Offered by Mike P.

Joined February 2025

From a Dental School Reapplicant to a Dental Residency Top Candidate

As an undergraduate student, I was rejected from 20+ dental schools because I lacked guidance on the application process. However, with an unwavering desire to become a dentist, I pursued a Master’s in Dental Sciences. During this time, I seized the opportunity to redeem myself—improving my GPA, building strong connections for personal recommendation letters, enhancing my personal statement and supplemental application writing skills, and gaining more clinical, research, leadership, and volunteering experiences. The second time I applied to dental school, despite my efforts, I received only one interview. However, I successfully navigated the interview and was accepted. In my third year of dental school, I decided to specialize in periodontology. When applying for residency, I applied to only three programs, interviewed at all three, ranked only my top choice—and still matched! I share my story because I want to show you that it is possible to go from being a 3.2 GPA international (Canadian) student with zero extracurricular experiences to confidently matching into my top-choice specialty residency program (with a <1.5% match rate). I've faced the same obstacles that many of you will encounter, and I’ve learned how to overcome them. With the momentum I've built through my pre-doctoral school experience, I've also understand what it takes to stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive standing for residency applications. Over the years, I’ve helped dozens of students with dental school and residency applications and interviews. Whatever your needs may be, I hope to serve as a beacon of light, guiding you through this exciting yet challenging (and often confusing) stage of your academic journey!