Grace Benz '22Dental

Name: Grace Benz
Graduation Year: 2022
Major: Biology

Story: Hello everyone! My name is Grace Benz and I am from Steele, North Dakota. I grew
up in a family very involved in healthcare with my mom being a nurse, my sister as a
doctor, and my brother as a veterinarian. I decided to explore different areas of healthcare
through shadowing several practices before/during undergrad and found that dentistry
was what I wanted to pursue.

I began undergrad at a different school in ND, but transferred to Gustavus Adolphus
College entering my junior year. I was a Biology major and played college Women’s
basketball at both schools. My mom and sister had both attended Gustavus which led me to
it, but it felt like the perfect fit for me as I was able to pursue my passions in academics and
science while being a basketball player. I felt very supported in both areas and was
confident that I could be both without having to give or take from the other.

My pre dental journey felt linear as I started undergrad knowing that a career in
dentistry and dental school was what I was working towards. However, when the COVID-
19 pandemic happened, it changed my plans in some ways. Unfortunately, the pandemic
disrupted both in-person academics and basketball for me, as it did to many others. My
junior year of basketball did not happen and as a result, the NCAA provided student
athletes with an extra year of eligibility. My original plan was to apply and hopefully be
accepted into dental school so I would be able to start immediately after graduation. After
careful consideration of the opportunities provided, I felt that dental school would always
be in my future but I had limited time with college basketball. I decided to push off dental
school another year and play my 5th year of college basketball.

Even with a slight bump in my plans, I was very fortunate that it had worked out in
my favor. I was able to enjoy another year of college basketball at Gustavus and apply and
interview to be accepted into dental school. I took Biology courses in the fall semester and
am currently working at an oral surgery clinic until I begin dental school in August, where I
have gained a tremendous amount of dental experience. Throughout my pre dental
journey, I have learned and grown so much as a person and am very thankful that I was
able to spend my time at Gustavus. Everyone’s unique journey leads them to their goal in
perfect timing!

Top Five Activities/Experiences: (in no particular order)
1. Being a biology tutor and mentor for students
2. Gustavus Women’s Basketball
3. Directed research with Dr. Margaret Bloch Qazi
4. Pre Dental Club
5. Shadowing and Volunteering at Salvation Army Good Samaritan Health Clinic

Advice:

1. Utilize the resources that surround you. Gustavus sets students up for success by
providing many opportunities and resources. Specifically, reach out to the Gustavus Health
Professions specialists for assistance on your pre dental journey. They were the best
resource for me when preparing for my application and interviews. It takes initiative and
responsibility on your part to reach out but they are there to help you succeed!

2. Don’t be afraid to pursue other passions in undergrad. Basketball was always my
passion, but it took me a while to find the balance between basketball and school.
Oftentimes, I was so worried about getting accepted into dental school that I would forget
to enjoy basketball and my other hobbies/passions in undergrad. I found that being an
athlete was the perfect break for my brain and pushed me to become a more productive
individual. It is very healthy to be a well rounded person, so don’t ever lose parts of
yourself from the rigorous pre dental journey. It also looks good on applications to have
different things to make you stand out from others!

3. Failure should always be taken as a learning opportunity. There were several times in
my undergrad years that I felt that I did not perform to my best. However, throughout
these “failures”, it helped me analyze what I needed to change/fix and build confidence to
succeed in the future. If everyone were to give up or quit after a failure, there wouldn’t be
many people in dental school. We are human, we make mistakes, but we learn from them to
make us better and grow as individuals. All it takes is hard work and dedication to your
journey!

Future Plans:
I will be attending the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry starting in August 2023.