09 Jul My Journey to Dentistry

Sara Zadmehr

What do you think when I say the word “teeth” or “mouth”? I think of the mouth as a gateway to one’s soul, an outlet for the brilliant ideas, the passage for wonderful tastes. The teeth in that context are the fortress to all that greatness and the guardians of the temple. What is it about a beautiful “Duchenne smile”- a full smile that involves facial muscles around the eyes and showing teeth – that attracts us so much? This is how my interest in both dentistry and psychology led me to the answer.

My decision to pursue the field of dentistry is not one that I reached over night; rather it is the result of my experiences through education, internships, various community volunteer opportunities, and current career goals. At the age of sixteen, a simple figure skating accident a month before my world competition landed me in the doctor’s office to receive an occlusion for my badly broken jaw. In addition to pain, discomfort, and lifestyle restrictions, I was injured psychologically. I felt awkward and indifferent. During the recovery time I could not move my jaw, could not speak, smile or make any type of verbal connection with others.  As a result of my limitations, I saw myself disconnected from the outside world. That made me realize how important a simple smile could be in someone’s social life, especially a smile with beautiful teeth. In addition to the physical impact, the thought of not being able to compete, after devoting two years of my life practicing everyday, was taking a great toll on me. My dentist made a huge impact on my life as he ever so patiently and passionately worked with me to heal my jaw as well as healing my soul by giving me back my smile. He not only helped me smile again, but also helped me make the most significant discovery about myself: my passion for making a positive contribution in the lives of others. To me, a smile is beyond a synchronous act of a few facial muscles but it is a display of my inner peace, energy and happiness and I would love to devote my life to helping others can enjoy their big beautiful smiles. After all according to Ekman’s research in 1990, even adopting a Duchene smile can produce changes in the brain activity that corresponded with happier mood. So keep smiling and keep your life happy. I hope someday I can help hundreds of people to achieve this goal to live a happier life.

Sara Zadmehr

UCLA School of Dentistry, Class of 2020

Favorite place to vacation: Masuleh, Iran

09 Jul Being Thankful Around the Clock

Omid Mirfendereski

Every year, Thanksgiving comes in and envelops us in an aura of gratitude. When the holiday ebbs away and gives place to Christmas and New Year festivities, we often forget to take our gratitude with us. But research over the decades has shown that there’s reasons for us to be thankful throughout the year, not just on a special day. After all, we’ve probably heard our parents, grandparents, or favorite TV personalities say that being thankful means being happy. How much of this statement is true, and how much of it is just cliché?

Two similar studies published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology in 2003 found that gratitude improved people’s emotional well-being and life satisfaction, as well as their amount and quality of sleep. [1] Participants were divided into 3 groups, who listed their hassles, gratitudes, or neutral life events on a weekly basis (in the first study) or on a daily basis (in the second study). Those in the gratitude group were reported to have helped others more often than those in the other groups. [1] These results suggest that recording the people and things we are grateful for can enhance our psychological well-being and stimulate prosocial behavior.

A 2006 study published in Psychological Science affirms the research on prosocial behavior, finding that those experiencing gratitude were more likely to help a stranger than those experiencing other emotional states. [2] This indicates that gratitude can actually motivate us to perform actions that benefit those around us. However, the authors differentiate between the behavior arising from gratitude and the behavior arising from happiness, suggesting that being thankful does not necessarily equate to being content. [2]

Wood and colleagues’ 2010 review on gratitude, published in Clinical Psychology Review, discusses many studies that furthermore correlate gratitude with decreased risk of psychopathology. Apparently, counting your blessings can reduce your chance of suffering from depression, anxiety, drug or alcohol dependence, and bulimia. [3] Some of the research discussed in the review even suggests that being thankful is integral to the healing process after trauma. [3] So gratitude can not only improve positive states, but also reduce or counteract negative ones. The same review also indicates that gratitude may help with relationships, enhancing satisfaction and connection with others. [3]

Clearly, gratitude can make a large impact in our lives. But what exactly is gratitude and how can we cultivate it?

