Minnesota Dentist Walter Palmer, in Hot Water

By now I am sure we all have heard the news of the killing of one of Zimbabwe's major tourist attraction, Cecil the Lion. And if you have been made aware of his killing, you certainly have been made aware of his killer - a dentist from Minnesota, Walter Palmer.

To Palmer's defense, he claimed he wasn't aware that the lion he hunted was Cecil, a major tourist attraction of Zimbabwe, collared and tracked via GPS by Oxford University. He claims he thought he was participating in a legal hunt.

What is surprising to me is the amount of money paid by Mr. Palmer for this hunt, a whopping $50,000USD!! (insert super surprised face). It is sad that people are legally allowed to hunt and kill these wonderful creatures, and I am saddened that it was by the hands of a dentist - one who's hands are supposed to be used for healing.

Social media is definitely not too fond of him right now as seen here:

His practice though? YIKES!

Source: CNN

Stu-Dent Diaries In the Neighborhood

I recently came across an article on the world wide web featuring my little corner on the internet: my blog. It hales all the way from Austin, Texas entitled How to Experience Dental School Vicariously, you can read article here. It's a blog for a dental practice and intended to ease patient's nervousness about getting dental procedures done. It points to my blog as an example to show the training that us dentists go through in an attempt to further one's knowledge and appreciation for dental care.

When I started my blog some six years ago, my only intention was to help individuals that faced similar challenges in applying to dental school. I was the first in my family to attend dental school, or any field in healthcare for that matter. Because of this, I had to do and research everything about going to dental school on my own - with no help or advice from anyone. It was quite a task. I thought that surely if I was in that situation then others may be in it too - and the stu-dentdiaries blog was born.

Throughout the years I chronicled the steps I took in preparing to apply and applying to dental school, getting accepted to dental school, my journey through dental school, and now Orthodontics residency.

I did it because writing (my thoughts down) is a hobby and I genuinely wanted to help those who were as confused and flustered as I was. I believe I have accomplished (and still accomplishing) my task.

I get a little embarrassed when people I go to school or attend conferences or different networking events with, recognize me and ask if i'm "that girl from the stu-dentdiaries blog." Most times they tell me that it helped them, and for that I am exceedingly glad.

I will continue to do what I do in my little corner on the www. And, as usual don't hesitate to email me with questions or concerns.

Millions without Dental Care

As future dentists it is important that we pay attention to the trend that's observed in this video. America is facing some tough challenges at present. It is of paramount importance that we understand how the need for dental care and dental literacy fits into the scheme of everyday life. The dental profession, while a moving target, must continue to maintain its prominence in the life of everyday citizens; however, as history has shown, the prominence of this profession is as good as our ability to convey its importance. Failure to do so can only seek to exacerbate some of the problems as observed in this piece, which doesn't bode well for our society.  The work hasn't even begun because afterall the content of this video is in the United States and not a third world country.