The question that is on all of our minds when it comes to the D4s is of course, what are your plans for after graduation? For Lisa this is easy! She will be staying here at UAB for a periodontics residency. This is no easy feat as residency programs are getting tougher and tougher to be accepted to so we applaud Lisa on this accomplishment. Lisa first became exposed to perio during her undergraduate research studies on the mechanisms of bone resorption. “I didn't have a lot of exposure to dentistry prior to dental school,” says Lisa, “so my initial interests purely came from shadowing different dentists around town. I loved the surgeries and the idea that we can not only treat disease but also regrow tissues. Of course it also helped that we have an amazing perio department at UAB!” With so many specialty options, it can be difficult to find the one that fits you the most. We asked Lisa if she had any suggestions for classes below on how to figure out their interests and how to pursue a residency. Lisa’s advice is to “go be a fly on the wall in different clinics at school whenever you have time. I also shadowed other specialties to narrow down my options. Having rotations at all of the clinics during D3 year was very beneficial. Dentistry is a very diverse profession, which is why I think it's really important to be certain about specializing. The idea of mastering a skill is very appealing, but pursuing one specialty basically means giving up all the others. So take the time to list out the pros and the cons. Talk to different faculty and current residents to gain a good sense of the reality of perio and not just the positives.”
 Of course, with every residency comes the dreaded application process. Juggling schoolwork and preparation for licensure and boards while filling out applications does not seem like an easy task. “The online applications were so unnecessarily confusing,” says Lisa. “Not all programs participated in MATCH and not all programs took the ADEA PASS ‘common application.’ I tried to make my life easier by applying to only MATCH programs, but one program wanted their own separate application, not PASS, and another program wanted another application in addition to PASS. Thank goodness I had another classmate applying with me. We got through it together. Once the interviews started, I actually started enjoying the process! I visited old friends in cities I had interviews in and also met a lot of future colleagues along the way. One of the interviewees I met ended up being my future co-resident!”
Lisa was very invovled with ASDA during her years at UAB so we wanted to find out about some of her favorite memories she would take with her to residency. According to Lisa, “There are so many! Crawfish boil is probably one of my favorite ASDA social events. I usually end up eating the delicious crawfish for hours. Aside from all of our chapter's events, the district and national conferences are always a blast. Being around people who truly appreciate the dental profession really gave me the motivation to get through the harder parts of dental school. The first and most memorable conference I attended was District 5's conference in New Orleans my D2 year. That was the first time I met dental professionals outside of Alabama. It's so easy to connect with people when you already have a lot in common! The last national event I attended was the ADA/ASDA Lobby Day in D.C. with veteran dentists and leaders of Alabama. It was quite an eye opening experience.” Alabama ASDA has a lot to offer its students so be sure to check out all the great events going on! Finally, we asked Lisa if she thought that being a part of ASDA will help her in the future. “Most definitely,” she says. “I am a pretty social /love making new friends kind of person, but my ultimate goal is to have my own private practice one day. That thought always seemed kind of lonely, but through my involvements in ASDA and organized dentistry, I know now that dentistry is not a solitary profession. There is a large network of dentists from all over the country who attend national/state/local events to help each other out. The first time I attended a practice management course was at an ASDA event. Someone once told me that once we graduate, the actual practice of dentistry is the easiest part. It is everything else that is difficult. By continuing to stay involved with the ADA or another dentistry organization, I know I will save myself from making a lot of mistakes in the future because I will have mentors who can help guide me in the right direction.” Thanks for all the great advice Lisa! It is clear that ASDA and organized dentistry has a lot to offer us both while we are still in dental school and beyond graduation. Dental school can challenge us to our breaking point at times but we have to remember that we are not alone in our endeavor to pursue this profession. As Lisa told us, “Dental school has been a lot of fun BUT… only 88 days until graduation!” Keep trudging along everyone!
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 Happy New Year fellow teeth people! To start off the new year we are featuring Anna Marie Ronderos, a D2 who is a gifted clog dancer. What is clog dancing you ask? It’s a form of step dance with a focus on very intricate footwork. It is somewhat similar to tap dancing in that the routines are made up of variations of rhythmic tap sounds. Anna Marie was in the 4th grade when she started clogging. “I did all styles of dance before this and wanted to try something new!” she says. “I started competing beginning in the 5th grade with a team called Dynamic Edition and continued until 9th grade. I continued to clog for talent shows and different competitions ever since. It is a fun mix of tap/jazz and hip-hop! It is not normally what people think of when they hear clogging. Normally people associate is with Irish step dancing or line dancing to country music, so it is very cool to surprise people when they ask me to clog or show them videos.” Clogging is very big in the southeast and the competition is fierce. Anna Marie participated in several clogging competitions throughout her career and even competed in the clogging National Championship. In fact, she won this competition! “It’s my favorite memory of clogging, we got rings and everything!” she says. “However the ‘national’ part of champion is not so national seeing as though only people in the southeast really clog! But I will take the title haha."