The traditional definition refers to an emotion that people experience when they are helped in a selfless way. If someone goes out of their way to prop a door open for us or if a loved one buys us something nice, we feel gratitude. However, Wood and colleagues suggest that gratitude is “part of a wider life orientation towards noticing and appreciating the positive in the world.” [3] You can be thankful for waking up, for a beautiful flower you see on your daily walk, for a positive news story you hear in the evening, etc. And here are ways you can hone your sense of gratitude:

1.     Make a weekly list of 5 things you are grateful for in a special journal

2.     Write a letter expressing gratitude to a living person and share it with them

3.     Meet up with a group of peers on a regular basis, sit in a circle, and take turns saying what you are thankful for

4.     Take gratitude walks where you make an effort to notice positive things around you

5.     Limit the time you think about the negative things in your life

We shouldn’t have to wait for the fourth Thursday of November to think about what we are thankful for. Gratitude can improve our emotional, psychological, and physical well-being, and it can enhance our relationships with others, so why not cultivate it on a regular basis? Thank you for reading and good luck on your journey to gratitude!

References

1.     “Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life.” J Pers Soc Psychol. (2003).

2.     “Gratitude and Prosocial Behavior: Helping When It Costs You.” Psychol Sci. (2006).

3.     “Gratitude and well-being: A review and theoretical integration.” Clin Psychol Rev. (2010).

09 Jul ASDA District 11 Meeting Reflection

Angelina Tong

Being in dental school can feel crazy busy. Between classes and school work, extracurricular activities, research, it can be hard to find time to take care of yourself if it’s not a priority. I’ve found that if I wait for the next exam to be over or the wave of events to pass in order to prioritize my well-being, the whole quarter can pass by without me taking enough breaks or finding time to relax! So it’s important that I incorporate small practices in everyday life to help find balance and take care of myself. Self care can look like staying active, spending time outdoors, making time for friends and family, taking a nap, eating healthy foods, or even doing laundry. But self care also comes in the little things. For today’s wellness recipe, I’d like to share a few small things I do every morning to start my day right. I’ve found that good morning habits build momentum that set me up for a better day. When I do these things every morning, I’m more present and mindful overall! Here’s my recipe for a perfect morning routine:

INGREDIENTS:

• An alarm clock
• A notebook and a writing utensil
• Headspace app
• Your favorite mug
• Coffee or tea

STEPS:

1. Using an actual alarm clock

Ever since I started setting my alarms on an actual alarm clock (instead of my phone), I’ve found that I’ve had an easier time waking up in the morning. On an actual alarm clock, I don’t have the option of setting three, four, five or more alarms every two minutes so when my alarm goes off in the morning and I hit the snooze button, I know I have only a few more minutes to wake up without the safety net of a dozen more alarms set up. When I used to set my alarms on my phone, I would turn off my alarm and immediately start scrolling through my notifications, Facebook news feed, etc. Having a physical alarm clock separate from my phone delays my screen time in the first few moments of the day.

2. 3 things I’m thankful for

For the past month or so I’ve been using The Five Minute Journal (learn more about it here!). The Five Minute Journal was developed with leading positive psychologists at UCSD to help focus more on the good, be more aware of blessings in your life, and be happier each day. My favorite thing about this journal is the prompt that asks me to list three things that I’m thankful for each day. It’s very open-ended and really can be anything from “the sun is out today” to “having a supportive roommate who listens to me talk about my day.” Usually one of the three things I’m thankful for is something warm, like my electric blanket or hot tea (I’m always cold in the mornings). I’ve found that regularly starting my day thinking about what I’m thankful for and why cultivates a heart posture of gratitude that helps me focus on what really matters. And I’ve noticed that having an attitude of gratitude makes me quick to notice the things I’m thankful for all throughout my day.  

