I want to pursue the Master Degree in Dental Hygiene because I want to devote my professional life to the betterment of dental hygiene practices and education, especially in my country of origin, Vietnam. I work as a dental hygienist in a private practice, and I dream of someday becoming a teacher of dental hygiene. Towards this goal I make it a point to teach my patients several important things about their oral health every time they come in for a cleaning. I am extremely excited about the prospect of giving years of my life to research, beginning in your highly esteemed program.
My special, long term goal is to return to Vietnam to advance the noble cause of dental hygiene and greater awareness of the special challenges facing Vietnam in this area. I want to focus on basic personal routines, providing dental care to impoverished communities. I would also love to be involved in designing courses for local dental hygienists. I plan to infect them with my enthusiasm for ‘bringing a smile to the face of Vietnam’. I also hope to volunteer to help immigrants to the US from other cultures to find dental health care; and I look forward to doing further research in the provision of dental hygienic services to undocumented residents as well.
The youngest of eight children, I am the first to attend college. My parents have pinned their highest hopes on me and I accept this as family honor, always working extremely hard so that we might have at least one degreed professional in our family. I studied biology in the university in my home country of Vietnam for three years until we immigrated to the United States when I was 21. Here in the USA, I completed a BS Degree in Dental Hygiene in preparation for my dream of someday becoming a teacher in this area.
I have struggled night and day for years to improve my English, working as a Dental Assistant at the same time that I studied full time for four-and-a-half-years. I have gained a great deal of experience from my work as a dental hygienist; in fact, I see it as the strongest aspect of my application to your competitive program. I am determined to succeed as an especially compassionate dental hygienist and I am pleased with what I have accomplished professionally in preparation for your program. I am also especially pleased with my attainment of the Clinical Achievement Certificate, awarded by the Dental Hygiene Program at the University of New Haven, CT.
Since 2009, I have been employed as a Dental Hygienist and can’t wait to start work each day; I genuinely love my work. I relate well to my patients and receive excellent feedback from them. I have undertaken the whole range of duties which my qualification level permits and have assisted in all kinds of procedures and treatments undertaken by dentists. I regard my work as a vocation rather than a job and I find it enormously fulfilling on a human level.
In 2005 and 2008, I returned to Vietnam as a volunteer and worked with several non-governmental organizations. I spent a great deal of time in remote, rural communities teaching children to read, repairing houses, and providing general assistance. I also worked, for a time at Vietnam’s Hospital for Tropical diseases as a Patient Representative amongst other duties.
Earlier this year I volunteered to work with ‘Los Medicos Voladores’ (LMV) a ‘flying doctor’ service to the poor in Mexico, Central America in addition to parts of southeastern California, serving the large numbers of migrant workers. In March of this year, I was part of a team treating 1,500 patients seeking free medical, dental, and optometric care as well as physical therapy, acupuncture, and other health services at Desert Mirage High School near Indio, CA. I treated 36 patients in one day and have felt neither so exhausted nor so elated at any other time in my life. I have also worked in extremely challenging and basic conditions in various locations in Huachinera, in Mexico, last May of 2011, also with LMV, where I had the privilege of personally attending to 40 patients, all with very poor oral hygiene.
I know that cultural awareness and sensitivity is especially important in the provision of health care. I have personally experienced the challenges involved in adjusting to many new cultural environment and so I can empathize with others in this situation. I have happily studied, worked and socialized with people from many different cultural and social backgrounds and look forward to many rich, new experiences in your program.
I am a hard working person, very dedicated, driven, passionate, and caring. I have significant and relevant experience and I am completely dedicated to the improvement of dental health, especially among those who most need education and treatment. I think that my experience coupled with my determination and dedication will help me to excel in your program and I want to thank you for considering me for that privilege.