The entire school was able to witness Anna Marie’s clogging talent last year at the annual student Variety Show. She wowed the crowd with her stylish costume and cool routine. “I loved clogging in the Variety Show this past year and I hope to continue to do it every year!” We are all excited to see her perform again this year! Clogging is not the easiest talent to learn but it could be a fun new style of dance for all those dancers out there! Anna Marie’s advice is to “build up some cardio stamina before you try to clog! It’s a workout. No joke!” Whatever your dance level may be, it’s fun to get out of your comfort zone and try new things. Who knows, you could become a great clogger too!
Keaton says her favorite memory from being on the track/cross country team at Troy was all of the close friendships she made and the high level of intensity in competition. “It was an amazing feeling when all of my hard work from practice showed through at the end of the week in our races,” says Keaton. “Having all my closest friends with me through every practice and race, working hard and getting better together definitely made for the greatest memories over the four years!” Running is a great stress reliever as well as a great way to get exercise. While Keaton is much busier now that she is in dental school, she says she does her best to run as often as she can. “I still try to run at least 3-4 times a week,” says Keaton. “School definitely gets busy, but sometimes a good run is an awesome stress reliever during a crazy week!” Keaton also uses running as a way to connect and build new friendships with her classmates. She frequently runs in the Trak Shak 5K each week and also ran alongside her classmates this past Saturday in the Miles for Smiles 5K. These are two events that anyone in the school can be a part of and are an excellent way to get some exercise.  Keaton with fellow classmates and Dr. Broome after a great Trak Shak run
Anyone can run! All it takes is a little motivation and a positive attitude. Keaton’s advice for anyone who wants to start running is “to just get out there and run! Take it day by day, set goals and increase your distance and pace when you feel ready.”
Thanks for reading! Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021
Tanner first became interested in research while attending Utah State University for his undergraduate studies. While Utah State had ample opportunities for research, Tanner explains it was not exactly a priority for undergraduates. Despite this, Tanner decided to major in biochemistry and joined a lab researching symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteria. So how exactly did Tanner go from researching bacteria to wanting to become a dentist? He was, in fact, initially interested in dentistry but along the way discovered he loved science and research and was not willing to compromise either of them. “The professor I worked with encouraged creativity and let me explore on my own,” says Tanner. “This made research and discovery enjoyable since I really owned my research experience! Because of this, I decided to pursue a Ph.D. in combination with dental training.” The question that must now be on everyone’s mind is how long does it take to complete both a DMD and a Ph.D.? So far, Tanner has spent 3 years in the UAB Graduate of Biomedical Science Ph.D. program working on his dissertation. Tanner explained “the first year consists of lab rotations and selection, basic science coursework, and developing a project. Since then I have spent most of my time working on that project. Currently, I have a few small experiments and dissertation writing to complete my Ph.D.” For his dissertation, he has been studying how changes in DNA packaging and organization in stem cells affects differentiation to osteoblasts. His work is very important for understanding potential causes and solutions for bone diseases like osteoporosis.  Tanner doing undergraduate research of nitrogen-fixing bacteria at Utah State University Tanner just started dental school this year and will graduate with the class of 2022. However, Tanner interviewed three years ago with the class of 2019, the current D4s that will graduate in May. He interviewed with the intent of taking more time to pursue his Ph.D. first before starting any dental school training. “When I interviewed, I was aware that I wouldn't be joining a class for a number of years,” explains Tanner. “Other programs are set up different, but UAB sticks with Ph.D. first!” If you are a D4 reading this, it must be hard to believe that you were accepted to UAB almost three years ago. Imagine getting accepted and waiting three years to even begin dental school! Tanner is a very hard worker but he has not earned the title of Dr. just yet. He says “I will complete my remaining work for my dissertation during my dental school training and breaks!” It takes a lot of perseverance to be willing to sacrifice time away from family and friends in the pursuit of two very challenging degrees. Tanner is clearly very passionate about his work but also explains that maintaining a healthy life-work balance has been crucial to his success. “I am creative with my time,” says Tanner. “I come in early or work with my mice during lunch or after class. I rarely come in on weekends so I can spend time with my wife and kids! I try to make good use of my class time to get as much of the material down as I can, then I study in the evenings and early mornings. Just make sure to keep a healthy balance, it goes a long way toward maintaining productivity!”
