2015-2016 CSUF Pre-Dental Society's Executive Board
My name is Christopher Nano and I'm the founding president of CSUF's Pre-Dental Society. I am a pre-dental who is a senior double majoring in Health Science with a concentration in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. I am also the dental chair for CSUF- Student Health Professions Association (SHPA). It will be my fourth year including this 2015-2016 school year being involved with SHPA. Dentistry sparked my interests back in high school as I was shadowing my older cousin who is a general dentist.
I chose dentistry so I can be of service in providing the under-served communities by being a primary care dental provider in the future to help individuals reshape their smile and maintain their oral health. This also appeal to me that Dentistry works for me as I love science, art, using my fine motor skills, and keeping up to date technology. Outside of campus, I work part-time as a licensed Registered Dental Assistant at a dental office in Huntington Beach and Westminster that practice and specialize in Advanced General Dentistry in which I am passionate in pursuing in that field. I aspire to become a General Dentist and maybe one day go into dental academia or specialize in advance general dentistry residency in a hospital setting. I also maintain my RDA license through continue education hours at the California Dental Association. I have also volunteered various dental clinics such as Share Our Shelves Health Clinic, Care Harbor, CDA Cares, and Saban Free Clinic of Los Angeles.
I started the CSUF Pre-Dental Society with my founding executive board in the Fall 2014 in providing potential pre-hygiene and pre-dental students to spark an interest in dentistry as a platform to go into this field and become a Dental Hygienist or a Dentist in the future. We wanted show that dental care is as important for our health as we know many of the population lack access to dental care in their communities due to dental health care provider shortage or early retiring of dental professionals. With all the hard work getting this organization together, my executive board officers would love to provide you information and guidance about this wonderful exciting field.
In my spare time, I love traveling, kayaking, hanging with friends, and finding new food joints to try out throughout Southern California. Don't hesitate to ask me questions. I will help you along your way to your pre-dental path during your time here at Cal State University, Fullerton.
My name is Sebastian Lucar and I am a Health Science major pursuing a career in dentistry. As a pre-dental I have completed all prerequisites for dental school such as a year of organic chemistry, physics, biology, general chemistry and a semester of calculus. I am open to many opportunities, such as research and/or community service within my realm of expertise. I am also a vice president of the CSUF Pre-Dental Society and strive to make the best of it in order to leave a great legacy behind me within the society. I am an active member of SHPA (Student Health Professional Association) and I'm committed to my work.
The reason why I chose to pursue a career in dentistry is because I have always had a passion for it. When I was a kid, I enjoyed watching my father do dental work and I enjoyed shadowing him. Now I am focused on becoming a Dentist and helping out my fellow classmates achieve the same goal. Aside from my school work, I run my own cell phone accessories business. From this, I gain knowledge on how to run a small business which will benefit me on the long run for running a dental business myself.
As for my hobbies, I like to go to the beach, draw, and travel to new places wherever I can.
Hello fellow pre-dents! My name is Kristine Javier, and I am the Treasurer of Cal State Fullerton's Pre-Dental Society. I am currently a senior majoring in Cell and Developmental Biology.
Dentistry is a great field that is composed of many elements such as art, business, and the service of helping others. In the past, I have participated in UCLA’s School of Dentistry General Clinic Volunteer Program, attended various dental events and workshops in California, volunteered for free clinics such as Care Harbor-Los Angeles and CDA Cares, and I am currently an active member of the American Student Dental Association (ASDA). These opportunities have led to the expansion of my knowledge in dentistry and improved my manual dexterity skills.
My passion for the field of dentistry continues to grow as I advance in my journey towards dental school. Being part of the CSUF PDS executive board will allow myself to not only share with you my knowledge both in and out of dentistry, but it also gives me an opportunity to learn, experience, discover and grow with you all in this exciting field.
In my spare time I love going to the beach, long boarding, traveling, calligraphy, and jammin’ on my guitar.
Hello Everyone! My name is Michael Lien and I am a senior that is majoring in Biology with a concentration is cell and developmental biology. I was an active member of the CSUF Pre-Dental Society before, but soon after I realized that I wanted to do more for my fellow pre-dents and for the community that so desperately needed dental care. I admired how much the first founding generation of executive board members put their time into helping its members that I wanted to be a part of it. Between the Pre-Dental Society, I am also an active member of Student Health Professions Association (SHPA).
