“Flying as part of a Search and Rescue team in the United States Air Force (USAF) has made up the last two decades of my life. Whether it was flying near the Arctic Circle to deliver medical care to help save people in isolated areas or landing on makeshift dirt runways to pick up patients and transport them to hospitals, these years included some of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences of my life,” says Maj. D.J. Ward, USAF. “As the end of my military career approached, I started to consider new career options. I loved how rewarding it was to be a part of the search and rescue community in the USAF, so when it came time to evaluate other careers, I looked for something that was challenging and rewarding, where I could be a part of a great team.”

Read on as Maj. Ward describes his career journey so far and how he decided to make the switch to dentistry.

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“Shadowing a dentist is perhaps the single most important and defining step to take when considering a career in dentistry. There is no experience that is more beneficial than personally seeing and, in some cases, even participating in the day-to-day work of a dental practitioner to help inform your decision regarding whether dentistry is the right career path for you,” says Omer Siddiqui, a graduate the University of California, Riverside, and predental student.

“During this unprecedented year, in-person shadowing has obviously become less of an option for us predental students, especially in certain areas of the country. Fortunately, based on my conversations with multiple admissions offices, colleges seem to understand that there will be little to no shadowing being done during the COVID-19 pandemic. At some point though, when dental offices do reopen fully, it will be our responsibility to make up for lost time.”

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If you’re planning on applying to dental school this cycle or next, chances are the Dental Admission Test (DAT) has been on your mind a lot. You may have questions, such as “How do I best prepare? When is the best time to take the DAT? Do I really need a 25 in order to be a competitive applicant?” Not to worry. With the right plan, resources and effort, you can be prepared to do well on the DAT. You might even surprise yourself when you receive your final score. Also, be aware there is no one-size-fits-all solution regarding DAT preparation. First-year dental student Kyle Groberg has some tips and tricks you can use to make sure you are calm and ready on test day to do your best. 
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“Preparing for dental school is a lot like driving a car, making adjustments to your speed and direction,” says predental student and Army Reserve Engineer Officer, Matthew Manly. “For example, while you’re driving your brain takes the information from your speedometer, views of the road through the windshield and mirrors, gas gauge and any light indicators (e.g., Check Engine light, etc.) to help you determine how you will get to your destination safely. While preparing for dental school, I created a spreadsheet grid to eliminate some of the ambiguity in the application process and to help me know which schools might be the best fit and offer me a higher chance of acceptance.” 
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