Alla Zvonkina

I am retired at this time. I immigrated to this country 29 years ago in 1992. I did not help from anyone, and I had to learn English as I prepared to take NDB( National Dental Board) exams. I was a dentist back in Russia, but I had to go back to dental school in USA to be licensed in this country. It took 6.5 years to complete my education and get California Dental License. I had to take high interest loans in order to get to school. I was 45 years old when I started my studies in UOP Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry.
At the same time my daughter was also a student at first in Community College, then in UC Davis, then in Albany Medical School, then in St Joseph Hospital in Phoenix Arizona, and finally she was accepted at Stanford University into Fellowship Program in Sleep Medicine. My husband had to do low paying job only to get us somehow through the difficult times.

I could relate to regular people who don't have the means to pay for the dental school and maybe afraid to apply. I think I can encourage them relating to my experience.