Robert Tang Research Paper

It rains quite a lot in Vietnam during the summer, something I gladly found out when visiting my parents’ native country for the first time. I had decided participate in a summer service trip to Vietnam to help out in the poorer regions that my parents had told me so much about. On my first day of the trip we visited a small village outside the city of Hue. The other volunteers and I were beginning to bring food and water supplies into the village when I met Minh, a six-year-old boy who tugged on my shirt to show me his Goku action figure. Being the huge Dragon Ball Z fan that I am, we quickly became friends. But I could hardly keep myself from looking at him: he was born with a cleft lip. And due to his financial circumstances (which was prevalent in much of the country as well), he was never able to get the professional care that he needed.

I was excited to see Minh again eight weeks later near the end of my service trip. You can imagine my surprise when I saw his cleft lip had been repaired. Minh had some trouble with speaking but I could tell he was significantly happier and more energetic. After talking to his parents, who also appeared happier, I found
out that Minh was able obtain his surgical care through the selflessness of charitable organizations who fund the entire surgical operation. From this experience I gained an initial look into the dental field and witnessed first-hand some of its impacts. It was further reflection upon this experience that now drives and inspires me to pursue a career in dentistry. I understand the importance of dental health, the effect it can have on someone’s life, and how easily it can be overlooked or taken for granted. I want to provide meaningful care to patients that may face some of the physical and social challenges that Minh had also faced.

I came to Boston University with the intention of going into medicine. This decision was influenced by years of watching my uncle and grandmother deteriorate while fighting against cancer. However, at one point early in my undergraduate career (after weeks of volunteering at my local hospital) I started to question my decision. Through my involvement with Boston University’s Premedical Society, shadowing experience, and through the experiences of my own family members, I have had many opportunities to speak with my mentors, my peers, and medical professionals about their experience in the medical field. I have come to understand different perspectives on medicine as a career path and have come to realize that I want to work in a healthcare environment that is less stressful and emotionally draining while still being able to provide important care.

it was my four years working at the New England Pediatric Center as a therapeutic recreational aide that further motivated me to pursue a dental career. I found that I enjoyed developing relationships with the patients and their families. Because NEPC is a 24/7 care facility that houses the patients I was able to develop and maintain good relationships with both the patients and the families when they visited, an aspect of my job that I thoroughly enjoyed. I also found that I enjoyed working with my hands, whether it was playing the piano for the residents or adjusting the tubes on patient respiratory equipment. Working at NEPC has also provided me an opportunity to develop and improve my interpersonal and communication skills as I formed relationships with not only the patients and their families, but also with the medical and dental professionals who treated them.

To explore my interest dentistry, I found the opportunity to shadow at Dr.
Robert Tang’s private dental practice. My first shadowing session I was lucky enough to witness Dr. Tang prepare a tooth for a crown as he cut and molded the tooth into the perfect shape. Though I was only an observer, I was able to interact with a diverse population of patients and gain an understanding of the types of patients a dentist may face and the type of atmosphere present in a private practice. Dr. Tang also took the time to familiarize me with some of the benefits and struggles that he has faced in opening his own practice as opposed to other options. But he continues to be an inspiration to me as his commitment to his patients and his drive to be on top of new and innovative dental procedures is something worth striving
for.

My decision to pursue a career in dentistry has been the result of a long and thought out process, and I am fully confident in my choice. I believe the experience I have gained from NEPC and shadowing, as well as my academic abilities have prepared me for the challenges and responsibilities in dentistry.