My path towards the realization of dentistry began with indulging myself in my family business. I worked in the business field selling and counting money for approximately ten years. I learned over time that I did not enjoy this. I also was involved with teaching academics and martial arts. These were all not something that I completely enjoy, but then there were aspects of each job that I took that interested me. My parents were the first to bring up dental. The more we talked about it, the more I ignored them, until I did some researching on my own. There was so much to dentistry that I did not know. Dentistry incorporates artistic aspects, education and business all into one. Dentistry was something I launched myself into and I fell in love with it. I have done workshops, volunteered in clinics, shadowed and helped out the community in the name of dentistry and it has been a rewarding and promising path. My goal is to become a general dentist that not only treats the patients as people, but also treat them as people who are my responsibility and people who deserve to know what goes on in their mouth.
Some of my hobbies include socializing with people, lifting weights, running, playing video games, martial arts, reading, traveling, taking care of my mini aquarium and spending time with the people I love.
My name is Tammy Winger and I am the publicity coordinator. I will be providing you with weekly emails about upcoming events. This is my second year as a transfer student from Golden West College and also my second year of being apart as a member of the student organization, Student Health Profession Association (SHPA). I am very excited to branch out into our new pre-dental club and emphasize the many aspects of dentistry. I will encourage our club to excel and become competitive applicants. I am a Biological Science major with a concentration in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology.
I got into Dentistry through the ROP program for dental assisting and radiology. I have been a dental assistant for almost 4 years and have worked with multiple dentists. I immediately loved helping patients live a healthier lifestyle through dentistry. I would like to become a general dentist because there is such variety throughout the day and there are years of relationships with patients. I am interested in Temporal Mandibular Joint disorder which refers to issues of the jaw joint. Also I would love to get involved in Invisalign which is a clear retainer that moves the teeth instead of braces.
In my spare time, I love to go to the beach and the occasional country music concert. I am very passionate about dentistry and cannot wait to share my knowledge and experience with you all.
Hello! My name is Jake Bergara and I am the fundraising coordinator for the Pre-Dental Society at Cal State Fullerton. I’m a Biology major and have always been interested in becoming a dentist ever since I can remember.
My father is a dentist and I always used to go into his office and watch him work whenever I could. This is mainly how I knew I wanted to be a dentist. I love helping people because the gratitude people show you is one of the best feelings in the world in my opinion. Dentistry gives me a great platform to do this and my passion for it grows stronger and stronger as I learn more about the field. I have been a member of the Pre-Dental Society for a semester now and it is one of the best decisions I ever made. It creates so many opportunities for everyone to be involved and to help each individuals make them competitive dental applicants. I encourage anyone to join this club because it definitely makes a difference in how prepared you will be to apply to dental school. As fundraising coordinator, I will do whatever I can to help this club reach its maximum potential.
Aside from dentistry, I love playing basketball and being active. Of course I also like to hang out with friends, eat, go to Disneyland, and meet new people. Pre-Dental society is more than a club, it is a family and new members will quickly notice this once the semester gets underway. I look forward to meeting incoming members! You will love what this club has to offer!
Hello Pre-Dents, my name is Peter Hoang and I am a fourth year Biological Science major here at Cal State University Fullerton.
When I first saw tartar and plaque on my mom’s friend teeth, I was not bothered by it at all as some people would be. I actually wanted to help her and introduce her to a dentist and see what dentistry has to offer for her. I wanted not just her, but everyone to be proud of their smiles and show off their shiny white teeth in pictures. I was more intrigued with dentistry as I watched my very own aunt progressed through dental school. I saw how much passion she put into the career and I was inspired to do the same. She brought me to Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC and showed me around. I shadowed her closely from what had led her to choose dentistry as her career to the very moment she graduated and saw all of what she had gone through. Immediately I knew that this was what I wanted to do and was driven to pursue this career. The Pre-Dental Society here at Cal State University Fullerton has also helped me to see more into dentistry and taught me how to get into dental school with the offers of all these opportunities to help me be a good applicant for dental school. As your volunteer coordinator, I hope to help you as well to become a good dental school applicant.
Some of my hobbies and things I like to do for fun is sing, play the guitar, hike, swim, explore what the outdoors has to offer, and I am a huge car enthusiast.
Hello everybody! My name is Ghenna Kisswani and I’m the Social Coordinator of CSUF’s Pre-Dental Society for the 2015-2016 school year. I’m currently a junior majoring in Biology hoping to concentrate in Cell and Developmental Biology. I’m also minoring in Child and Adolescent Studies and Chemistry.
