Some dreams don't happen overnight. They happen after years of doubt, discipline, sacrifice, and quiet prayers no one sees. Today, I stood in front of New York University not just as a visitor, but as an Advanced Standing DDS student – Class of 2028. A 28-month journey, starting directly in D2 and moving to D3 in just 6 months, and honestly, it still feels surreal typing this.
This program is built for foreign-trained dentists from India, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, Georgia, and so many other countries — all carrying different accents, stories, struggles, and strengths. Most of my classmates come with master's degrees or U.S. residencies. I didn't. What I brought instead was belief, resilience, and a CAAPID application I poured my entire soul into in my very first CAAPID cycle. I applied through CAAPID, prepared endlessly for INBDE and TOEFL, faced rejections, waited, hoped, and showed up anyway. Out of multiple interviews, I received 6 interview invites and 3 acceptances.
Being surrounded by legendary faculty, globally respected clinicians, researchers, and alumni reminds me why NYU dentists are known as leaders, innovators, and game-changers in this field. This is where excellence meets opportunity. None of this would exist without God first, my parents, my husband, my sister, and my in-laws — the people who believed in me even when the path felt impossible. This degree may have my name on it, but this journey belongs to all of us.
To every international dentist wondering if it's too late, too hard, or too unrealistic — let this be your sign. If you're willing to work for it, your dream dental school will find you too.
