Surrounded by a beautiful garden, a tranquil water fountain sings in the background as I lounge in the warm Iranian air sipping coffee. Some days, I savor the quiet atmosphere of this tiny oasis, yet on other days, I relish the company of my German-speaking friends as we linger at the caf eating my favorite, cold German potato salad, bantering for hours about culture and politics. Absorbed in my work as a dentist in a flourishing practice, I craved a new opportunity to challenge my mind and grow. At first, learning to speak German was a way to communicate with an innovator in dentistry that I admired and one day hoped to meet, Professor, Gotz Siebert of Germany. However, daily studies for over a year turned into more than a professional and creative outlet, it became a way to connect with people in my life and the world.
But before my restless energy discovered a love for German language, I was an enthusiastic dental student. Born into a family of physicians, my interest in healthcare came naturally. However, my grandparents' influence had the biggest impact on my passion for learning. As a boy, I spent much of my time with my grandparents. Both compassionate nurturers, they cared for me and taught valuable life lessons. Retired from the U.S. Embassy in Iran, my grandparents had witnessed a swift shift in political climate during the Iranian Revolution and the country's upheaval of many educational freedoms. From this, bloomed a lesson that instilled my intense passion for learning. And with this passion, I discovered an interest in dentistry after watching my sister's life-changing transformation from orthodontic treatment.
As a high achieving student, I was easily accepted into dental school, which was one of the best times of my life. I learned from experts and was challenged by professors who gave me a chance to assist with research that spawned the writing of three additional papers and molded my career trajectory. In partnership with two fellow dental students, I took on a project to create Iran's first system for treatment of cleft lip and palate that became highly regarded as a standard by the Iranian's Ministry of Health. While this was a major accomplishment, I continued to advance my scholarly contributions to the field with additional papers and the translation of a book on fixed prosthodontics. Over the course of dental school, I developed a fascination with complex aesthetic and orthodontic dentistry that involved the relationship between bone structures, teeth, and gums as well as a drive to continue building my proficiency.
After graduating in the top 1%, I spent the first two years of my career completing my obligations with the government as a military dentist. By the time I fulfilled my service, I was also managing my own private practice. Responsible for making decisions and caring for my patients challenged me to ensure the best outcome for patients. But, as my practice grew, so did the complexity of my cases. Although I was a visiting scholar for one-month in oral and maxillofacial surgery and attended residency seminars in orthodontics, I realized that many of my patients needed more advanced dental care that I had yet to master. Wanting to expand my learning, particularly in implants and full-mouth rehabilitation of the teeth and gums, I visited a colleague in the U.S. For three months, I assisted with treatments, learned about technology, and observed the profession. Excited about what I could achieve in the U.S., I applied for a post-doctoral program.
As a post-doctoral student in the Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine at the University of Michigan, I have diversified my background in dentistry and patient management skills through the Hospital Elder Life Program. In addition to assisting with patient treatments and attending lectures with residents, I am conducting research. I am the co-author of a study on sonography for periodontal tissue imaging and another on maxillary sinus elevation. I am also conducting a review on the stability of occlusion in class-3 malocclusion. This post-doctoral program has been a great opportunity for me to explore dentistry in more depth and has enhanced my inquiry skills as they relate to my future goals.
