From Doubt to Determination: Monneca Rim’s Journey to Dentistry

Undergraduate: UC Davis 
Major: Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior with a minor in Professional Writing 
Track: Research Track 
Future Health Profession: Dentistry 
Health Profession School: UCSF School of Dentistry 

Since high school, Monneca Rim has dreamed of becoming a dentist. Growing up, her family didn’t prioritize oral healthcare, and the more she learned about the importance of it, the more her interest grew. 

“I did not understand how something so important to your overall health was not taken seriously,” she said. “This motivated me to pursue a career in dentistry so that I could help spread awareness of the importance of oral health and help families like my own who have misconceptions and hesitancy toward their oral health.” 

After struggling through undergrad and years of doubting her ability to achieve her goal of becoming a dentist, Monneca turned to UC Davis’ Health Professions Post-Baccalaureate Program for help. 

Today, Monneca is in her third quarter at UCSF School of Dentistry. 

Overcoming Obstacles 

As an undergraduate at UC Davis, Monneca struggled to adjust to college life. 

“It was the first time I had ever been away from home. I did not know how or where to divide my time and attention,” said Monneca, who had a hard time adjusting mentally, physically and emotionally. 

As a full-time student who also helped care for her family, she struggled to juggle her responsibilities. Unable to dedicate enough time to school, her grades suffered. With dental school still on her mind, she sought advice from a counselor and mental health support in the hopes of getting herself back on track. 

“I was told that I should get checked for a learning disability and my therapist couldn’t figure out what was stressing me out,” she said. “My mental health and self-esteem were already very low at that point, so to hear this basically reinforced all the doubts I had in my head: that I wasn't smart enough to be here or even to pursue dental school.” 

As a first-generation college student, she was embarrassed. Not wanting to let her family down, she kept her feelings to herself, finished undergrad and put her dreams on hold. Years later when she was already working, her manager became the support system she needed. 

“She was someone I wished I had growing up: strong, independent, not afraid to set boundaries or stand up for anyone, but also very fun and charismatic,” said Monneca. “It took a lot of pep talks from her and from my coworkers for me to even begin to think that dental school was possible.” Five years later, Monneca found the courage to pursue dental school again. 

A Leap of Faith 

Having been out of school for a while, Monneca knew a post-bac program would be instrumental in helping boost her application. She wanted the structure of a formal program and chose UC Davis because it checked all her boxes. 

“I liked the additional benefits the UC Davis Health Professions Post-Bac offered such as advising help, test prep, seminars and a research track,” she said. “These were support resources I lacked during my undergraduate experience,” said Monneca, who was also excited to participate in research, something she didn’t have time to explore during undergrad. 

“My goal was to do better academically than I did in my undergraduate program. The post-bac helped me immensely during my application process,” she said. “I 100% recommend the UC Davis post-bac! If you want a more intimate post-bac program with great advisors, who will be with you every step of the way, pick UC Davis!” 

The Support to Succeed 

What Monneca appreciated most about the Health Professions Post-Bac was the support of the advisors. She said that they provided resources and advice for how to study efficiently and where to go for help. 

“I heard in other post-bac programs that you barely meet with your advisors, but in this program, I met with mine often. They were very supportive of my goals,” she said. “Bryelle was basically my advisor and therapist. I met with her often to make sure I was on track for completing the program and during the application process.” 

Monneca appreciated her advisor’s organized approach to the application process, which helped keep her from becoming overwhelmed. “She also shared valuable application resources with me and even connected me to dental students,” added Monneca. 

The program’s test preparation also helped Monneca feel that she had the support she needed to succeed. “I appreciated the way Doug broke down each kind of question on the DAT and strategies on how to approach them. He was always willing to work out any problem with me if I got stuck when I was practicing on my own.” 

In addition to the support of the advising team, Monneca also gained the support of her cohort. “They were the most supportive group of people I met in my life,” she said. “We were always cheering and motivating each other in some way. If someone needed help, everyone came to help.” 

Looking back, Monneca admitted that when she entered the post-bac, she still had some lingering doubts about her abilities. “But what sealed the deal was when I completed the program with all As,” she said. “I had proved to myself that I was capable enough to pursue dental school.”