Why Am I Choosing Dentistry? 

Written by Jade Pettaway '25, Pre-Dental

Reflecting back on my first year, I was a pre-medical student eager to tackle challenging pre-medical coursework along with attaining my clinical hours at the local hospital. As a patient greeter, I quickly realized that medicine could be an intimate job with the potential for great impact. Throughout my first year, my coursework grew harder, and my love for medicine began to vanish. Going into a hospital every day became daunting, along with the idea of the long journey ahead of me. I knew that I loved the humanitarian nature of patient interactions, but medicine was no longer the path for me. After talking with my parents, I decided to try something different!

During the summer before my second year, I shadowed in an affordable care clinic in Petersburg, Va. Many patients visiting the clinic had dealt with past dental trauma, leading them to self-treatment or to ignore arising health issues. During my time at the clinic, I began to develop a passion for the art of dentistry, along with educating patients on how everyday tasks such as brushing their teeth, could help them to avoid plaque and could drastically improve their overall health. Inspired by my time at the dental clinic, and eager to fully delve into my pre-dental journey, I decided to join the Pre-Dental Society at UVA. During my second year, I was the Fundraising Chair, and helped to orchestrate fundraisers for the club along with participating in monthly meetings. Inspired by my time at the dental clinic and wanting to pursue my passion of making a stronger impact on the community around me, I decided to run for president of the Pre-Dental Society at UVA. 

Currently, as President I help host monthly meetings and guest speakers to help educate and enhance the journey of other pre-dental students at UVA. Pre-Dental Society officers along with myself have also orchestrated fundraisers such as donating dental care kits as a way of giving back to the local Charlottesville community as well as allowing each patient to have a personalized visit at the Charlottesville Free Clinic. As president, I am always looking to find new ways to reach interested pre-dental students so that the Pre-Dental Society can become a great resource for students on grounds! 

To find out more about Pre-Dental Society, check out our website here or follow on Instagram @predentalatuva .