Page 23 - Dentistry Magazine 2021

T“he UMN PASS is a great choice for interna- tional dentists looking to improve their
p” r o fi c i e n c y i n d e n t i s t r y .
Evi Addoh, DDS ’22
opportunity to take advantage of a well- supervised environment which will enable me to provide the best care for my patients.”
In addition to their busy lives and their intensive study in the PASS pro- gram, Addoh, Vasireddy,
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and Qamhiyeh have all volunteered and served as tutors for pre-clinical students. The three see it as a way to use the experience they already have and help students in a situation in which they once found themselves.
Addoh knows the value of a tutor in a student’s life, having used tutoring resources in the past. “I found it amazing how discussing complex topics with peers helped improve my understanding of the subject,” she explained.
It’s a unique opportunity, having a tutor who’s already prac- ticed. Qamhiyeh explained, “I always try to relate the work students are working on to a clinical situation and try to explain what would or wouldn’t work.” That’s something only someone who’s had such an experience can do.
Though the three students bring a wealth of expertise, experience and knowledge to the program, they say they gain more from the students than the students do from them.
When Addoh, Vasireddy and Qamhiyeh finish their program in 2022, they’ll be practitioners skilled in dentistry, licensed to serve in the United States, bringing with them a wealth of experience serving patients, teaching students and learning themselves.
The journey hasn’t been without difficulty—studying in a new culture brought with its challenges, microaggressions and the same stresses any student would face. But these three women are proud of their experience and where they’ve come.
“The UMN PASS is a great choice for international dentists looking to improve their proficiency in dentistry,” said Addoh. “The faculty and staff are welcoming and encouraging. It’s a diverse program, and it’s so fun to associate with people of different backgrounds and cultures.”
Orthodontics resident by day,
“Mr. Rice Guy” by night
“If you would’ve asked me in March 2020 if I’d ever be supporting my way through residency with a TikTok account, I’d call you crazy,” said Tim Bitner, DDS. But the resident in orthodontics is doing just that: and the same fine hand skills that propelled his dental career are fueling his success as the viral Mr. Rice Guy on TikTok. A bet with his sister on who could go more viral led to a second career making and throwing rice art.
From his first rice throw of a portrait of Bob Marley in May 2020 to October, Bitner amassed one million follow- ers and started building partnerships with brands, which have helped support him and his family throughout his residency.
“Before, my wife has always been the one to work while I’m in school,” He explained. “But we have three kids now, and this has been heaven sent.” And rather than take away from his time in residency, Bitner sees the hobby as en- couraging those same skills.
“It was actually an interest in sculpting that got me into dentistry,” Bitner said, explaining that his passion for fine detail and hands-on work led him to orthodontics. “You’re focused on aesthetics, improving a smile and using your hands for wire detail.”
Rice throwing keeps Bitner as sharp as he can be. “As a dentist, you’re always going
to be stretching what you’re capable of, and you have to be continuously
developing your hand skills,” he explained. The hobby lets him do that, while spending time with his children
in what he calls a “family affair.”