Reflections

Hometown:
Leesburg, Virginia

Undergraduate school/degree:
University of Virginia–Bachelor of Arts in Biology

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I grew up in a large Vietnamese-American family with my parents and three sisters. They are my biggest cheerleaders, and I love spending time with them. Outside of school, I enjoy learning new dances, listening to music, and discovering restaurants and delicious coffee shops around the city.

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
By building meaningful relationships across cultures and socioeconomic divides, the overall health of a community improves with its smile. Dentistry is the perfect avenue for me to pursue my passions in service and education to reach underserved communities through my hands, words, and knowledge.

Hometown:
Sanford, North Carolina

Undergraduate school/degree:
UNC Chapel Hill–Biology, BS and History, BA

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
My name is Andrew Faulk and I am rising third year dental student at VCU School of Dentistry. I am from Sanford, North Carolina. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, being outside, and working out.

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
My passion for dentistry comes from my desire to be someone others can rely on for anything. Not just being a source for proper oral health, but also being someone people can look to for overall health advice, community leadership, and friendship.

Hometown:
St. Petersburg , Florida

Undergraduate school/degree:
Florida Atlantic University –Biological Sciences

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
As a dual citizen of the United States and Poland, I have come to enjoy different cultural experiences. Having spent much of my childhood back in Poland, I watched my family live off their land. This sparked my interest in gardening and cooking which I have brought with me to Richmond.

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
Coming from my background and being a first generation college graduate I value education; it is a privilege, especially in the field of dentistry. Not only did my interest first stem from my devotion to science and service, but also how dentistry is an interplay of both.

Hometown:
North Chili, New York

Undergraduate school/degree:
RIvier University–Biology

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I was born and raised in Rochester, NY and am the first of three children in my family. I have one rescue pup named Bella, and a bearded lizard named Rexy. I have played volleyball all my life and I also practice and teach yoga. I dabble in writing poetry, and hope to publish my work one day!

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
I am passionate about dentistry because I feel that it is a profession that allows you to build trusting and positive relationships with your patient, while providing treatment to boost their oral health and support their overall well-being.

Hometown:
Richmond, Virginia

Undergraduate school/degree:
Stony Brook University–B.S.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I was born in Seoul, S. Korea and came to the states when I was in 6th grade. I lived with my aunt's family in Bethesda, Maryland and went to college in New York. With my experience of living in different places, I love to travel and enjoy experiencing different people and culture.

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
"Teeth" is what most people have issues with at least once in their lifetime. Whether its elderly patients in need of dentures or children with caries, dentistry is the field that is involved in all age groups with the essence of direct hands-on patient contact which is what drew me to dentistry.

Hometown:
Glen Allen, Virginia

Undergraduate school/degree:
University of Virginia –Biology

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I grew up in Richmond, have two younger brothers, a Goldendoodle named Bentley, and I graduated from UVA. I enjoy playing the piano, reading, long walks, and going to baseball games. I love spending time with my family and friends, especially at the beach.

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
I value a career that allows me to build relationships with patients, work daily with my hands, and provide trusting care to the community. I may not be able to prevent a patient’s fear of the dentist, but I have a passion to show love through my honesty, dedication, and patience as a dentist.

Hometown:
kennesaw, Georgia

Undergraduate school/degree:
University Of Alabama–Biology Major, Spanish minor

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I volunteered with the humane society for 1.5 yrs and adopted a cat in April. I love to bake/cook, hike, host group dinners, spin pottery on the wheel, and photography. I also love spending breaks either with family or traveling somewhere new. I am currently practicing to relearn my spanish.

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
I love working with my hands and that we are able to form relationships with our patients. Very few professions have patients that want to hug them after the appt. We are lucky to havr that. We can transform someone smile, giving them self confidence and security they didn't have before.

Hometown:
Purcellville, Virginia

Undergraduate school/degree:
Brigham Young University–B.S. in Biology

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
In my 2nd year of dental school I married the girl of my dreams and just last semester (end of 3rd year) we welcomed a baby girl to our family. My hobbies include spending time with my two special girls, playing classical piano, weight lifting and any sport or activity packed with adrenaline.

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
I've always loved to help people and be a service to the community. I am very passionate about aesthetics and making people feel more confident in themselves. I believe dentistry hits all of those points, not to mention it should be a great way to support my growing family

Hometown:
Owings, Maryland

Undergraduate school/degree:
James MAdison University–Biology

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
Whether playing golf or going for a hike, I love to get out of the house and spend time outside with friends. I have one older brother who is a paramedic and enjoy listening to the medical situations he encounters. I also love to try new restaurants, especially when friends visit me in Richmond.

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
I am passionate about dentistry because it allows for me to have creativity in the workplace. Dentistry is both an art and a science, which provides variation and the ability to truly individualize a patient's treatment. Giving someone the confidence to smile more often in their life is priceless.

Hometown:
Midlothian, Virginia

Undergraduate school/degree:
James Madison University–BS Biology

Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am very passionate about art, running, music, and traveling. I love to spend the small amount of time that I have away from school doing these things. You can usually find me painting, drawing, attending concerts, or running races (like the Richmond Half Marathon).

Why are you passionate about dentistry?
Once I realized how art is such a large part of the profession, I knew that this was the right career path for me. I could not ask for a better combination than the ability to interact with and help people, all while using my artistic skill set.