3. Mindfulness

During orientation week before classes started, the D1 class all participated in a mindfulness and meditation exercise hosted by the Student Health and Counseling Services. I enjoyed the mindfulness exercise so much that I immediately downloaded the Headspace app to continue practicing mindfulness on my own. Some days when I wake up I already feel like my brain is running around in a hundred directions. Spending just five minutes going through the exercise with the Headspace app helps me to slow down. You can get a one-week free trial for the Headspace app to see if you like it. Plus, Headspace has a great deal for students–a year long subscription for $9.99 (instead of the full priced $95.88, what a steal).

4. Caffeine

And of course, my morning isn’t complete without some sort of caffeine in the morning. I’ve actually found that it’s the practice of making a cup of coffee or tea for myself that helps me feel awake and ready for the day. The caffeine itself certainly does wonders (hello tachycardia), but making my own pour over is quite a peaceful and calming process–watching the coffee grounds seep, smelling the roast, hearing the drip, and focusing on the task at hand. Ideally I get to sit and drink my cup of coffee before I rush out for the day, but if I happen to be running late, I quickly pour it into my thermos and I’m out the door.

Of course, everyone’s ideal morning looks different, but I hope that you feel encouraged to find ways to incorporate small things that promote wellness in your life everyday!

Angelina Tong

UCSF School of Dentistry, Class of 2022

09 Jul Maintaining Spiritual Wellness in Dental School

Dalit Yadegaran

For as long as I could remember, I couldn’t order a Double-Double at In-N-Out. Not because I’d get an allergic reaction, and not because I couldn’t speak loud enough to place my order. Instead, it’s due to my values. I keep kosher as part of my religion. According to the Jewish Torah, Kosher means “fit” and only certain animals are allowed to be consumed. For land animals, they must chew their cud and have split hooves. For sea creatures, they must have fins and scales. Animals must be slaughtered in the most humane way possible, and the meat must be blessed by a Rabbi. Meat is checked for signs of illness, infection, or broken bones, which would make it non-Kosher. Milk and meat products cannot be mixed – hence why I’ve never had a Double-Double. Keeping kosher has lead me down the path of a healthier lifestyle. In a sense, it is a lifestyle which reduces cholesterol and improves one’s digestive system.

I think of kosher as my daily internal promise of self-control. As a D3, it’s easy to think back to my first year of dental school when I started to live an hour away from my hometown. At the beginning, it was difficult being myself. I’d have to order vegetarian food any time I’d eat out with classmates, instead of having the luxury to order kosher meat from menus at kosher restaurants. I didn’t have the comfort to drive just a few minutes away to a kosher supermarket, and ask my butcher for an assortment of steaks, chicken, and lamb.

With time, I began doing more research on vegetarian foods which are high in protein, and have managed to keep a healthy, nutritious diet in place, while facing a rigorous curriculum. I feel my best in clinic when I take care of myself, both physically (through my diet) and mentally (by maintaining my spirituality). As a third year, I have adapted my own routine to maintain spiritual wellness and my own self-identity while in dental school. I meditate for at least ten minutes each morning, and I write down one thing (or experience) which I’m thankful for each night. Several of my classmates have similar habits which help them stay grounded while facing the good, the bad, and the ugly in dental school.

If you’d like to change up your routine in 2019, I encourage you to add a new habit to your day. Add something that you’d like to do, for you. You can begin to write down one thing you’re thankful for, or one thing you learn each day. In ten years, you’d have a Cliffnotes version of a Dental School Diary to look back on. For others, reciting a single mantra/positive affirmation/prayer such as “I have worked hard, I deserve to be here. Today will be a great day” at the same time, every morning, can flip your day upside down towards a path of success and confidence.

I would not be where I am in life if I neglected my spiritual wellness. Keeping kosher is my way of staying connected to my ancestors, while living away from home. Likewise, daily meditation and reflection have been my spiritual avenues throughout my transformation from a Student, to a Student Doctor, and soon, to a Doctor. It is easy to only think about your patients’ needs, and forget about your needs. Find something that makes you feel centered, and never let go of it.  

