Victoria Chang

“In high school, I was nominated Most Likely to Brighten Your Day,” laughs Victoria Chang (Specialized Studies ‘18). “I think it was because I would walk down the halls smiling and waving.” She attributes her cheerful appearance in part to the orthodontic treatment she received growing up. “In retrospect, I think the braces really transformed my smile and gave me the confidence to show it off,” she says. “I realized that dentistry can have an immensely positive influence.” Now in her first year at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University, Victoria looks forward to combining her aesthetic sensibility with her profession providing quality dental care. “As a dentist, you’re not only doing preventative care and helping to restore functionality,” she explains. “When you help a person to smile, they’ll show it off to the world.”

Victoria brought her commitment to spreading well-being to Penn’s Pre-Health Programs, where she took advanced science courses to prepare for dental school applications. With a degree in psychology and minors in chemistry and studio arts, Victoria was able to complete the Specialized Studies track of the Pre-Health Programs in one year. “I wanted to experience a world-renowned Ivy League education and I knew that the resources and opportunities at Penn would be abundant,” she says of her decision to enroll at Penn. “I also wanted to strengthen my science foundation and acquire more breadth and depth before throwing myself into a science-heavy program.” Now in her first year at the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University, Victoria values the foundation of critical thinking and scientific knowledge she developed in research-based courses at Penn. “I’ve already noticed that I feel better prepared and less stressed in dental school,” she reflects. “I'm currently taking an anatomy course, and I feel a bit more confident and familiar with the material because I took Histology over the summer at Penn—and I really enjoyed it, actually.”

After completing her year in the Specialized Studies track, Victoria spent some time accruing clinical experience at a private dental office in West Philadelphia—within walking distance of Penn, where she visited often to take on leadership roles in the Pre-Health Programs community. “I was the first dental chair for the Penn Future Women in Health Club, and I served as the mental wellness chair for the executive board of the program,” she says. “That was really fulfilling because mental wellness is an issue I wish to promote, and I was glad to give back to the Pre-Health Programs and support incoming students.”

When her dental education is complete, Victoria hopes to continue giving back. Inspired in part by a trip to China with Pre-Health Programs staff and students, which included a visit to a foster home for orphans with medical needs, Victoria plans to make time in her future career for providing dental relief at home and abroad. “I am really passionate about equal patient care,” she says. “I believe that everyone deserves to receive basic dental treatment and to be educated on preventative measures.”