Hospital
Tree Top Hospital

Current Year
Pre-Internship

Dental Specialty Interested in
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

A Myth about Dentistry
Some believe, all a dentist do is just clean teeth. But it’s a NO! Because being a dentist also means being “A healthcare Provider” who focuses on oral health , just like how for example a Cardiologist focuses on the heart.

Favorite Area of Dentistry
Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery & Prosthodontics (it is the area of dentistry that focuses on Dental prosthesis)

Note: The Pre-Internship year is a requirement for students that study in China, to complete their course. The student will graduate after the Pre-Internship year, and proceed with completing the Internship year required by the Maldives Medical and Dental Council (MMDC).

First off, tell us about yourself & your reason to choose Dentistry.

I studied from Grade 1- 10 at Muhyiddin School at Villimale’ and always participated in all the co and extra curricular activities there. I then started grade 11 at CHSE, but due to privatization of the building we were studying at that time, all of our batch mates from science stream were transferred to Villa International High School. Hence, I finished my A’levels there at VIHS. 

As far as I can remember, if anyone asks me whom I want to be when I grow up, I always say that I want to be a doctor. So I applied to ADK hospital to join as a clinical assistant after high school. But at that time, they were in need of a Dental assistant, so they put me there. 

At first, I was a bit disgusted to be honest, by the smell of drilling teeth and by seeing nasty oral cavities of people. However, I got used to it after 2-3 weeks. 

I started to learn about the procedures, the instruments used to different treatments, and started assisting at different Dental procedures. And I had this urge to know and learn more about this field. So I used to ask the doctors a lots of questions and grew more fond of this specialty. That’s when I decided that I want to do Bachelors in Dental Surgery (BDS). 

I came across Dalian Medical University (DMU) through a very close friend of mine. I applied to 3 different universities at that time. And DMU was the first place to accept my application so I didn’t want to wait anymore for a reply from the other universities . I wanted to start my course as soon as possible.

Our university states that pre-graduation internship can be done at any hospital that is recognized by WHO. Since I decided that I would do my final internship abroad after graduation, I was looking for a place where I can stay with my family and do my pre-internship as I have a baby. 

ADK Hospital was an option too, but as I live at Hulhumalé and will have to travel back and forth if I go there. Hence, I decided to go to Tree Top as it would be more convenient for me to balance everything and manage time at the hospital and at home. 

Thankfully, I must say that the doctors there are very helpful and very much willing to teach. My learning experience at Tree Top Hospital so far has been really good.

What was your first year of Dental school like?

First year of Dental school is pretty much the same as a student doing MBBS. Not only the first year, but the first three years. At least, that’s what it’s like at my university. 

I had to attend the same classes as MBBS students and we do study the same basic Medical subjects starting from Sytemic Anatomy to Internal Medicine. 

We started Dental subjects only in our 6th semester which is the last semester of the third year. For Dental subjects we have to study at a different building (College of Dentistry) but for all the other Medical subjects it is just the same classes with MBBS students. We will only be separated when we have a Dental lecture or practical class.

What were the major factors in deciding which Dental school you wanted to attend?

Well, to be honest, I didn’t consider much about deciding which Dental school to attend. All I did was check if the course from the universities I applied for is accepted by Maldives Medical & Dental Council (MMDC).

How do you keep a balance between studies and a social life?

I got married after my first year at university and then had a baby after the 3rd year. Was it easy? No, it wasn’t easy having a kid, raising the child along with balancing studies. But it’s doable. 

You have to be good at managing time and have to be very efficient while studying. Also a having a great support system around me was the most important and Al’Hamdhulillah, my husband and my family and friends were extremely supportive. My mom lived with me in China to help me out after I had the baby. 

I usually go to morning class, come back home for lunch break (since I have to feed the baby) and then I go back for the afternoon classes and will be done by 3:30-4:00 pm. And then I will go home and go out for a walk with my baby and mother, and he sleeps at night , usually at 8:00 pm. 

That’s when I sit and study. It wasn’t difficult for me to manage studying at night because baby sleeps well through the night. Before I had the baby, it was pretty much the same, except I usually take a nap in the evening after my classes. 

I must say, after I had the baby, I learnt how to manage time more efficiently. The effort I put on my studies also increased. So that was a big plus point for me. And then during the weekends I usually go out shopping or to eat out with friends plus my baby and mom.

How is a day in Dental school like?

Some days we will have normal lectures but most days after we started Dental subjects, we mostly have practical classes along with lectures. We have our own working station and Dental tools and will work on our own Dental models to learn and gain the skills that we require. (That was tiring and get a lot of backaches and pain on neck and shoulders by the end of practical classes.) 

At home, I usually study during night time after 7:30 pm and sleep around 1 am latest. And the cycle goes on.

Which textbook would you recommend to every Dental student?

STURDEVANT'S ART & SCIENCE OF OPERATIVE DENTISTRY by Harold O.Heymann , Jr. Edward J.Swift, Andre V. Ritter

What was the most fascinating procedure you performed so far?

Every Dental procedure is unique in its own way. Whether it is doing a root canal treatment, simple composite filling or making a teeth crown or an extraction. 

However, I find surgically removing a wisdom tooth that is embedded in your jaw bone very interesting . I also find it very fascinating to surgically remove tumors that makes the face look deformed and then correcting the facial structure. That is while considering both health and esthetic factors of the patients.

Hand skills are important for a Dentist. Do you think it can be learned in Dental school?

A dentist must have superior hand-eye coordination. Yes it can be learnt in Dental school as well as at home. 

We have to practice and build our motor skills by different activities and techniques. The most basic technique we learn at Dental school is carving the structure of different teeth on wax blocks. We can also Color or draw. 

Practice at home or at school using simple Dental models and Dental equipment such as hand tools. Such activities help in complex muscle movements. So, practice practice and practice!

As a future Dentist, what do you think can be done to improve Dentistry?

All Dental health care providers together, should think about a way to reduce and overcome the problems dentists go through due to over working of spinal, back, neck muscles and bones. This is because we need to stay healthy in order to give a proper care to the patients.

Finally, what is the one tip/advice you want to give to our readers?

I want to say, in order to be a doctor, brilliancy and good results aren't the only things that matter. What matters the most is hard work and dedication and your interest in the field. 

Don’t try to pursue a career in medicine because your family wants you to. Do it only if YOU want to. Because as in the saying , “studying medicine is like true love. We suffer, fail, learn, fail again, fight and grow, but never want to let go”. 

If you do it for the sake of your family, you will give up when things get hard. But if you are doing it because you really want to see yourself in that white coat, you will never want to let go or quit even when you feel like you are constantly suffering. 

Even if you fail, keep trying. You may not be where you want to, but you’re always closer than you were the previous day. And don’t let anything or anyone shatter your dreams. 

To all those who plan to- Getting married or having a child doesn’t mean it’s the end of your studies if you are determined enough to balance both and achieve your dreams

The My Dental Student Life series was created for the sole purpose of helping Dental students and aspiring doctors on their journey to become a successful Maldivian Healthcare Professional. Have a suggestion, idea or question? Email us.

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