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Here are some former PDS members who have helped shape the UCD Pre-Dental Society. We wish you the best of luck in dental school and with your future!

Yvette Arana

Year of graduation: 2004

Previous position held in PDS: Fundraising coordinator

Status: UCSF post-baccalaureate

Abbi Dekker

Year of graduation: 2004

Previous position held in PDS: Secretary 2003-2004

Advice: 1.) Take your GPA very seriously from the beginning. 2.) Go to office hours and get to know your instructors! 3.) Before you apply, get some experience in a dental office.

Kimberly Liao

Year of graduation: 2004

Previous position held in PDS: President 2003-2004

Advice: Get everything done early (when it comes to applications)! There is life beyond school!

Linda Yip

Year of graduation: 2004

Previous position held in PDS: Member 2002-2004, Publicity officer 2003-2004

Advice: The whole process of applying to dental school may seem overwhelming, but my advice is to just start it and things will start to pick up. Network with other members, they're your best support and are there to help.

Gloria Khoo

Year of graduation: 2003

Previous position held in PDS: Activities coordinator (2002-2003)

Status: 1st year at UCSF School of Dentistry

Advice: "Try to apply early and keep checking with AADSAS to see if they get all of your materials. Once you make it to the interviews, just relax and be yourself."

Mike Lu

Year of graduation: 2003

Previous position held in PDS: webmaster (2001-2003), secretary (2002-2003)

Status: 1st year at UB School of Dental Medicine (New York)

Webpage: www.geocities.com/kaede177

Daniel Martin

Year of graduation: Fall of 1998

Previous activities at UCD: While at Davis I had no idea I wanted to become a dentist. I was pretty set on the Med school track for the first couple of years because I was fairly nerdy in the science world and liked people (blah, blah...the same thing we all write in personal statements). Needless to say I did not hold an official PDS position. I was very active with Outdoor Adventures and rose through the guide ranks fairly quickly-- in fact I'm teaching beginning guide training right now-- and I also raced with the UCD Alpine Ski Team and served as pre-season dryland coach for a season. After school I was employed as a river guide and a ski patroller for a few years. As a river guide I met plenty of dentists, who as it turns out have the time and money to go on rafting trips. The more I talked with them, the more enchanted I became with the dental world. I hung out with a few of them in their offices and the deal was sealed.

Status: 5'10" 2nd year student at UOP, Student Body Treasurer Legislative Liaison (ASDA position) PR guy for our community outreach program (SCOPE) active in cleft lip/palate research

Advice: yikes! I kinda took a different path to the dental school world. Though, I imagine most in the PDS are chompin at the bit to dive into dental school, I would tell everyone to take a year or two off before jumping into more school. Dental school is rigorous and I think our minds and souls all deserve a little break. I think it also helps with dealing with patients and probably looks good to the admissions folks, provided you spent your time out of prison.

Iman Sadri

Year of graduation: 2003

Previous position held in PDS: Vice-President (2002-2003)

Status: First year dental student at New York University.

Christallyn Tan

Year of graduation: 2003

Previous position held in PDS: Activities coordinator (2002-2003)

Status: 1st year at UCLA School of Dentistry

Advice: "If you fail, try and try again; never give up on your dream." Thien (Sam) Trang Year graduated from UC Davis: 2002 Previous Position held in PDS: Treasurer (2001-2002) Status: 1st year at UCLA School of Dentistry Advice: Apply very early and score no lower than a 20 on all sections of the DAT. Check out forums.studentdoctor.net for moral support, a wakeup call, or just to some info. If I can get in, you surely will be able to get in.

Jenny Vassilian

Year of graduation: 2003

Previous position held in PDS: Fundraising coordinator (2002-2003)

Status: 1st year at UCSF School of Dentistry

Advice: "Hey future dentists! Yes I was once in your shoes- freaking out about admissions and the DATs. What I learned looking back on it all is that UCD prepared you well. One piece of advice: Be confident (but not conceited- there's a fine line). Confidence shows throughout your application and interviews. It shines through and makes an impression on people. Not just in the application process, but in all aspects of life. I mean, who wants a dentist who isn't confident in themselves? I'll be at UCSF so if any of you join me, keep in touch!!!"

Picture not available.

Larry Lau

Year of graduation: 2003

Previous Position held in PDS: member

Status: Currently a postgraduate researcher in the Center for Neuroscience (South Davis). He is currently in the dental application process for Fall 2004 admission. Good luck, Larry!

Picture not available.

Thien (Sam) Trang

The following list are UC Davis Alumni that are currently attending the UOP School of Dentistry and on their way to receiving their D.D.S. Best wishes to all of you!

Class of 2004	Class of 2005	Class of 2006
Samar Asefi	Salab Asefi	Jasmine Bhuva
Henry Chiang	Nick Bronzini	Evelyn Cabauatan
Besma Fallah	Ryan Grandpre	Kevin Coolidge
Kevin Growney	Deric Ikuta	Andy Duong
Nicholas Kitajima	Aron Kivel	David Forester
Steven McComb	Min Ku	Todd Gandy
Leroy Owyang	Lauren Marr	Alexandr Klimushkin
Christopher Pham	Daniel Martin	Tyson Lechner
Dallen Phillips	Marina Martinez	Quyen Nguyen
Quincy Tan	Eric McMahon	Aurora Patino
	Richard Pham	Ricky Tin
	Edward Po	Chung Troung
	Heather Roberts	Nathan Vick
	Robert Truong	Joshua Wong
	Michael Vista	Mark Wong
		Nathan Yang