09 Jul The Periodic Table of My Mind

Roopali Kulkarni

We encourage you to take a minute, step away from scrolling that instragram feed, and check out the article our very one National ASDA President, Roopali Kulkarni, wrote for Contour, the National ASDA Publication about Mental Wellness!

IT CAN BE FOUND ON…

PAGE 18 OF THE SEPTEMBER 2018 EDITION!

HEAD TO ASDANET.ORG THEN CLICK ON ‘PUBLICATIONS’, THEN CLICK ON ‘PRINT’, THEN ‘CONTOUR!’

09 Jul CDA: Utilizing Resources, Building Relationships

As a D1, during your very first week of school, you probably sat in an unfamiliar classroom and had several presentations about all the resources available to you as a dental student. Whether you’re a D4 or a D1 starting Spring Semester now, that first week of school seems like a blur! Though if you think hard enough, or if you’ve been to a single ASDA event since, I guarantee you that you’ve seen the California Dental Association as a sponsor, speaker or supporter, because that is exactly what the CDA does. Whether you are involved in your chapter as an ASDA officer or CDA representative, or have a cabinet position at the ASDA District level in California, you may not realize nor recall how much CDA can and will do to support you, as they mentioned during that first week of presentations.

CDA is over 150 years old and is committed to offering professional support to dentists all across California, to help better the oral health care of our state. Dentists work together to ensure that the career you have chosen, with all its glorious debt, remains a career that you can be proud of. If you take a trip to the CDA website and check out the resources available to you, you might be surprised at how much they offer! From price comparisons on dental products for your office, to setting you up with TDIC (The Dental Insurance Company), to educational opportunities like CDA Presents, online courses and Risk management resources, their one goal is to genuinely be there for us, as dental professionals. One of my personal favorite ways CDA gives back is through their CDA Cares events; and as professionals who want to help people, I can’t think of a better organization to team up with.

District 11 is honored to have the CDA’s support, especially for the upcoming Advocacy and Public Health Academy on January 12th in San Francisco. For those of you attending, we encourage you to reach out to the CDA representative who is there and make a connection, especially if you are planning on staying in California! Take a moment during your hectic schedule to build a relationship with those who are trying to help you be successful. We have committed 3-4 years of our lives for this profession, why not ensure we do it right? For those who are not attending the conference, we encourage you to head on over to cda.org and play around with their resources! Find time to volunteer at one of their CDA Cares events, or attend CDA Presents! If anything, just remember to not spend these 4 years in dental school without looking into your resources. If they weren’t valuable, they wouldn’t be there for you, and CDA is there for you.

Ashtin Alves District 11 Newsletter Co-Chair

D3-Western University of Health Sciences

09 Jul The Ambulance Down in the Valley

MANAGING STRESS AS A FIRST-YEAR DENTAL STUDENT

Weston Eggett

The challenge of stress

Before I started dental school, people kept telling my wife and I the same two things. To me, they’d say something about how difficult school was going to be and then give a quick “good luck” with the stress. To my wife, it always came back around to “say goodbye to your husband for the next four years!” It felt inevitable that our lives would become a horror story. Our goal of starting a family seemed impossible.

It was around this time that I stumbled across an old poem called “The Ambulance Down in the Valley.” It tells the story of a town with a lookout point at the edge of a cliff. Tourists would come to take in the scenic view, but many had nearly died after slipping from the edge. After outcries about the cliff’s danger, an ambulance was placed in the valley to rescue fallen visitors. Life went on like this for a while until an old sage came up with a better idea: “‘Let us stop at its source all this mischief,’ cried he, ‘Come, neighbors and friends, let us rally; if the cliff we will fence, we might almost dispense, with the ambulance down in the valley.’” It is better to prevent an accident, he argued, than to clean up the mess afterward.

With this message, it became apparent that the horror stories of insurmountable stress and absent loved ones were told from the perspective of the ambulance down in the valley. The reality of stressors during dental school were undeniable, of course, but there had to be something we could do to keep them from being unbearable. There had to be some way to put a fence at the top of the cliff!

