A Sweet Tooth for Dentistry

It’s not every day—or even every year—that you come across someone who admits to enjoying their routine dental office visits. But, second-year biology student Aleeza Mughal breaks the mold with her affinity for her dentist.

“For me, going to the dentist has always been a positive and comfortable experience,” says Mughal, whose interest in dentistry fully took root after completing Virginia Commonwealth University’s Dental Scholars program during her freshman year of high school. “As a future health provider, I hope to provide that level of comfort and care for my patients.”

During the program, Mughal had hands-on experience in dental labs as university students taught her the skills of the profession and how to use various tools. After her parents moved their family to Long Island, this previous exposure to the field inspired her to take a further step during her junior year as she worked a 54-hour internship at a dental office in Levittown, N.Y., to learn what general dentistry had to offer. There, a dentist suggested she explore specialties, so Mughal began working as a dental assistant at an oral surgeon’s office in Massapequa, N.Y.—a position she still holds.

The College of Arts and Sciences student works at the practice alongside a team of six doctors. She started with tool sterilization and room setup and has worked her way up to chairside assisting, procedure financials, and taking X-rays.

“My history of working in dentistry has translated really well to my biology studies,” says Mughal, who came to New York Tech on the heels of her older sister Emaan Mughal (B.S. ’22). “It’s shown me a real representation of the human system, which I’ve learned about in my biology and anatomy classes, and I’m able to see real-life examples of disease.”

Since witnessing firsthand the connection between biology and dentistry, Mughal has founded a new club on the Long Island campus, the New York Tech Pre-Dental Society, where likeminded students can learn more about dentistry, dental specialties, the Dental Admissions Test, career benefits, and can prepare to enter the field. Fall 2024 will be the first semester that the society is in action, and, as president of the club, Mughal hopes to implement activities like educational seminars, hands-on workshops, dental facility tours, and community service events.

Outside of dental-related activities, Mughal serves as event coordinator for New York Tech’s chapter of the American Red Cross. She will also move up from marketing chair to become vice president of the Muslim Student Association as the fall semester kicks off. During the summer, she began working as an orientation leader, welcoming new students and leading orientation events. During her first semester on campus, she worked as a student receptionist in the office of Student Life, where she oversaw the Grizzly Cupboard, assisted with office events, and served as a point of contact for students seeking information.

Jumping into extracurriculars as a college freshman can be daunting, but Mughal did it with ease, having learned through her after-school activities in elementary and high school that getting involved as soon as possible is the best way to meet people and adjust to a new community.

As she looks toward life beyond New York Tech, Mughal plans to begin dental school immediately. She is also considering pursuing a master’s degree in either business administration or public health to make her a well-rounded dental provider.

“Stay motivated and participate in campus life,” Mughal advises. “You’ll quickly want to become more deeply a part of the campus community, which will help you learn and grow.”