02 September 2023

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UCLA dental dynamo: Jay Patel, D.D.S. '25

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The UCLA School of Dentistry published a series of stories to introduce students who are making the most of their dental school experience.

Jay Patel, D.D.S. ‘25 is the 2023-24 Associated Student Body president. According to the university story, Patel is dedicated to his formal training, as well as opportunities beyond the classroom and clinic, to help position himself as a successful practitioner.

School of Dentistry: Tell us a little about yourself, Jay.

Jay Patel: I’m originally from the Bay Area. I went to UCLA for undergrad and got my degree in biochemistry. When I wasn’t in the library, I was on the field with the marching band or in the gym with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club. I applied to UCLA SOD the first time and didn’t get in, so I turned down my other dental school acceptances, applied again, and got in here the second cycle.

SOD: What did you do during your gap year?

JP: I came back from Europe as we were going into lockdown and then started working a variety of jobs. I was a dental paralegal, ran some of the first COVID-19 tests, and worked in several leadership positions at a non-profit called the University Cooperative Housing Association. I got to work in several leadership positions, manage large budgets, and even hire and fire workers. Many of them were my own friends. It was tough, but it taught me excellent leadership and organizational skills which I still use to this day.

SOD: How did you choose the UCLA School of Dentistry?

JP: The Class of 2021 was very kind to me during undergrad and there were a lot of superstars that motivated me. Dr. Robert Peng, my pediatric dentist, and an alumnus, also inspired me to do dentistry at UCLA. I wanted to follow in his footsteps. I had a strong emotional connection to UCLA after undergrad as the community was phenomenal. Some legends who have mentored me that I would like to mention are Dr. Hewlett, Dr. Felsenfeld, and Dr. Naomi Ellison.

SOD: What is your favorite aspect of dental school?

JP: That’s a tough question. My favorite part is how you get to be in a variety of environments with intimate friends. You could be enhancing a patient’s life in one moment, improving the school right after, and then go out to dinner and drinks all in the same day with the same people. I love going out to events with my friends- health fairs, conferences, networking events. We also have fun outside of school and travel together.

SOD: Have you started defining your post-D.D.S. goals, or are you still exploring opportunities in dentistry?

JP: Honestly, I failed a lot in the pre-clinical lab but one thing I was always good at was oral and maxillofacial surgery. Before dental school started, I had the honor to assist and shadow oral surgeries. The surgeons here are very intelligent and kind, especially Dr. Aghaloo and Dr. Freymiller. I love how comprehensive, challenging and meaningful oral and maxillofacial surgery is.

SOD: What part of dentistry interests you the most?

JP: I love how versatile dentistry is with its numerous dental specialties. You also get to work with a variety of medical professionals, so it’s a real nexus point of health care. Another aspect I like is organized dentistry and advocacy. You get to fight for patients on a bigger scale rather than just pull out their wisdom teeth and send them off. With advocacy you get to tackle important questions such as “Can patients afford this treatment?” “What legislation needs to change?” and “How can we solve big picture problems with innovation?”

SOD: What is one piece of advice you have for D1s and D2s?

JP: Keep an open mind. Dental school attracts very type-A personalities, and they tend to excessively plan out their lives. When things don’t go to plan, it breaks us. The path that it takes to get to dental school is arduous. You need a high DAT score, a great GPA, and various extracurriculars. Once you get to dental school, there are just not enough hours in the day to be perfect at everything. Some things are out of your control, and you just have to keep an open mind. You also must be patient with other people and especially yourself. If you fail a quiz, it’s not game over and things are not as black and white as they seem. For example, I had a very strong connection to the California Dental Association before I started dental school, and I went to a lot of their events. I desperately wanted to be a CDA student rep. I lost the position to Jennifer Gutierrez, and I didn’t know her that well at the time. Jenn is now one of my closest friends. I never would have thought that that door closing would lead me to being passionate about student government and becoming president of the student body.

SOD: What has been your greatest challenge in dental school? How did you overcome it?

JP: My greatest challenge in dental school has been failing a lot in the preclinical laboratory. It took a lot of resilience and being patient with myself. Building connections with amazing faculty like Dr. Yu and Dr. Al Khalifah, and upperclassmen has been vital. Changing my mindset from “I need to work harder” to “I need to change how I work” really helped.

SOD: How has your transition from preclinical to clinical been?

JP: It has been phenomenal. At UCLA you get to see patients sooner rather than later. It reminds you of the depth and the richness that human interaction and service brings to your life.

SOD: What motivated you to apply for the ASB presidency?

JP: What motivated me was the kindness and collaboration of the Class of 2021. As an undergrad, I saw how interactive their social dynamic was, and after COVID the UCLA dental community really took a hit. It became a little stone-cold. This made me so sad! Many graduate students post pandemic tend to view school very transactionally. They just come to campus and go back home. Before the pandemic, it wasn’t like that; there was a sense of community and fun. At UCLA SOD I wanted to be the one to revitalize us. All the stars seem to be aligning this year and we are resurrecting all the old traditions. With a vibrant community, people are willing to work a little harder and smile a little more. Dentistry is generally underfunded so it’s important to see that it is so much more than money. It’s about the community! You’re not just at a dental school; you’re at UCLA where the internet was discovered and where legends like Dr. Donald Fisher witnessed the John Wooden era of basketball.

SOD: What are you most excited about for the academic year ahead?

JP: The events. ASB as well as several of our clubs are bringing back so many exciting service, social and cultural events. Personally, I’m excited for UCLA alumni events at CDA. You get to know faculty, staff and alumni on a more personal level. The alumni also have an upcoming event at the Rose Bowl. Events like these show that the UCLA community extends beyond students and the campus. I want all of us to be more connected as we come out of the pandemic together. To the incoming D1s, get excited. This year is going to be a blast!

Read the story on the UCLA School of Dentistry's site, view links to other student profiles.