We came up with some good ideas for stress-prevention, but we’ve also learned a lot over the four years and two kids since then. Every student will need to find out what works best for them, but what follows are a few things that have been game-changing “fences” for cutting stress off at the pass.

Recognize different types of stress

If you want to handle stress appropriately, it’s important to first know your enemy. Personally, I’ve come to see stress as two different flavors: productive and destructive. Productive stress is that which pushes you towards growth. There’s a saying that goes, “There’s no comfort in the growth zone and no growing in the comfort zone.” We get out of our comfort zones through productive stress and when have the ability to rise to challenges through hard work.

Destructive stress, on the other hand, inhibits growth, and it’s what we are generally talking about when we discuss stress. It’s the stress we feel when there’s no end in sight and can’t seem to see a path to completing the tasks given to us. Destructive stress creates a barrier (real or imagined) between you and success, and no amount of hard work or worry will break through it.

While many experiences in dental school easily fit into one category or the other, some fall right on the line. In these cases, focusing on what you can control helps identify what is worth your time and effort. I’ve found that overcoming stress is much simpler when I don’t worry about the things I can’t change and focus on those I can. As you go forward in dental school, focus on categorizing your stressors as either productive or destructive and watch how your ability to deal with those situations changes.

Utilize Pareto’s Principle

Pareto’s Principle, also called the “80/20” rule, is the idea that 80% of results come from 20% of causes. Long-used in fields ranging from sports to occupational safety, Pareto’s Principle can be used to determine which of your many tasks are of the highest importance. We’ve all seen this concept in action when studying “high yield” content for exams. When faced with hundreds of slides of material, deciding what to focus on is a matter of deciding which 20% of the overall concepts are going to be responsible for 80% of the test material.

Similarly, school will throw you a long list of responsibilities that all seem important. There will always be deadlines you can’t miss, projects to be completed, and things to learn. The stress comes when you convince yourself that each task is equally urgent, when in reality there is always something that needs your attention now and something that can wait.

Using Pareto’s Principle can help you whittle down your task list to the 20% of things that will give you the biggest stress relief once completed. Ask yourself, “What few things on my to-do list can I get done today that will relieve the most stress?” Getting those major stressors behind you will create an emotional environment in which the rest of your work will be infinitely more manageable.

Develop and follow systems

To stay on top of the constant workload of dental school, it is paramount that you develop productive routines and habits. Systematic workflows will be a major part of the rest of your career. Implementing systems in dental school helps establish a framework for success that you’ll carry with you throughout your life. The three systems I recommend developing first are 1) how you organize tasks, 2) how you take notes and study, and 3) how your structure your life outside of school.

Personally, my system for organizing tasks relies heavily on an application called Trello. I can keep track of what tasks need to get done based on class or category, structuring them into a checklist. The app allows you to attach pictures, emails, URLs, etc. to each task, keeping all relevant information for the task in one spot. I’ve also found that I best take notes with Microsoft’s OneNote, organizing my slides by class and lecture. I then work to memorize the high-yield content through a memory trick called the “Method of Loci,” which is outside the scope of this article but well worth your time to investigate. Finally, I make room for life outside of dental school by having structured time for studying, for being with my family, and getting done routine tasks. I sit down at the beginning of each week and make sure those times are scheduled in, then make the effort during the week to stick to that schedule.

Even following your systems, you will still find days that are more burdensome than others. There will be times you need to adjust your systems and schedule. Giving yourself this framework, however, provides you the tools necessary to overcome those unexpected twists in the road without burying you under a mountain of stress.

Putting it together

In the story of The Ambulance Down in the Valley, the cliff presented danger to those who wanted to see the magnificent view of the lookout point. Dentistry, with all it has to offer, is that magnificent view. When you recognize different stressors, focus on what matters most, and develop systems catered to your needs, you’ll put a fence at the cliff of stress and be able to take it in with confidence.

Weston Eggett, D4

Western University of Health Sciences