“Pacific creates an atmosphere for its students that make you want to give back. I saw an opportunity here to make a difference.”
DDS Class of 2010
Hometown: Waikoloa, Hawaii
Future Career Plans: Private practice
Nima Aflatooni never intended to be a dentist. Even though both of his parents are dentists, Nima, a graduate of University of California, Davis with a bachelor's degree in genetics, assumed he'd have a long career in bioengineering. After working for several years as a research associate, Nima says a strong desire to help people prompted him to reconsider his career path.
That's when he decided to apply to dental school.
"I had a pretty promising career in bioengineering, but it wasn't fulfilling to me," Nima says. "I decided to go to dental school because I wanted to make a direct, positive impact on someone else's life. I chose Pacific because I saw how the dental students here made such a difference in the lives of their patients — patients who probably can't afford dental care otherwise."
After being accepted into the DDS Class of 2010, Nima was selected as the American Student Dental Association (ASDA) representative for his class and will serve as Pacific's first delegate and chapter president in 2009. As part of this responsibility, Nima will attend ASDA's national meeting and will vote on student issues and policies. Nima says the humanistic philosophy at Pacific encouraged him to serve as an advocate for his fellow students.
"I never participated in student government or got involved when I was attending my undergraduate university," says Nima. "But Pacific creates an atmosphere for its students that makes you want to give back. I saw an opportunity here to make a difference."
After completing the DDS program, Nima plans to work in private practice and pursue an MBA. He's also open to the possibility of becoming a dental educator after graduation.
"There is so much support here, and that makes it easy for our alumni to come back and teach," says Nima. "I would definitely like to stay involved in the Pacific community."
