As an immigrant from Jamaica, dentistry means more than just getting your teeth cleaned, pulled, and the prosthetic side of it. It is about getting the right treatment, guidance, and optimal care that a patient needs and wants. It is about going above and beyond, in the sense of representation, communication, service, and providing care to those that are in need. Dentistry is about highlighting and having that interpersonal skill and professionalism that a patient needs from his or her dentist. I grew up in an area, where most dentists only ever cared about cleaning your teeth and completing the service, thus I never had a good connection with a dentist. Being able to have that one-on-one conversation with a dentist puts your life a bit at ease since there is a bond between the doctor and the patient. Dentistry can make such a difference, and experience in one’s life. Not a lot of people in the world are very comfortable going to the dentist because they have this specific perception that the dentist will only put them in pain and their quality of life will be affected which is often caused by the lack of connection and knowledge between the patient and the dentist. I always believed that it is the dentist’s role to make patients feel comfortable and at ease thus a dentist must always try to be kind, personal, and very compassionate with his patient in order to reduce that common perception. At the age of 12 years old, I was exposed to a particular situation when I was visiting my primary care doctor and I overheard a conversation where a patient was being declined service by the dentist due to not having the funds to pay the quoted amount. From that moment, I always knew I wanted to be someone that can help change that situation, give back to the community, and be an impact on the lives of others. As an immigrant, I faced many life struggles thus I was able to understand why that patient may not have had the fund to cover it. However, my uncle was a dentist thus I was able to visit his office and receive service from him. At a young age, I was exposed to the beauty of dentistry and fell in love with what it entailed. My experience working in a dental office solidified my passion for dentistry. While drilling and impressions were intriguing, the true beauty of dentistry is within the reaction from the patients. Knowing how much I loved science, math, helping, interacting, and inspiring people, this behind-the-scenes exposure to patient care added layers of understanding to the field and created a clear picture of my future. From the beginning, I was able to see many patients walking in with their hands covering their mouths due to missing or decayed teeth. Hearing them talk about how dentistry has affected their self-esteem, to seeing the finished product and their beautiful new smiles, was a euphoric feeling for them and me. It was invigorating to see them with a new smile and an overwhelming feeling of appreciation. Dentistry is a rewarding field because one visit can make a difference in a patient’s quality of life and self-esteem. It is my dream to be able to make those types of changes in the lives of people. As I know, working in the field of dentistry requires a leader, a hard-working individual, mentorship, and perseverance. Growing up I have always shown these qualities nevertheless my situation. From high school to college, I have maintained the status as an honors student, from working full-time jobs to attending classes and being faced with financial challenges, shows the quality of perseverance and determination which I possess. In college, at some point I could not afford my tuition thus it prompted me to work while in school, although it was a bit hard, I was able to maintain both work and school. I am also a being who is great at communicating and leading by example. I was also an Eboard leader and member of KeyClub and Black Student Union, such extracurricular activities require an individual of high character which I describe. Furthermore, I represent a person who is also a mentor and representation to his former classmates and many college students. I know I am a great asset to Dentistry, and I am very eager to contribute these qualities to my career. Some strengths that I have includes hard work, perseverance, and leadership. Throughout my scholastic and employment years, I have shown these strengths, from working multiple jobs to taking roles within various club activities such as Keyclub, Mentorship, and Hunter College Predental society and research as well which was done at Memorial Sloan Kettering. I believe these strengths are what keep me going and sane. I have continued to utilize them wherever I go and I am certain that they will do me well while I am in dental school as new challenges and experiences come my way. Two of my weakness includes I work too hard sometimes and I never seem to have time for myself because I always care too much about my work or I will always worry a lot. I know at times; I need to take a breather and have some self-care moments, but my aspiration or goal seems to get in the way. To me, it does not have a bad connotation towards it, but I believe it is what keeps me so focused at times and makes me want to do more than what I believe I can. With such weaknesses, I will never lose hope or faith, but it will continue to guide me to become more and more professional as a dentist and an individual as I grow. Being assisted with this scholarship would be a great resource for me in becoming a dentist. Applying to dental school is a bit expensive thus being awarded such financial assistance would make it less of a challenge and more of a benefit to attain my goal. While in college, paying for my tuition and expenses for school was very challenging for me because I did not have any form of support from my parents, in order to support myself I had to work and attend school. Thus, my support mainly came from myself. I come from a very diverse background, thus my village is counting on and rooting for my success in becoming a dentist. Being awarded this scholarship will not only benefit me financially in applying to dental school but it will also serve as another motivation to accomplish my dream. I aspire to be a dentist who will give back to the community and help inspire many young children and individuals like me thus this award would be an eventful and memorable aspiration for me and my village. As a pre-professional student planning to pursue a Doctorate in Doctor of Dental Surgery with plans to be a Dentist, I acknowledge the significance of knowing my personal code of ethics which enforces my day-to-day actions. I am a sole believer in loyalty, honesty, and respect, loyalty helps to build trust and as a dentist, this should be one of the codes of ethics a professional should have. Having the ability of a patient to trust you as a dentist lessens many issues and heightens the chance of the patient getting treated and seen more often. Respect on the other hand creates a positive environment and allows individuals to feel well cared for and appreciated, whereas honesty holds us all to account for ourselves and others. As shown by many studies, positive relationships yield successful treatment outcomes. My personal code of ethics has been shaped a lot by life experience and self-reflection which I have endured in the past and I will continue to carry it along with me wherever I go. To me, leadership is being able to inspire others, motivate and lead by example. As shown by my extracurricular activities and leadership events that I have done in the past I must say I have shown this quality of skill well. Leading is not an easy task and one must be fully fit and responsible to take on such a task as it requires discipline and attention to detail. I believe that leadership can build confidence and discipline in others as it comes off as an influence on many and a guide because many today have learned from others including myself. I strongly believe that leadership also includes being inclusive because it creates such a welcoming and guiding environment for others to work in a synchronized manner. From my roles as a leader, I have learned that leadership is a skill that I am good at, and I must say I am appreciative of all the leadership positions that I have attained because it has mended me into the man I am today and has allowed me to lead by example always.