Student Spotlight: From Math Teacher to Dental Student

Joy Chang Joy Chang was teaching middle school math when she realized she wanted to be a dentist. It was something she considered before, but after seeing so many students in class showing off their new braces, she was finally inspired to switch careers. “If I wasn’t interested in it still, I wouldn’t have paid that much attention,’’ observed Chang, a second-year student. As a teen growing up in California, Chang was drawn to math and science but wasn’t entirely sure which field was right for her. Dentistry was a possibility, but she wasn’t ready to commit to dental school. At Columbia University, she majored in sociology and decided to give education a try. But while she enjoyed  teaching, she couldn’t envision it as a long-term career. Since she always loved science, Chang decided to enroll in the Rutgers School of Graduate Studies Biomedical Science program, knowing it would help prepare her for a medical career. After she spent time shadowing a dentist, she made up her mind. “I knew this was something I could do forever,’’ she said. “In other medical fields, you’re often diagnosing people but you rarely get to follow through with a procedural aspect and solve the problem right away. With dentistry, you can do both.” The chance to form deep bonds with patients is another draw. “You’re not only treating the mom and dad, you can treat the whole family,’’ she says. “You can see children grow up.’’