1.
Letter From The Editors
New Doc On The Block
Transitioning to Dental school
Dentistry Abroad Career Switch
Road To Residency OS Road To Residency
ASDA's NLC
GPR
To our beloved family and friends, We present in this edition of On the Cusp: “Saved by the Bell”. This metaphor is typically reserved for boxers pushing with all their might to make it to the next round To us, it represents the strong resolve of our ASDA student body, and our willingness to propel forward. In the face of responsibility, adversity and challenges, we thrive When we are tired and feel like we can’t push further, we go beyond what is expected of us. This is what drives the culture of the dental students at WesternU. This issue is one of many to highlight the student’s whose strength, passion and determination has further ignited them to become world class dentists. We have curated a collection of snapshots from our dental students and staff in several phases of their dental journey. Those who are beginning, those with the experience to impart wisdom, and those who have traveled on the road less taken, who can find themselves (belonging) in each of these personal accounts. We are very proud to present moments, such as these that define great professional and personal growth.
Dr. Anna Chandsawangbhuwana (Chand) is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Chand grew up in Staten Island, NY and moved to Irvine, CA with her family in the middle of high school. She received her BS in Biological Sciences at UC Irvine and her DDS from the UCLA School of Dentistry. She then returned to New York to continue her training at Lutheran Medical Center where she obtained her specialty certificate in pediatric dentistry. After braving the frigid east coast winters for two years, Dr. Chand moved back to sunny Southern California where she thrived for over 17 years as an associate pediatric dentist and private practice owner.
Throughout that time, her love for people and serving others drove her to lead and participate in numerous medical and humanitarian mission trips throughout the world including Mexico, Tanzania and Thailand. When she is not at work or on a mission trip, Dr. Chand spends her free time gardening, upholstering furniture, baking and chauffeuring her 2 kids around to their activities Dr Chand left private practice and joined Western University Community Based Dental Education in November 2022. She is excited to share all that she has learned in private practice and in service to others with the next generation of dental professionals.
My name is Nor, and I am a D1. I moved from Northern Virginia to California to attend WesternU. At first, the transition to dental school was tough to figure out how to study, keep up with assignments, and maintain my personal life. I quickly learned that time management and organizational skills are the keys to success in dental school. In addition, I am very grateful to have a great group of supportive friends I can rely on whenever I am in need. I am happy to have reached a point in my life where I am studying for a degree I am passionate about and can work with like-minded peers to become a future dental professional.
Dentistry all over the world is practiced differently, and the education in dentistry differs as well. In India, dental schools require 5 years of education which include 4 years of coursework and 1 year of mandatory Internships and rotations. After completing all academic requirements, a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) is awarded
When it comes to deciding your career, India has some limitations In the USA, you are able to pick dentistry as your dream and pursue it In India, you don’t get to choose dentistry, it chooses you Based on your performance, you are ranked on your completion of the 11th and 12th state board exam marks According to these statistics, you are given a choice to pick a school and profession. If your rank is low and all the dental seats have been filled with students who scored higher than you, your chances of attending dental school are slim. There is no additional preparation you can do to get into dental school.
There is a big difference when it comes to grading between American and Indian dental schools The grading system in American dental schools is comprehensive which includes exams, quizzes, assignments, SCE, portfolios, professionalism, etc. In Indian dental schools 80% of the grades are based on Exams and viva and 20% of grades are based on professionalism.There are no national board exams like the INBDE and state licensing exams like ADEX and WREB, there are only theory and practical exams are taken each year. Additionally, there is no opportunity for a student to remediate an assignment in India; failing an exam requires a student to retake it after a few months, if they do not pass then they will have to repeat the year. The preclinical training in America is well-designed and advanced. There are many things I didn’t know when I was in my 2nd year of dental school in India, that I am being taught in the US during my very 1st semester. In India, we continue to take courses well into our fourth year and do not learn how to treatment plan until that same year. In India, gaining our clinical skills starts in our 5th and last year.
