My Journey in Dentistry as an International Dental Student The going was rough at the beginning, but organized dentistry provided me with the support I needed to succeed.
Ioanna Mentzelopoulou, D.D.S.
I
I believe that efforts at the local, state and nahave been fortunate in my career and in tional levels can make the beginning of the my life. I immigrated to the United States from dental career of a young graduate easier by Greece to study as an international student. Afhelping them obtain a license faster and move ter obtaining my bachelor’s degree, I continued within the country easier. Currently, there are my studies at NYU College of Dentistry. Being more discussions taking place about the need an international dental student was not easy. for a unified license exam and ease of portabilI had to manage a vigorous curriculum while ity in the country for currently licensed dentists away from family and lacking any support. and international students and colleagues. I apAt NYU, I stood out as a female and because plaud the ADA for listening to student members of my accent. At the time, there were only two Dr. Mentzelopoulou and making serious efforts to create an easier international students in the regular program, beginning to their dental career journey. and the teachers would confuse me thinking I As for me, I am lucky to be working as a dentist for all was already a dentist in my country and that I should know these years in a city that I love. I am grateful to organized how to prepare a tooth for a crown or do an amalgam filling. dentistry, which helped to make my American dream I had to explain every time that I had no clue. come true. p My accent made things even more difficult. Sometimes, people had a hard time understanding what I was saying or, in general, I could not understand the jokes or the references Editor’s Note: After receiving a D.D.S. degree from NYU, Dr. Mentdue to cultural differences. However, I had the drive to suczelopoulou went on to complete a general practice residency at Woodhull ceed, and I was able to graduate and obtain my dental degree. Medical Center, Brooklyn, and received a certificate in pediatric dentistry What I was not expecting was learning that my degree from Interfaith Medical Center, Brooklyn. She is engaged in private pracwas not enough to obtain a dental license so I could practice. tice at Pediatric Dental Associates of Manhattan. She is past president of I was surprised by how complicated the process was to get the New York County Dental Society and currently serves on the NYCDS a dental license due to immigration restrictions by state or Board and on the Give Kids A Smile Steering Committee. She is chair of lack of credential portability within the United States. the NYSDA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force and a member of the I was disappointed at the time, because I had gone ADA Strategic Forecasting Committee. Dr. Mentzelopoulou has further through the same program in dental school as everyone else, extended herself by volunteering to provide free dental work to homeless yet I could not be as successful as everyone else in my chochildren in New York City and participating in Operation Backpack, orsen profession. That was when I turned to organized denganizing bags full of essentials to be sent to refugee children arriving on tistry for answers, and I have been grateful for the support the Greek island of Lesvos. of my colleagues ever since. Because of efforts by the Dental Association, a pathway was created to enable students like me to get a license and practice dentistry in New York State. 10
NOVEMBER 2023 . The New York State Dental Journal
