Living in San Francisco, throughout my dental school education, has been quite the experience. Not only is it a beautiful city but also there is a lot of outreach program opportunities that allow me to give back to the community. I have been involved with both educating and treating patients from different socioeconomic backgrounds. This is quite a diverse community. At The University of the Pacific, I am a member of many student-run clubs that allow students to engage with the public. One such program is The Student Community Outreach for Public Education (SCOPE). SCOPE helps us foster a sense of community, health awareness and civic pride, characteristics that will follow me through graduation into private practice. Another organization that I have been involved with throughout my dental school career is the UoP Aesthetics Study Club. We bring in dentists from all around the country who share new cutting-edge techniques on how to improve esthetic dentistry.
I am so excited to be in the dental field because the learning never stops. My goal is to keep up with the cutting-edge technology throughout my career as a dentist in order to provide my patients with the best possible care. Being involved in all of these clubs while being a full-time dental student has given me the perspective, balance, and exposure to learning outside of school. The more teachers you experience, the greater the depth of your education.
I would not have been the student I am if I had not learned how to be a friendly, trustworthy, hardworking man from my family, friends, and church community. As a member of the St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church, camper, as well as a staff member at the St. Sophia Church Camp, I developed into a caring and responsible person. I feel it is important to reflect on your roots and appreciate where you came from in order to grow, not only as a person but as a trustworthy and ethical clinician.
I am honored and humbled to be recognized by HAMDS and hope to use this opportunity to further my love for dentistry and the healing professions.