UCSF ASDA
  • Home
  • Our Board
    • Executive Board
    • Communications
    • Wellness
    • Legislation
    • Internal Relations
    • External Relations
    • Community Service
    • Fundraising
    • Pre-Dental
    • Media
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Newsletter
    • IDP
  • Events
    • Community Service
    • Wellness
    • Advocacy
    • Fundraising
  • Pre-Dental
    • UCSF Resources
    • Application Resources
    • FAQs
  • Publications
    • Newsletter
    • Blog
  • Membership
    • Current Member Resources

Ergonomics

7/13/2020

0 Comments

 

Benjamin Lam '23

"Build good habits early by taking breaks regularly and having properly adjusted loupes."
Picture
Picture
My favorite classes from D1 year have definitely been the PRDS courses. Simulation lab reminds you why you are in dental school and it is a great way to connect with your peers, both in class and after hours. Although it can be tedious at times, practicing in simulation lab is a great distraction from the long hours spent studying for BMS. Shelter-in-place has made me realize how much I have taken it for granted. Some advice I would give to the incoming D1 class is to make sure your ergonomics are good early on. Build good habits early by taking breaks regularly and having properly adjusted loupes. Make friends with Maria and don't forget to have fun! Don't be afraid to ask D2s and any upperclassmen for help because we all have been through the struggle. Look out for workshops hosted by student organizations such as Hispanic Student Dental Association which gives better clarity on techniques that might be rushed in the curriculum. ​
0 Comments

Opportunity

7/13/2020

0 Comments

 

Katie Dileo '22

"In order to maximize your time in this class, I recommend taking every opportunity to engage with your faculty."
Picture
My favorite class was PCC 129 because it let me experience what it feels like to be an actual dentist caring for a patient and not just a technician honing skills. I learned about local anesthetic techniques, how to conduct a thorough complete oral exam/periodic oral exam (COE/POE), documenting via the electronic health record, diagnosing, treatment planning, how to remove plaque and calculus - along with other foundations of patient care. It was gratifying to be able to understand my classmate - patient's history and goals and then identify and execute a treatment plan that we jointly agree is best to optimize her health and well-being.
​While it may seem obvious that this should be our goal as dentists, living it out for the first time was an unforgettable experience, leaving me energized to begin work in clinic. In order to maximize your time in this class, I recommend taking every opportunity to engage with your faculty. While it is often possible (and tempting) to get everything done quickly and enjoy the Friday afternoon, don't forget that this is your chance to ask questions and learn tips and tricks from your faculty. Lastly, make sure the two teammates you select to be with for the year work well with your learning style - while helping make the journey fun too!
0 Comments

Friendship

7/12/2020

1 Comment

 

Jamie Chang '23

"Live one day at a time. Know that everyone survives and you will too​ ❤."
In my opinion, every single quarter of D1 year was rough. There's just so much material and it can get so overwhelming. Add on your personal and social life and it'll feel like you're drowning, but here's how to get through it:
- Live with supportive people you can share your struggles with (shout out  to Ameera, Anna, and Yvonna for always being there for me).
- Realize what is important to your whether that be your well-being, your relationship with your partner, or your passions. Make time for them.
- Make a solid group of friends. Just a few people is all you really need, but find the ones you can both be goofy with as well as study with.
- Join clubs so you can lean into your interests as well as meet new people.
- Upperclassmen will be your best friends. They can serve as a huge resource to your survival so get to know them. 
- Enjoy yourself. If someone asks you if you wanna get boba or cheap wings, even though you have a test coming up, yummy food and good company will always make for some good memories.
- Live one day at a time. Know that everyone survives and you will too. 
Picture
1 Comment

Resilience

7/12/2020

1 Comment

 

Marrina Ran '23

"Get back in the game and keep going"
Picture
​My advice on how to survive D1 year is to be resilient and be super on top of your time management. Most people, if not everyone, fail at something in dental school at some point, but just try not to get discouraged. Get back in the
game and keep going. Also stay on top of your work; don’t fall behind. If you are behind in sim lab, stay after hours to catch up. Go to class so you don’t fall behind in watching lecture captures. Do not wait until the last minute to start studying for exams or practicing for test cases. As long as you keep your work from piling on top of you at the end, you will be fine (this is especially true for your mental health, which is super important). Seek advice from upperclassmen, especially for simulation lab.
They went through everything you are going
through, and along the way, they’ve learned
clever tips and tricks for how to prevent your
provisional restorations from breaking, how to
better visualize the walls of your preparations,
etc. Do not be afraid to ask for help!
Picture
1 Comment

Reconnect

7/12/2020

0 Comments

 

Semira Amirkiai '23

Picture
"Go make friends, do things you enjoy, and it's okay to stay in sometimes."

