively, you could begin with a statement that sums up your motivation for pursuing dentistry. Whatever you choose, make sure it's attention-grabbing and sets the tone for the rest of your essay.

Highlighting Your Academic Achievements and Extracurricular Activities in Your Personal Statement

While your personal statement shouldn't just be a rehash of your resume, it is important to highlight your academic achievements and extracurricular activities. This gives the admissions committee a clearer picture of your interests and passions, as well as your dedication to academic excellence.

Describing Your Passion for Dentistry and Why You Want to Attend Harvard School of Dental Medicine

Your personal statement should make it clear why you're passionate about dentistry and why you specifically want to attend the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. This could include describing your experiences working in a dental clinic, your desire to help underserved communities, or your fascination with the art and science of dentistry. Whatever your motivations are, make them clear and compelling.

Demonstrating Your Commitment to Serving Others Through Dentistry

One of the core values of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine is a commitment to serving others. Your personal statement should demonstrate your own commitment to this value. This might include discussing volunteer work you've done, community service projects you've been a part of, or your vision for how you want to use your dental training to make a positive impact on the world.

Avoiding Common Mistakes and Pitfalls When Writing a Personal Statement

There are several common mistakes and pitfalls that applicants can fall into when writing their personal statement. These include relying too heavily on cliches, being too self-promoting, or failing to demonstrate a clear understanding of the school's priorities and mission. Make sure you avoid these pitfalls by carefully reviewing your essay and getting feedback from trusted advisors.

Tips for Editing and Proofreading Your Personal Statement for Maximum Impact

Editing and proofreading are crucial parts of the writing process. Once you've written your personal statement, make sure you give yourself enough time to review it carefully. Look for any typos or grammatical errors, and make sure your essay flows logically from beginning to end. Consider asking a friend or mentor to look it over and give you feedback as well.

Using Examples of Successful Personal Statements as Inspiration for Yours

If you're struggling to get started on your personal statement, consider reading examples of successful personal statements from past applicants. This can give you an idea of what kind of tone and style works well, as well as what kind of content the admissions committee tends to respond to favorably.

Seeking Feedback from Trusted Advisors and Mentors on Your Personal Statement

Your personal statement is a reflection of you, but that doesn't mean you have to go it alone. Consider seeking feedback from trusted advisors and mentors, such as professors, dental professionals, or career counselors. They can offer valuable perspective on your writing and help you identify areas where you could improve.

Preparing Yourself Mentally and Emotionally for the Dental School Application Process

The dental school application process can be daunting, but it's important to remember that you're not alone. Make sure you take care of your physical and mental health during this time, and seek out support from friends and family if you need it. Remember that rejection is a natural part of the process, and that a rejection from one school doesn't define your worth or potential as a dentist.

Leveraging Additional Resources and Support to Strengthen Your Application Beyond the Personal Statement

Your personal statement is just one part of your dental school application. To strengthen your application, consider leveraging additional resources and support, such as test prep services, resume builders, and mock interview sessions. By investing in yourself and your application, you'll be better prepared to succeed.

In conclusion, your personal statement is an opportunity to showcase your strengths and make a case for why you would be a great fit for the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. By following these tips and putting in the time and effort to craft a compelling essay, you'll be well on your way to achieving your dental school dreams.

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Dentistry Personal Statement Examples

What is a dentistry personal statement?

Your dentistry UCAS personal statement gives the university admissions tutors an idea of who you are and why you want to study dentistry.

It should explain why your skills, knowledge and experience make you a great candidate for dentistry, and why you should be offered a place on their course.

Read through our dentistry personal statement examples above for inspiration on how to write your own unique statement for your UCAS application.

Remember that the deadline for dentistry applicants is earlier than many other course, on 15 October .

What should a dentistry personal statement include?

To write a successful dentistry personal statement, you shoud include:

• Why you want to study dentistry - try to pick one or two aspects of the subject that interest you and explain why
• Work experience - what skills did you learn that will be useful in a dentistry degree?
• Volunteering - have you completed any unpaid or voluntary work that is relevant to your dentistry course?
• Wider reading and study - how has this influenced and/or motivated you to study dentistry?
• Extracurricular activities - what do you do outside of school or college and how might this help with your degree?
• Conclusion - mention your ambitions for the future. How will your dentistry degree move you forward on your career path?

