Dentist

What's your normal day like?

My days start early! I am in the office by 6:45am where the whole team gathers for a morning meeting to go over our schedule. We review each patient, their scheduled procedure and even the personal notes about the patients to find ways to connect with them to make them feel comfortable while they are in the office.

I typically see my last patient at 3:30 and I stay in the office until 5pm to complete my patient notes and prepare my schedule for the next day. I also try to work out a couple of times a week right after work. I then come home for dinner with my husband and three children.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My mother. She has always been my biggest cheerleader and my role model. My mother immigrated from Egypt to the United States on her own after graduating from the school of Architecture in Cairo, Egypt. She landed a job at a prestigious architecture firm in New York and she had the courage to work in a male dominated field without mastering the English language. She married my father and they both went to graduate school to pursue their masters’ degrees and phDs. While my mother was very hardworking, she was always there for me and maintained a comfortable home for our family. I will always admire her strength, hard work and her passion. I am forever grateful for all her love and support.

How was your path becoming a dentist?

I graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where I obtained a bachelor’s degree of science with a major in Biology. During my junior year, I took the Dental Admission Test.

I attended Case Western Reserve for dental school and was fortunate to have a lot of hands on experience in their dental clinic with patients. After graduation, I elected to complete an additional year of general dentistry residency training at the MetroHealth Hospital in Cleveland.

I worked at a couple of general dentistry offices in Michigan for five years after graduation where I strengthened my clinical skills. I then moved to Chicago and have been practicing at the same dental office for the past fifteen years. I am still very active with my continuing education and am always eager to learn new technologies in dentistry.

Did you face any struggles being a Muslim woman in this field?

I have been very fortunate to have not faced any struggles being a Muslim woman in this field. Approximately 35% of dentists practicing in the US are women, so I am also fortunate to have not faced any struggles as a woman in this field.

What’s your favorite thing about being Muslim?

Helping people and setting that intention with God in mind every day when I am at work.

If somebody wants to be a dentist when they grow up, what should they do?

I would highly encourage them to shadow a dentist or work in any capacity in a dental office. This will give them an opportunity to see how a dental office runs and how they feel being in that environment.

If you can give any advice to young Muslim girls/teens, what would you tell them?

Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions! I was always curious in my field on how a dentist performed a procedure or how to better hone my craft. Also, don’t be afraid to work hard. Nothing worth achieving (personally or professionally) can be done without hard work and overcoming obstacles and failures along the way.

Email Address: ranastino@hotamail.com