Getting involved with research is a great way to enhance your dental school experience. While it may seem daunting to add a huge research project on top of all the classes we have to take, Tanner says it is possible! His best piece of advice is “finding the right lab and project is really important. You need to be interested and care about what you are doing to make it work.” When he graduates, Tanner would like to stay in academics so he can spend most of his time doing research. He says “Ideally, I would like to work in a faculty practice in a dental school several days a week then spend the rest of my time doing research.” Currently, he is the president-elect of the National Student Research Group of the American Association for Dental Research. He is clearly very involved with the greater research community and says he would love to answer any questions people may have about research, finding labs or projects, or how to get involved in other ways! We are very fortunate to have him as a classmate and future colleague and wish him the best with his research endeavors. Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021  Poster presentations at the Hinman Student Research Conference 2017 in Memphis, TN
Most dentists will agree that having good dental hygienists is a very important factor in establishing a successful dental practice. They see most of our patients more often than we do! Lisa says her favorite part about being a dental hygienist was the relationships she was able to form with her patients. “It was so rewarding knowing that every day I could make a positive impact on overall community health one person at a time,” explains Lisa. “There was not a day that went by that I didn’t feel like I had helped someone in some way and to me that is one of the most important goals to achieve in any health profession.” Although Lisa loved being a dental hygienist, she realized she could do so much more to help her patients if she became a dentist. She recalls one specific patient who made a big influence on her decision to go to dental school; “I will never forget I had one patient who was so embarrassed to smile because she had never had her teeth cleaned. After her appointment, she starting crying and hugged me because she was so happy her teeth looked better. This moment really impacted me because I realized as a dentist I could do so much more for other patients like her. I realized I could not only improve oral hygiene and oral health but I could also help restore function and aesthetics to patients who needed it.”
Going to hygiene school before dental school certainly gave Lisa an advantage when it came to many aspects of dental school. Her program was great in that she had local anesthesia and nitrous oxide training, something dental students do on a daily basis once they get in clinic. She also mentioned that her dental hygiene training “has helped a lot with just the general knowledge of dental materials, assisting, dental anatomy, instrumentation and working with patients. Overall, I am really thankful I have had the opportunity to work as a dental hygienist and assistant prior to entering dental school.”
We asked Lisa if she had any advice for someone like her who isn’t quite sure what path in the dental field they want to take. Her best piece of advice is to do a lot of job shadowing at varying dental practices. “Each dental practice is different,” says Lisa, “and shadowing at various practices helps you get a better feel for what profession may be the most appealing to you. When trying to decide on a career path decide what is most important to you as career goals and choose a profession that best reflects those goals.” It is always awesome to learn about the backgrounds of the students at UAB SOD. We all have different stories of what brought us to dental school and we thank Lisa for sharing her story with us this week! Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021
All classes had a short summer break before diving back into school. Many students use this time to travel, spend time with family, and do their best to not think about school. Abbey says the most fun thing she did over her break was going to Santa Rosa Beach, FL with her parents and little sister. “I am from St. Louis, MO, so I don’t see my family often. My ideal vacation involves two things: 1) spending time with family and 2) reading uninterrupted on the beach for hours. I got to do a lot of both, so I was thrilled.”  Abbey and her family enjoying the summer break together! There are some very exciting things happening at UAB SOD this year including the opening of the new Comprehensive Care Clinic on the second floor! The current D4 class endured the grueling process of construction last year so they are all very excited to finally use a shiny new clinic during their last year of dental school. When asked about her favorite part of the new clinic, Abbey says “I love that the clinic is finally a reflection of the quality of care we provide at the school. The new clinic helps us put our best foot forward, and my patients really enjoy being treated there. My favorite part about the clinic is that our coordinators are finally back on the same floor as us. I visit Ms. Teresa about 30 times a day, so I’m grateful that she’s so close!” As far as plans for after graduation, Abbey is applying for a residency in Pediatric Dentistry. “If I’m lucky, I’ll spend two years after graduation learning how to take care of kiddos!” Abbey clearly has a passion for working with kids and we wish her the best with her application process! Finally, we asked Abbey if she had any pearls of wisdom to pass along to the new D1 class. “Be kind to one another,” explains Abbey. “Dental school demands so much of us, and there is no way that I could make it without my classmates. They always make me laugh and have shown me an incredible amount of grace over the last three years. Taking the time to care for a classmate never goes unnoticed.” Great advice Abbey! If you have any more questions, Abbey and the rest of the D4 class are a great resource. Dental school is tough, but if we lean on each other, we are sure to get through it. Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021  Abbey with D4 friends Meghana, Mollie, and Renee on their last first day of dental school!