	Yvette Arana Year of graduation: 2004 Previous position held in PDS: Fundraising coordinator Status: UCSF post-baccalaureate
	Abbi Dekker Year of graduation: 2004 Previous position held in PDS: Secretary 2003-2004 Advice: 1.) Take your GPA very seriously from the beginning. 2.) Go to office hours and get to know your instructors! 3.) Before you apply, get some experience in a dental office.
	Kimberly Liao Year of graduation: 2004 Previous position held in PDS: President 2003-2004 Advice: Get everything done early (when it comes to applications)! There is life beyond school!
	Rebekka Swanson Year of graduation: 2004 Previous position held in PDS: Activity coordinator Advice: Club to meet people as well as learn about dentistry.
	Linda Yip Year of graduation: 2004 Previous position held in PDS: Member 2002-2004, Publicity officer 2003-2004 Advice: The whole process of applying to dental school may seem overwhelming, but my advice is to just start it and things will start to pick up. Network with other members, they're your best support and are there to help.
	Gloria Khoo Year of graduation: 2003 Previous position held in PDS: Activities coordinator (2002-2003) Status: 1st year at UCSF School of Dentistry Advice: "Try to apply early and keep checking with AADSAS to see if they get all of your materials. Once you make it to the interviews, just relax and be yourself."
	Mike Lu Year of graduation: 2003 Previous position held in PDS: webmaster (2001-2003), secretary (2002-2003) Status: 1st year at UB School of Dental Medicine (New York) Webpage: www.geocities.com/kaede177
	Daniel Martin Year of graduation: Fall of 1998 Previous activities at UCD: While at Davis I had no idea I wanted to become a dentist. I was pretty set on the Med school track for the first couple of years because I was fairly nerdy in the science world and liked people (blah, blah...the same thing we all write in personal statements). Needless to say I did not hold an official PDS position. I was very active with Outdoor Adventures and rose through the guide ranks fairly quickly-- in fact I'm teaching beginning guide training right now-- and I also raced with the UCD Alpine Ski Team and served as pre-season dryland coach for a season. After school I was employed as a river guide and a ski patroller for a few years. As a river guide I met plenty of dentists, who as it turns out have the time and money to go on rafting trips. The more I talked with them, the more enchanted I became with the dental world. I hung out with a few of them in their offices and the deal was sealed. Status: 5'10" 2nd year student at UOP, Student Body Treasurer Legislative Liaison (ASDA position) PR guy for our community outreach program (SCOPE) active in cleft lip/palate research Advice: yikes! I kinda took a different path to the dental school world. Though, I imagine most in the PDS are chompin at the bit to dive into dental school, I would tell everyone to take a year or two off before jumping into more school. Dental school is rigorous and I think our minds and souls all deserve a little break. I think it also helps with dealing with patients and probably looks good to the admissions folks, provided you spent your time out of prison.
	Iman Sadri Year of graduation: 2003 Previous position held in PDS: Vice-President (2002-2003) Status: First year dental student at New York University.
	Christallyn Tan Year of graduation: 2003 Previous position held in PDS: Activities coordinator (2002-2003) Status: 1st year at UCLA School of Dentistry Advice: "If you fail, try and try again; never give up on your dream." Thien (Sam) Trang Year graduated from UC Davis: 2002 Previous Position held in PDS: Treasurer (2001-2002) Status: 1st year at UCLA School of Dentistry Advice: Apply very early and score no lower than a 20 on all sections of the DAT. Check out forums.studentdoctor.net for moral support, a wakeup call, or just to some info. If I can get in, you surely will be able to get in.
	Jenny Vassilian Year of graduation: 2003 Previous position held in PDS: Fundraising coordinator (2002-2003) Status: 1st year at UCSF School of Dentistry Advice: "Hey future dentists! Yes I was once in your shoes- freaking out about admissions and the DATs. What I learned looking back on it all is that UCD prepared you well. One piece of advice: Be confident (but not conceited- there's a fine line). Confidence shows throughout your application and interviews. It shines through and makes an impression on people. Not just in the application process, but in all aspects of life. I mean, who wants a dentist who isn't confident in themselves? I'll be at UCSF so if any of you join me, keep in touch!!!"
	Aurora Patino Year of graduation: 2003 Previous position held in PDS: Activities coordinator (2002-2003) Status: 1st year at UOP School of Dentistry Advice: "Don't worry guys, you will get in and you will be a great dentist!"
Picture not available.	Larry Lau Year of graduation: 2003 Previous Position held in PDS: member Status: Currently a postgraduate researcher in the Center for Neuroscience (South Davis). He is currently in the dental application process for Fall 2004 admission. Good luck, Larry!
Picture not available.	Jeffrey Leong Year of graduation: 2002 Previous position held in PDS: Vice-President (2001-2002), Activities Coordinator (2000-2001) Status: 2nd year at UCSF School of Dentistry Advice: "Study hard and play hard. Work hard at school by trying your best at all times. UCD prepares you extremely well for the vigorous didactics in dental school and learning the material now will prepare you for the long run. Play hard by getting involved with PDS, seeking out dental internships, helping out with the community. Remember there is no such thing as failure, learn from your mistakes and stive to make improvements everyday. It is only failure if you give up. Good luck and I wish you all the best!"
Picture not available.	Thien (Sam) Trang Year of graduation: 2002 Previous position held in PDS: Treasurer (2001-2002) Status: 1st year at UCLA School of Dentistry Advice: Apply very early and score no lower than a 20 on all sections of the DAT. Check out forums.studentdoctor.net for moral support, a wakeup call, or just to some info. If I can get in, you surely will be able to get in.