The reason I’m pursuing a career in dentistry is not only to give back to the community but also because I simply have a love for the field of dentistry. Dentistry didn’t spark my interest until my first year of college and not until last semester when the CSUF Pre-Dental Society held a dental outreach program for elementary school children that I knew dentistry was the career for me. Being able to inform children about dental hygiene in such a fun and creative manner was so inspiring. Therefore I’m aspiring to becoming a pediatric dentist and open my own dental office, Kisswani Dental, where you can kiss your cavities goodbye. I also hope to join organizations in the future that provide free dental care for civilians living in occupied territories in the Middle East and low-income provinces throughout the world. I’m just beginning my path to becoming a dentist, however my love for dentistry continues to grow as I become more knowledgeable and expose myself to new experiences. Although this is my upcoming second semester being an officer and I have lots to learn, I only hope to assist others on their journey to becoming a dentist as well as myself.
Aside from dentistry, I also enjoying spending time with friends and family, going on fun and little adventures and singing. My interests include music, fashion, learning about new cultures and staying updated with local and world events. I’m also an active volunteer for the Family Autism Network and am a member of the Palestinian club and Palestinian Solidarity Campaign. Feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions regarding dentistry or anything in general. I’ll try my best to help you succeed!
Hi pre-dents! My name is Daisy Gonzalez and I am a senior majoring in Biochemistry with a Pre-Health Professions minor. I transferred to Cal State Fullerton from Irvine Valley College in Fall 2013 and I am happy to continue my undergraduate studies here.
I chose to pursue dentistry for three reasons: I want to help patients have a beautiful smile so it can build their confidence, I want to educate them on the importance of oral health, and I want to be a dentist that my future patients are comfortable coming to. This profession also brings me happiness and I found this out by doing prep programs at Western University and through shadowing.
Aside from my dental interest I love catching up on my favorite TV shows, drinking coffee, spending time with family and friends, going to concerts, going to Disneyland, and I am a big fan of dance.
Please feel free to email me with any questions or come up to me if you see me around school. I am here to help in any way I can. Don’t be shy!
Hello everyone! My name is Jazmin Ocon and I am the Inter-Club Council representative for the Pre-Dental Society for the 2015-2016 academic year. I am a fourth year undergraduate majoring in Biological Science with a concentration in Cellular and Developmental Biology. I am also minoring in both Chemistry, and Child and Adolescent Development. Additionally, I volunteer in Dr. Linder's biochemistry lab, studying the effects of estrogen on copper carriers in rats.
My interest in dentistry first arose when I saw what an amazing effect a positive dental experience had on my younger sister’s confidence. Having braces and a patient orthodontist improved her confidence in her smile and allowed her to be a more outgoing person. This inspired me to look into the dental field because I wanted to be able to be that helping hand for other people in the future. After completing a summer internship at a dental office during high school I was sure this was my career of choice!
In my free time I enjoy watching movies and my favorite TV shows, crocheting, and spending time at the beach or on hikes with my friends and family.
Enchanté CSUF pre-dentals! My name is Peter Tafesh and I’m the Historian of the Pre-Dental Society at Cal State Fullerton for the 2015-2016 academic year. This is my second year at CSUF as a biological science major after transferring from Orange Coast College, and my fourth year in the United States. In fact, I’m very happy to have this wonderful opportunity to continue my higher education in the U.S. and pursue my American dream.
My interest in dentistry dates back to post-high school period back in Palestine when I knew I had a passion for this challenging, yet rewarding, field because it combines science, art, and patient care. My main concentration during the last two years of high school was in science. I took classes like biology, chemistry, and physics and I’m currently expanding my scientific knowledge through my undergraduate studies at CSUF. I also play the piano and like using my fine motor skills in writing and drawing, which will help me while practicing dentistry. Finally, I am now interested in pediatric dentistry since I enjoy interacting with children and I believe that maintaining good oral health during childhood, particularly in underserved communities, is very important to prevent critical oral and dental problems when these children become adults.
Aside from school and involvement on-campus, I enjoy traveling, listening to music, learning new languages, meeting people from different cultures, and taking tons of pictures and videos- a hobby that I’ll be using as the Historian to record the PDS meetings and take pictures during social events and other dental-related activities.
