I still remember my first day in dental school. I had a problem with my hostel room, and I still remember how agitated and angry I was about it. That day, I actually behaved as if I had all the problems in the world thrust upon my head. But looking back now, I see my behavior that day from a completely different lens.
I learned countless lessons in my first year of BDS and made unforgettable memories. But the one thing that stands out among all the things learned is gratefulness. What it made me realize is that there is a lot of suffering in the world around me—people suffering with pain, disease, and disability that affects their quality of life. As a dental student, I got to learn about various diseases theoretically and see some of these cases practically, and for that experience, I will be grateful. I will forever be grateful because dentistry taught me that what I used to think is “normal” is actually extraordinary.
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Learning about anatomy taught me how beautifully and perfectly I am created. It taught me that every muscle, bone, joint, nerve supply, lymphatic drainage, arterial supply, venous drainage, organ, gland, skin, ligaments, and fasciae in my body are carefully structured, and that is not something to take lightly.
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Embryology taught me how even the mildest disturbance during the formative years can completely change the appearance and function of various parts in my body. It made me realize how lucky I am that every developmental milestone—from the time I was a zygote to the branchial arches, pharyngeal pouches formation, to the development of my skull, face, nose, ears, endocrine glands, and eyes until my birth—every structure, every function, formed the way it should.
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Physiology taught me that the organ systems and pathways I took for granted, like breathing, chewing, swallowing, salivation, neuromuscular coordination, healing, and blood clotting mechanisms, are working tirelessly every second to keep me alive.
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Biochemistry made me realize how important balance is in the human body. It taught me how fragile the balance between hormones is; a microscopic hormonal disturbance can cause life-altering diseases. It made me realize the importance of metabolic pathways of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, nucleotides, and minerals, and how a slight problem in a single step can lead to lifelong disorders.
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Dental anatomy and oral histology made me realize how a single tiny tooth is marvelously structured, that every cusp, ridge, groove, and contact point has its important role in maintaining the structure and function of our oral cavity. The various developmental anomalies in teeth number and structure formation made me realize how grateful I should be to be able to speak, chew, and smile so effortlessly.
Are you grateful for the wonderful way that you are made? What is that one thing you are grateful for in your life?
MBH/PS