In India, dentistry commonly involves extractions and replacement of the teeth with implants or dentures Indian dental insurance coverage is very limited, with patients needing to pay out of pocket for most dental procedures Additionally, patients do not understand the importance of maintaining healthy oral habits, which leads to an increase of periodontal disease and other dental diseases for the patient population in Indian countries All dental work is paid for in cash and a majority of the population receives dental work at dental schools to receive more affordable treatment Restorative dentistry is mostly completed with amalgam rather than composite due to affordability Pain management is also limited for patients; local anesthesia is only used for surgical procedures or when the patient states that they are in pain America is quite advanced with its use of CAD/CAM, digital radiographs, CBCTs, implants, and laser; in India, there is still a use of radiographic films as well as traditional crowns and bridges.
America is a highly developed country with great resources such as advanced technology systems to provide worldclass dentistry. India is a continuously developing country, including their dental evolutions. In both countries, there is an increasing demand regarding public health including oral health. I am glad that I have been able to provide care and raise oral health awareness to both Indian and American patients.
Growing up, I have always enjoyed studying the natural sciences – particularly biology and chemistry. In the early 2000s – following the completion of a human genome project and groundbreaking research on stem cell therapies – I turned my attention to the intersection of healthcare and applied sciences, namely biomedical engineering. During my undergraduate years, I was allowed to volunteer as a research assistant, which further led me to the graduate program in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin
While I enjoyed investigating the underlying mechanisms behind pathophysiology and the treatments as a researcher, many research projects were limited to the preclinical stage and required years of research just to enter the clinical trials, where many do not even make it to the market Realizing that I wanted to make a direct impact on patients’ lives, my passion shifted to direct patient care and clinical application. Above all, I appreciate that dentistry will enable me to quickly improve their quality of life. While I was shadowing in the dental clinic, I was struck by the fact that patients were able to return to their normal routine and live pain-free within a few weeks at the most.
Overall, I am drawn to the challenging nature of the work; the clarity required to achieve each procedural goal; the importance of soliciting immediate feedback from patients; the opportunity to diagnose and treat oral health; and – perhaps most importantly – the ability to play an integral and collaborative role in each patient’s quality of life.
I was born in Los Angeles and grew up nearby, in Upland, CA. I have a BS in Biological Sciences from UC Santa Barbara and completed a 1-year post baccalaureate program at CSU East Bay When I started dental school , I attended interest group meetings to see which specialties I was most interested in. After seeing the cases Dr. Elo had worked on at an OMFS interest group meeting, I became instantly fascinated with the positive impact he provided for his patients' lives. Dr. Elo demonstrated how oral surgery was able to resolve a patient's well being by providing life altering effects that improved these patients dental conditions such as function and appearance.
Around my second year is when I started to build up my resume and try to learn more about OMFS. My third year of school is when I went on externships to learn more about the life in OMFS residency programs and completed the CBSE, an exam required to apply to OMFS programs. I then applied at the end of my third year of school and successfully got accepted into an OMFS residency program during my fourth year.
My advice to other students who want to pursue OMFS is that the best way of finding out if this field is for you is to go personally experience it. Go on externships during your breaks to different programs, as it’s the best way to see what a week as a resident entails. It’s also beneficial to determine early on if you want to apply to this field because it allows you more time during your dental schooling to experience externships, successfully study for the CBSE, and construct a competitive application Most importantly, do what you think is best for yourself and let your passion shine.
I was born and raised in San Diego , and have moved all around California to complete my degrees In fact, prior to dental school, I accidentally drove across the border into Mexico 5 days after receiving my drivers license. I initially chose to complete a GPR because I was interested in learning more about hospital dentistry and working at the VA. My dad served in the Navy for 30 years and I recently learned that my mom worked at the VA, so I naturally wanted to take part in playing an integral role in this community too. What led me to choose the program at the VA Palo Alto was the incredible amount of experience that the residents get with procedures that I am most interested in, and their opportunity to work with Stanford hospital. Additionally, I was impressed by the supportiveness of the staff, and also by the confidence that each resident had in tackling cases that are just not seen during dental school. A big factor for me during the rank was that I did not want a 5th year of dental school, but rather a great opportunity for mentorship - Palo Alto was exactly that.
Although my clinical experience at WesternU has been unmatched when conversing with interviewees from different schools, I'm ready to become more confident as a new graduate by learning new ways of managing more challenging patient cases. When I initially applied to dental school, I emphasized my commitment to the lifelong learning aspect of dentistry. That has been one constant over my 4 years here, and I encourage other students who are interested in applying to remind yourselves of your "why." Tune out the outside noise, reach out to those who inspire you, and trust your gut.