​At the beginning of my D1 year, I was always
worried I wasn’t studying enough because I felt
like everyone was rushing to go study for
something. I had to give myself permission to
take breaks and separate from my school work.
Sometimes that’s hard when a majority of my
friends are stressed about the same things. I can
tell you for sure that imposter syndrome is real
and I was confused how or why I got here. Just
took me a little bit to reconnect with the rest of
my life again and get into a rhythm. I think that’s
important, I couldn’t wait to start living when I’d
be less busy. So my advice is take some time for
yourself. Go make friends, do things you enjoy,
and it’s ok to stay in sometimes. Also, don't be
afraid to butcher your plastic teeth. I've ruined
more than I can count.
Picture
0 Comments

I AM AN AMERICAN SOLDIER

7/12/2020

0 Comments

 

Arielle Miller, D3

​My motivation for becoming a military student
through the Army Health Professions
Scholarship Program (HPSP) stems from a
strong desire to serve the United States
military. My Grandfather was a Parajumper
for the 82nd Airborne, and my Uncle recently
retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after serving
a lifelong career in the United States Army.
These men, along with many other mentors I
have had throughout my life, demonstrated
true patriotism, bravery, and commitment to
serving their country. I am honored to have
the opportunity to uphold their legacy and
serve the men and women of the United
States Army, as an Army Dentist.
Picture

Read More
0 Comments

Impression Conference

7/12/2020

0 Comments

 
ASDA partnered with our local SNDA and ADEA chapters to host SNDA’s Annual
Impression conference. We were in charge of the Simulation Lab portion of the event
where we had 130 pre-dental students practice drilling on Learn-a-preps and pour up
a model of a typodont tooth. There were dental student volunteers from different
classes walking around and talking to the pre-dental students. Several pre-dental
students got a chance to have one-on-one conversations with UCSF dental students
and exchange experiences. This is the goal of our pre-dental events because we
believe that the most valuable advice is usually passed on with personal interactions.
​
We introduced a new part to the simulation lab experience this year by creating a
small Dental toolkit exhibit, where we placed our dental kits on display for each
specialty. We had a kit for Operative, Crown and Bridge, Prosthodontics,
Endodontics, and Periodontics. Pre-dental students were able to see what kind of
instruments we use in simlab and ultimately in clinic, this allowed them to gain
another perspective on what dental school is about. Photos and videos were
encouraged and several predental students enjoyed looking at the kits. We also had
a few volunteers stationed here to answer any questions as well as provide a quick
overview on how each set of instruments were utilized.
Picture
0 Comments

"An Evening with Mary Otto" Recap

7/12/2020

0 Comments

 
“One book review characterizes Mary Otto's Teeth as a story with familiar villains - the culpable parties
that created and maintain the striking gap in dental care need between the rich and poor. Mary
Otto's UCSF presentation was not at all a tale of villains, replete with blame hurling and finger
wagging. While making no excuses for powerful forces that perpetuate inequality, what she placed
front and center of her calm, measured story telling was the suffering and inhumanity of dental pain
with no clear path to relief. In focusing on people who deserve our empathy, Mary Otto more
powerfully motivated us to advocate for change.” – Dr. Benjamin W. Chaffee, DDS MPH PhD, Division
of Oral Epidemiology & Dental Public Health

“The interdisciplinary event hosting Mary Otto was a wonderful way for students and faculty to have a
discussion about oral health inequality in America. Very few schools have had the opportunity to have
discussions such as these and I believe the event was incredibly informative and thought-provoking.
I’ve learned so much from Mary Otto’s book, but even more so from meeting her in person. I see these
issues in a new light, particularly after starting clinic and opening up these conversations. I’m
absolutely hoping for more opportunities like these in the future.” – Priyanka Srivastava, D3
​
"Mary Otto's quietly and humbly delivered talk underscored the overlooked and urgent nature of oral
healthcare inequalities; her careful and sensitive reporting on stories told by those affected by today's
health care system was illuminating. As a young and inexperienced dental student, it was incredibly
informative to have light shed on the issue of nationwide disparity in oral health care." - Wesley Kao,
D1
Picture
Dental students and faculty welcome Mary Otto to UCSF
0 Comments

    UCSF ASDA
    Newsletters

    Communicate & interact with our ASDA members through stories about our journeys and snippets from our quarterly newsletters.

    Archives

    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020

    Categories

    All
    How To Survive First Year
    Winter 2019

    RSS Feed

Can't Find Something?
​Contact us 


Quick Links
Licensure
Feedback
Fundraising
Sponsorship
Thank you to our sponsors, we couldn't do it without you!
Click here to view our sponsorship packages
Picture
Picture
Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Our Board
    • Executive Board
    • Communications
    • Wellness
    • Legislation
    • Internal Relations
    • External Relations
    • Community Service
    • Fundraising
    • Pre-Dental
    • Media
    • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Newsletter
    • IDP
  • Events
    • Community Service
    • Wellness
    • Advocacy
    • Fundraising
  • Pre-Dental
    • UCSF Resources
    • Application Resources
    • FAQs
  • Publications
    • Newsletter
    • Blog
  • Membership
    • Current Member Resources