Past to Present

By: Alyssa LeClair

Change is an aspect of life that is not avoidable. Coming to dental school we experience differences in curriculum, being exposed to a different lifestyle academically, acting professionally, having access to new technology, instruments and materials that we have not worked with before. The education that we receive at NYU College of Dentistry is academically challenging and rigorous. Coming into D1 year, I am not sure what could have prepared me to truly understand the demand of this program. Having now completed D1 year, I have learned that change aids in the facilitation of growth.

The first year of school builds a strong foundational knowledge in the principles of dentistry and core science courses. These science courses are where I struggled initially. I received my undergraduate degree in English, so the only foundational science courses I took were the prerequisites for dental school. It was frustrating for me to see others who had a strong science background not struggle as much during the summer semester, when I felt like I was learning completely new material. I was content with just passing at the beginning, but then I realized that the material in dental school is scaffolding. The D1 year lays down the groundwork for becoming a knowledgeable dentist. I didn’t want to be struggling all through dental school, so I started to put everything I possibly could into my academics. I couldn’t be more grateful to myself for learning how to overcome these changes and challenges that we all experience in one way or another. I started realizing this after my first round of exams during summer. I wasn’t putting forward what I was truly capable of, and it started to bother me. I turned around my grades for finals, and continued this all through D1. In undergrad, there weren't many courses for me that required prerequisite knowledge to be able to continue onto the other course, so I wasn’t fully cognizant that dental school was purely this. Being able to realize this early on helped me tremendously for Neuroscience, because I had put my best foot forward to know everything I possibly could for Head and Neck Anatomy. I would say that being able to push myself to my full potential and being resilient helped me accomplish almost everything I could have only imagined for the D1 year. I hope that I was able to retain a majority of the information from last year, so that D2 can go as smoothly as possible.

Second year has been incredible thus far. It feels surreal to be learning more hand skills to be able to apply in a clinical setting next year. I look forward to the labs, because I am a hands-on learner, so it really helps me piece together the topics covered in lectures. Although there are many more labs this year compared to D1, the part I am the most excited for when looking ahead in my schedule is the pediatric outreaches. It is the first time I am going to be able to educate someone about dentistry and oral health that isn’t a friend or a family member. We also get to see new patients in the 1A clinic, so my hope is to be prepared as possible and put my knowledge to the test during the medical intake, head and neck exam, and radiographs.

My goals for this year haven’t changed much from my first year. I want to be able to pass everything successfully, but I also know that just passing is not always the most important part. Sometimes I go into an exam and know that I understand certain information very well, and it may not come up on the exam. Other times I find myself lucky when choosing between two answers I am stuck between, and get it right. At the end of the day, what is the most rewarding for me isn’t if I ace an exam or not. My top priority is walking into an exam or practical knowing that I did everything I possibly could within my power to be prepared. This is what I did last year, and it paid off. Since D2 summer isn’t as heavy academically as the next two semesters are, my time management will be key to helping me be as successful as I can be.

Qualities that I believe are the most important to being a well rounded dentist upon graduation include gaining clinical experience, building good relationships, staying up-to-date with new technology and materials, practicing ethically, being detail oriented and organized, collaboration, and continuously working on education. I hope that second year allows me to work on these aspects and I am triumphant at becoming a more competent student dentist. All I can wish for is to make it through D2 successfully. This entails passing all my examinations to show my understanding and knowledge of the material, work on my preclinical skills, display professionalism and knowledge in 1A clinic as well as in rotations, attending community outreaches, and working on patient interactions.