This past fall I had the opportunity to attend ASDA’s National Leadership Conference in Chicago, IL. The National Leadership Conference sets itself apart from the other conferences I have attended in that it teaches the attendees leadership skills that they’re able to implement during their time in dental school and after graduation. To kick off the beginning of the weekend, ASDA hosted Josh Sundquist, an American Paralympian and Author to give a motivational speech. Josh shocked the audience with his inspiring story of how he lost his leg at the age of nine due to bone cancer and then later joined the U.S Paralympic Ski Team. Josh Sundquist kept reminding the audience that during his training for the Paralympics, he would frequently tell himself, “One more thing, one more time”. This mindset and self-made motto, enabled him to get back to the top of the mountain no matter how many times he may have lost his balance during his ski trips. Josh easily made connections with hundreds of dental students when he told us to do our best to complete one more prep, one more extraction or one more practice exam even when we would feel like giving up. By listening to Josh’s powerful exchange with the crowd, I was reminded about the importance of staying resilient, facing my struggles with courage and to maintain a sense of humor during difficult times. These lessons are transferable in that their significance can benefit my livelihood and my time as a dental professional.
Throughout the weekend, my classmates and I explored the plentiful leadership opportunities available by attending breakout sessions such as, “Dental Angles of Success”, “The Importance of Advocating for Yourself” and “Applying To Residency”. During the “Dental Angles of Success” session held by A-Dec, I learned about the importance of maintaining proper ergonomics throughout your dental career. I was also introduced to their mobile app, A-dec, which has a feature where you can input which quadrant of the mouth you are working on, and the app will tell you the proper operator position to ensure healthy habits to prolong your longevity while providing dental care. Another breakout session that I attended, introduced me to key strategies to effectively learn how to better recognize my needs and address my challenges by learning how to self-advocate. I learned that by taking the time to learn this skill, I will develop strong problem solving and communication skills along the way. As my personal post-grad interest involves applying to a residency program, I made sure to listen in on a discussion that focused on the residency application process. The presentation included an organized timeline to follow during the application cycle, the do’s and don’ts during interviewing and other useful resources to reference when getting ready to apply.
In addition to these educational sessions, the conference held a Dental Marketplace and Tech Expo where dental students met with numerous dental organizations to explore tools, services, possible career opportunities and learn about exciting cutting-edge technology At the end of each day, fun social events were held which created a welcoming environment to network with other dental students from the other 69 dental schools in the USA and ASDA alumnae Reflecting on this experience, I feel extremely fortunate I was introduced to resources like ASDA and my selection to attend the National Leadership Conference of ’22.
"My picture from the 90s. It’s when I played on an all-star Japanese American basketball team at the age of 13 that represented Southern California – we played against the allstar basketball teams in Fukuoka, Japan."
Favorite 90's
TV Shows
In Living Color
Moesha
Sister Sister
Favorite 90's
Music/Songs
Only You by 112 featuring Notorious B.I.G.
I Wish by Skee-Lo
Ditty by Paperboy
Regulator by Warren G featuring Nate Dogg
California Love by 2Pac Feat Dr. Dre
My new puppy has brought me so much happiness and has helped me stay active this semester Being from out of state and away from family can be hard. Alaska has become my family away from home.
Having a pet in dental school means having a steady source of dopamine during study breaks.
Tyson helps me get through dental school by reminding me that I should make time for myself aside from my school life. I take him out on walks and play fetch with him which reminds me that I have other responsibilities outside of the classroom and sim-lab.
The best part about having Loki while in school is coming home to him after a long day, he always lifts my spirits when I’m tired!
Shaggy has been the best companion during dental school, he always makes me feel better after long days at school. I love my class III pup!
Lourdes Guerrero, DMD
Apollo moved with me from Mi school Having a dog in school i means having an adventure and around!
The best part about having Zae during dental school is how much he keeps me active, how he keeps me grounded, and coming home to the sweetest kisses on the hardest days
With his tiny purrs and paws helped me to overcome my dental school anxiety and stress.