For more help and advice on what to write in your dentistry personal statement, please see:

• Personal Statement Editing Services
• Personal Statement Tips From A Teacher
• Analysis Of A Personal Statement
• The 15th January UCAS Deadline: 4 Ways To Avoid Missing It
• Personal Statement FAQs
• Personal Statement Timeline
• 10 Top Personal Statement Writing Tips
• What To Do If You Miss The 15th January UCAS Deadline.

How do I write a good dentistry personal statement?

Your dentistry personal statement should be structured so that all the paragraphs flow well together and make a coherent statement overall.

We recommend starting with why you want to study dentistry. Most students choose to focus on one aspect of the subject they are enthusiastic about and explain why they find it fascinating or why they enjoyed learning about.

For the main body of your statement, you should think about the course content and explain how you can demonstrate the skills to meet them.

To be a dentist, you need good skills in:

• communication
• organisation
• physical stamina
• problem solving.

For your conclusion, we suggest you summarise your goals and ambitions, and explain how your dentistry degree will help further your career.

Remember to give your dentistry personal statement to teachers, friends and family members for feedback before submitting a final version on your UCAS statement.

What does a dentist do?

Dentists diagnose and treat dental issues and help patients develop better oral hygiene regimens.

They also clean teeth, correct bite issues, perform surgeries and extractions, and perform other duties to ensure that the teeth and mouth are healthy.

What can I do with a dentistry degree?

Apart from becoming a dentist, there are many other career options available to those wishing to study dentistry. These include:

• Dental hygienist
• Dental technician
• Health service manager
• Science writer
• Medical sales representative
• Laboratory technican.

For more information on careers with a dentistry degree, please see Prospects and The National Careers Service .

What are the best UK universities for dentistry?

Currently, the best UK universities for studying dentistry are:

For more information about UK university rankings for dentistry, please see The Complete University Guide and The Guardian .

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Dental School Personal Statement: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

EssayEdge > Blog > Dental School Personal Statement: 5 Mistakes to Avoid

Although no personal statement is ever perfect, whether the errors fall into the category of minor stumbles or major pitfalls can make a difference in your ability to secure a spot in a dental school program. Here’s a list of the top mistakes to avoid in writing your dental school essays.

1. Not planning ahead

Sure, you might get lucky. Somewhere between finishing up your undergraduate program, preparing for the DAT, research/shadowing, and maybe even gainful employment, you might have a grand moment of inspiration and write a stellar essay off the top of your head.

But probably not.

Keep in mind that the dental school admissions officers are sophisticated people. They’ve seen it all, so it’s going to be pretty obvious to them that you didn’t spend much time on your personal statement. Especially considering that the personal statement is the aspect of the application over which you have the most control, failing to take the time to plan and write your best dental school essay will make you seem unprepared for the academic or schedule demands of dental school.

2. Writing about your childhood, including your parents

If you knew when you were little that the only career for you was dentistry, great. Good for you. But it has no place in your dental school personal statement. At this point in your development towards applying to a professional graduate school, your anecdotes should come from your adult life.

Additionally, dentistry families are not uncommon. If you were inspired by a family member to become a dentist, you can state this (very!) briefly but move quickly to your own goals and reasons for wanting to have a career in dentistry. If your only reason for choosing dentistry is your family, the admissions officers will likely view you as someone who needs to do some soul searching.

3. Using your dental school personal statement as a soapbox to criticize The System

As the evidence connecting good dental health with good general health mounts, people increasingly recognize the role of dental hygiene in having a healthy population. Unfortunately, disparities in access still exist. Even so, your dental school essay is not the place to rant about failures in the system of care. If you are passionate about providing for underserved communities, that’s wonderful. Keep the tone positive and stay focused on specific actions that you can take to improve the health of the community by improving your patient’s smiles.

Need help? Check out EssayEdge editing services:

4. Forgetting to write about dexterity

While you don’t need to write an entire paragraph about this, some place in your dental school personal statement should mention dexterity. Whether you want to write about playing an instrument, drawing or just a general love of working with your hands, let the admissions officers see that a hands-on career appeals to you and that you have the physical skill to be able to do your work well.

5. Emphasizing lifestyle over career passion

As a group, dentists have objectively good lifestyles by pretty much any metric. For this reason, it is not surprising how often I see dental school personal statements that discuss extensively how being a dentist will provide the applicant with plenty of time and the financial resources to pursue goals outside of the dental office.

