Meet Razel Zapanta | Dental Student

We had the good fortune of connecting with Razel Zapanta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Razel, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
My dream is to become a singing dentist — dentist by day, singer by night. I have sung throughout my whole life, and I have taken vocal lessons for 15 years. As a musician, I have developed skills of practice, patience, and creativity. I have composed songs to express myself through the years and developed my guitar and piano-playing skills. Music is a part of who I am, and this artistic side of music correlates to my passion for dentistry. This occupation is perfect for me because I have a passion for art, and dentistry allows me to exhibit the skills I have acquired through my musical experiences.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I like to think of dentistry as a process of crafting someone’s smile. When I think of teeth, I imagine them representing a sculpture. During my ceramics class, I realized fixing teeth is a form of art because the dentist is crafting a smile. Helping patients maintain healthy oral care excites me because I would love to give people confidence.

I would say I am unique in my personality and goals. I am an optimistic person who loves to make others happy. I am excited to start treating patients in a couple of months.

In order to get where I am today, it was not easy. I majored in Biology at Azusa Pacific University in 2021. After graduating, I took a gap year, where I took the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) twice, a standardized test used as part of the admissions process for dental schools. During my gap year, I worked as a dental assistant and applied to 12 dental schools. I had dental school interviews, and I was accepted to 3 schools. I ended up choosing A.T. Still University – Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health.

Through my experiences, I learned not to compare myself to others because everyone is at a different path in their life. We are all unique and amazing in our own way. Another thing I learned from dental school is to not forget about my hobbies, such as singing. Now that I’m in dental school, I realized that I can continue to do my hobbies and still have a great work-school balance life.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a foodie and I love trying all types of different foods! The farmers market in Downtown Gilbert is one of my favorite places to go to in Arizona. It is very cute because the farmers market also has an arts and craft market on some of the weekends! Some of the most fun things I love to do is go to the Phoenix Suns games because I enjoy watching basketball games!

Sedona is another location that is beautiful and has a ton of local shops and art galleries to visit. Although I am not much of a hiker, I hear that hiking is something that a lot of people like to do in Arizona.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my loved ones, including my Mom & Dad, Sean, Alee, Kuya, Lola, and my two dogs, Appa and Shadow. They have all supported and encouraged me through this time of pursuing a career in the dental field. From being a pre-dental student to being a first-year dental student, they all have exhibited their endless love through it all.

Website: https://linktr.ee/razelindentistry

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/razelindentistry/

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@razelindentistry?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc