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Ben Johnson, Temple 2010
6 Interviews

“Dentistry has been around me my whole life and is a family tradition. My dad went to dental school when I was two years old, and a few years later both of his brothers did too. They now practice in the Pacific Northwest, where I grew up. This close proximity enabled me to see the life of a dentist first hand. Every family get together included discussions about the profession. Such exposure gave me the desire to continue the family tradition and become a dentist myself. I’ve come to recognize why dentistry is well-suited for me and several reasons why I am well-suited for dentistry.
One reason dentistry appeals to me is that it is a respectable career which provides an important public service. I have always enjoyed seeing the esthetic improvement dentistry offers to patients. A procedure as simple as a crown can dramatically increase the patient’s self esteem.
Another reason is that I love the academics dentistry offers. The curriculum in dental school is challenging, and a love of biology and chemistry is important. As I continue to mature as a student, I learn to love school more. I have taken a pre-dental orientation class at UVSC which increased my desire to become a dentist. The class covered facial anatomy, dental terminology, tooth morphology, and dental materials and included weekly tooth carving and wax-up labs. I feel that I am prepared and ready for the courses in dental school.
Dentistry also appeals to me because of the lifestyle it offers. I was married in December of 2001 and have two kids. My family is my number one priority and dentistry can provide the flexibility and income that would allow us to spend time with each other.
As I have become more excited about a career in dentistry I have worked to prepare myself to succeed in this field. Becoming a dentist takes a lot of time, devotion, and hard work. I have become accustomed to working long hours through the courses I have taken at Utah Valley State College, a school that is quickly earning the reputation of having a rigorous science program. The long hours I have learned to devote to my school work will pay off next April, when I will graduate with a Bachelors degree in Biology. I have also become familiar with hard work from the jobs I have held while raising money for school. The hardest job I had was as a general laborer for a construction business. We spent a month repairing a school roof lined with corrugated metal in 100 degree weather. This job also gave me more motivation to stay in school to become a dentist.
I have also prepared by learning to work with a variety of people. My experiences with the Boy Scouts of America helped teach me about the community around me and how to associate with its members. As a Boy Scout I was able to work closely with others to earn the Eagle Scout Award. From 1999 to 2001 I served an ecclesiastical mission in the Netherlands, where I learned many important life skills. For two years I learned how to approach people and help them with different aspects of their lives, both spiritually and socially. I met people from all over the world with different religious and political backgrounds. I learned to appreciate many cultures by serving and associating with them. As with most service, I gained a lot more than I was able to give. One of the most rewarding jobs I had that taught me how to interact with customers was running my own lawn aeration business. This summer job taught me how to stay motivated, and I learned how to work efficiently and please my customers at the same time by doing a quality job.
Finally, I have prepared through observing dentists. I have gained valuable shadowing experience with Dr. Jason Pitt. Observing Dr. Pitt let me see a different office setting than that of my families. Dr. Pitt practices general dentistry and the relaxed atmosphere he has created is something I would like to emulate in my practice. I have been able to help in the office by assisting chair side, taking radiographs, making temporaries, and working in sterilization. During the time at Dr. Pitt’s office I have been able to see many root canals, crown preparation and placement, and fillings.
School, jobs, my family, and the associations I have with those around me have helped me to set a goal to be successful in all that I do. With this goal, the aspects of dentistry that appeal to me, and the desire to continue the family tradition, I feel that I am ready for the formal education that dental school has to offer.
Dentistry isn’t all work though, it can be fun. My schoolmates and I have a blast in our classes, and I look forward to the same comradery in dental school. Becoming a dentist is not easy, and the decision to become one requires serious reflection.”