While this level of honesty is admirable in its own way, it’s probably not the best strategy for your dental school essay. The admissions officers are not particularly interested in what you plan to do with your spare time after you complete dental school, and stating that dentistry is really just a means to an end isn’t likely to resonate with them. In every paragraph of your dental school essay, demonstrate that you are the type of passionate applicant who has the ability and desire to make a meaningful contribution to their program and to the profession.

We completed enough orders, including those made by dental school applicants, to share this information with you. These tips are created and given by an experienced personal statement editor , whose opinion is to be trusted. Do you want to provide yourself with a successful entrance to a prestigious dental school? Let us proofread your paper.

You may also like What to Do If You Don’t Have Dental Shadowing Experience

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TOP DENTAL SCHOOL PERSONAL STATEMENT EXAMPLES TO BOOST YOUR OWN DOC

Check our collection of the best dental school personal statement examples for any dental specialty.

Glance through our samples on your own and get persuaded of our superiority!

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Dentistry Personal Statements Examples to Increase Your Success Chances

A personal statement is among the application must-haves. This is a short piece where you describe your best qualities and show your personality from a different perspective than the admissions committee can see from your grade report card or letters of recommendation. This document should show why you deserve a place to earn a dental school diploma. However, how do you know if your application is well-written or if you can even decide what it should look like before you even start?

In this case, we advise you to familiarize yourself with our dentistry personal statements examples. With them, it will be much easier to throw out unnecessary things in your document, find inspiration for writing, and understand the proper structure. Next, we will tell you more about how to use the examples and what you should not do when writing a personal statement.

Give Your Search for Dentistry Personal Statement Samples Enough Time

Before searching.

It would be best not to neglect the preparation stage when writing your dental personal statement. First, define the program/-s you’re going to apply for and its particular requirements and features. Next, you should do some internal brainstorming to understand what your strengths really are and how they relate to the dental profession. After that, you can start searching for dental personal statement examples.

Pay Attention to Example Sources

It is worth realizing that by simply typing the appropriate query on the Internet, you will find dozens of pages that offer ready-made sample dental school personal statements, advice from different experts, and pages with requirements for formatting from other educational institutions. You can get lost in this flood of information and make the wrong choice.

Choose the Proven Examples From Vetted Authors

We advise you to turn to the services specializing in writing such documents to find dentistry personal statement samples. In this case, you can be sure that the examples posted there are written by professionals responsible to their clients and, therefore, will only publish materials that have undergone quality control. In particular, you can find examples of personal statements already approved by admissions committees. With these examples, students already have received coveted places in the dental programs of their dreams.

Unobvious Benefits of Sample Dental School Personal Statements

You may not realize it, but the search process itself can greatly help you with your application. As you become familiar with good personal statement examples for dental school, you will become more aware of what you need. As you flip through one example after another, you will realize what phrases you could use in your paper and what conclusions you like better.

You can look at the work through the eyes of an admissions committee member and think about which piece you would approve and which you would not. This way, you will clearly understand the emphases and themes you must address in your document.

Use Personal Statement Dental School Examples Correctly

Finding an excellent personal statement example is only half the battle. You need to keep a calm mind and know how to utilize the advantage you have in your hands properly. After all, if you get carried away, great personal statements for dental school examples can turn into unexpected problems, such as losing your own identity in the pursuit of imitation or the prospect of being accused of plagiarism for borrowing words and thoughts that are excellent but not yours. You may encounter a few problems if you incorrectly use ready-made examples.

Loss of originality: You should realize that you are one of many who can see the examples on the Internet. Attempting to replicate the example’s structure and manner of presentation completely can result in losing your identity in the statement.

Inconsistency with your objectives: It is important to remember that each ready-made example was written for a specific situation. If you recklessly use a reference, you may not reveal enough about your specific motivations and level of experience needed for your task.

Plagiarism Charge: If you copy entire paragraphs of words from the example, you will inevitably face a plagiarism charge. Your application may be rejected, and your admission will fail.

Loss of emphasis: Ready-made personal statement dental school examples cannot replace your individual motivation and describe specifically your tasks and the experience you possess.

Inadequacy: The case study you have chosen may have been written for another country or institution with specific requirements. If you use an example format without fully adapting it to your needs, you will get inadequate work, which will be negatively marked.