Of course, there isn’t much time to work part time as a nail technician in dental school. However, Morgan says she still finds time to do her own nails when she can. “I find it relaxing and I seriously feel restored having a pretty manicure.” When asked what other activities she likes to do in her spare time, Morgan says, “I also unwind by hanging out with my friends and planning fun things to do that do not revolve around studying and other school activities. It’s important for me to carve out my time wisely to do things that remind me I am a person and a friend and not just a dental student! I make “me-time” a priority as well. I don’t think I’d be as successful of a dental student if I didn’t.” Well, I think it’s safe to say we all know who to contact if we ever want a free manicure! Have a great week everyone! Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021  Morgan and fellow D2 friends floating down the Cahaba River!
Painting has become a great stress reliever for Tanya. She says that her favorite part of painting is how relaxing it is. “Whenever I start a project, I put all my attention to it and that allows me to get my mind off school and all the stress associated with life,” says Tanya. “If I’m crafting alone, I tend to put my headphones on and listen to music. If someone joins me, I turn the evening into a social time!” Not only are Tanya’s crafts beautiful to look at but they are useful too! Tanya says her favorite memory of making art is being able to use the items she has made. “I have two mugs that I’m constantly using for coffee or tea and whenever I use them, it brings back great memories of college and making them.” It can be difficult to make time for fun things like arts and crafts in dental school but Tanya feels it is worth it to set aside time for stress relievers like painting. “I try to make time for arts and crafts whenever possible,” says Tanya. “Much of what I’ve done lately has been through painting canvases, because it’s easy to complete at home and I can always get a good stopping point. I try to divide my free time evenly between crafting, cooking/baking, working out, and studying. So if I use my time to bake, I try to bake something that I can decorate to get that ‘arts and crats’ feeling.” As we’ve said in the past, making time for activities outside of school is incredibly important for maintaining proper mental health. Dental school can be daunting and if we do not set aside time to do things that make us happy we may start to burn out very early in our studies. If you are interested in getting started with arts and crafts, Tanya says do it! “Dentistry allows us to add our own personal artistic style to our work so now is the time to master anything, and everything, related to art. Art allows us to pay closer attention to the small details and I think this is very important when it comes to all restorative procedures we do in this field.” As dentists, we are also artists, so don’t be afraid to bring out your artistic side! Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021
It is safe to say that Brett soon found his niche within weightlifting and it turned out to have a huge influence on his life. “When you lift a new weight for the first time you get this surge of adrenaline, pride, and accomplishment that can only be rivaled by a few things in life. As a shy high school student, this sport gave me a lot of confidence in myself and taught me how to work hard towards my goals. On top of that, the sky is the limit with weightlifting. You can always push yourself to get stronger, and I loved that I got to go to the gym every day and push myself to get stronger and to see what I was made of.” Unfortunately, Brett is not able to continue weightlifting in dental school due to the large toll it can have on your body. “I needed to stop once dental school started to protect my wrists (I really need those now).” However, weightlifting during college put Brett in the routine of going to the gym on a regular basis, which he has continued to do throughout dental school. “Weightlifting taught me how important exercise is in a balanced schedule. So I still use going to the gym as a stress reliever and a break from all the studying. I’m just not able to lift all the heavy weights I used to.”
 Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021
While no Birmingham native would deny the great food options we have here, it is always fun to try out the tastes and flavors of a new culture. When asked what Jordan’s favorite part of traveling is, he said “Definitely the food. The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten was a fried scorpion in Beijing.” Not saying you have to try a scorpion any time soon, but it’s always a great idea to jump out of your comfort zone and try new foods you may not think you like. Jordan has many great memories of trips with just his dad but he says his favorite memory of traveling was his study abroad trip to New Zealand and Australia. According to Jordan, “when you spend a couple of months in a country rather than a couple of days it changes everything.” Study abroad trips are becoming more and more popular for undergraduate students, especially for those who have a big interest in expanding their knowledge on an international level. Plus, it’s a great excuse to get out of the country and have a little fun!
For those of you who want to travel more but always come up with an excuse not to go, here is what Jordan says: “Stop telling yourself why you can’t or shouldn’t go and just do it. If traveling is truly important to you, find a way to get out there and see the world.” Summer is coming, so get planning! Author: Kelsey Gwin, Class of 2021  Enjoying the breathtaking views at Torres del Paine National Park in Chile |
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