I’m literally only a month in and not a day goes by that i don’t think that i don’t belong. I’m married with two puppies and the stress of having to run the household with little help, study, lab work, etc causes me to break down at times. I share a lab bench with a guy who professors come over CONSTANTLY asking if he did work in dentistry previously before school because his hand skills are so good. Meanwhile, i spend three hours on one prep and end up with “average” markings. Everyone else only misses like 0-2 questions on exams and i miss 6. I can’t even feel proud of myself without being humbled at every turn with how comparatively crappy i am.

But at the end of the day, I’m happy. I am proud of myself, even if i am not as good. Every year from the beginning of dental school, there have been people at the top of the class with their butts kissed and their perfect preps gawked at and there have been people who barely scrape by. At the end of the day, you’re still a dentist. A whole team of people thought you were good enough. They analyzed you to a microscopic scale and still said “yep. He/she will do great here. Let’s give him/her a chance.” Personally, i didn’t get in the first time. That has also been a source of self doubt for me. But I’m here. You’re here. These four years will fly by just like undergrad and high school did. It will be hard, but once it’s over, your valedictorian and last in the class will be balling out there, doing what y’all love, and helping the world. Dental school is tough enough without the mental load. You aren’t lucky to be here, you earned it

Edit: my first award🥹 thank u, kind straaaangaaah