It doesn’t sound very good, is it? However, these points are great things to consider. Avoiding them, you’ll use examples of application documents more effectively and boost your own doc significantly.

Personal Statement for Dental School Examples: 5 Best Ways to Use

Working with ready-made examples, you should realize that this is your help, not a substitute for your work. It is the base and foundation on which you can build your own creation. By choosing the right approach to work with, you will experience the incredible benefits you can get from studying excellent examples written by professionals.

1. Inspiration

By studying personal statement dental school examples, you can be inspired and get ideas for creating your own document. You will also be able to understand more about the structuring and formatting by checking them against the requirements of your particular institution.

2. Adaptation

Forbid yourself by copying examples, but rather think about how your advantages differ from those you have seen. Adapt your work while maintaining the key emphases of a successful example.

3. Understanding your strengths

By comparing yourself to someone described in another job, you can better understand and describe your strengths in your personal statement.

4. Checking the structure

Written by professionals, a ready-made sample dental school personal statement is always perfectly structured and free of grammatical errors. You can check your work with this example to avoid annoying design mistakes.

5. Feedback

You can ask your editor or friends to compare your work with the examples. An outside perspective will help you polish your borrowings and emphasize your advantages.

Cannot Find Appropriate Personal Statement Examples Dental School?

Get individual assistance in developing your own one!

Despite all the benefits of studying and working with successful dentistry personal statement examples, creating your own work can be very taxing. First of all, not through the complexity, but because of the lack of time.

Nevertheless, there is always a way out. We are here and ready to provide the best dental school personal statement prompt. Working with the authors of our examples, you can always count on their experience and impeccable writing talent. Each is an expert in dentistry program admission and knows all the ins and outs of creating impressive application documents. Many of our writers are members of admissions committees and, therefore, understand how a winning doc should look. You can come to us with a work that you have already started, and we will help you bring it to perfection. Besides, you’re also able to provide us with the materials for writing your personal statement from scratch.

Contact us anytime and get ready to receive the best dentist personal statement of your life!

• Personal statement advice: geography

Applying to university

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• References for mature students

Blending your academic and extracurricular interests

Of course, those extracurricular interests should be relevant to geography, rather than random other things you do. But given that geography is such a far-reaching subject, this can cover a multitude of activities, interests or experiences. It could also be something you do locally, or somewhere you’ve travelled in the UK, or overseas.

But whatever it is, don’t just say you’ve done it. What’s essential is that you write about it in an interesting and reflective way showing what you’ve gained from it. That way, you’re sure to stand out from the crowd.

Show the real you

The University of Southampton is looking for a similar blend in your geography personal statement: ' A high quality piece of writing that outlines your interests in geography, your extracurricular pursuits, and something of what makes you distinctive as a person.'

A good way to do this is to write about something that excites you about the subject, whether it’s a particular aspect of the syllabus, your wider reading, a project (the EPQ would be relevant if you’re doing one), fieldwork, your extracurricular interests – or ideally, a combination of some of those things. The more interesting it is, the more distinctive you will come across as a person.

See our in-depth guide to studying geography at university, from entry requirements to careers.

More things for geographers to think about

• Wider reading: The London School of Economics is looking for what's motivated you to apply for their course – including wider reading or activities and your interest in 'contemporary geographical problems and their alleviation'. The University of Bristol's website asks for evidence that you have extended your interest in the subject 'beyond formal classroom provision'.
• Uni open days: these can be a great opportunity to get some specific advice. Subject talks will usually mention what they look for in personal statements or, if not, don’t be afraid to ask them face-to-face.
• Talk about particular interests in topics featured in the courses you’re applying for: if regeneration, GIS, tropical savannas, glaciology, coastal zones, tourism or geopolitics fascinate you, write about it in a specific way – avoid bland, obvious phrases like 'I’ve always enjoyed geography'.
• Specialist geography courses: if your UCAS choices include specialist areas including development, population, marine or environmental aspects of geography, include evidence of relevant interests. Maybe you’ve travelled somewhere and taken note of social conditions, read something interesting about migration or marine ecology, or contributed to an environmental debate which has sparked an interest to learn about environmental policy...
• Show why you're passionate: as Dr Reimer at Southampton says: 'We are keen to teach students who are fascinated by the subject, so we want you to demonstrate your enthusiasm for it in your statement'.

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