Growing up in Ghana, Sheridan Danquah, DMD24, couldn’t remember seeing a single dental clinic in his native country. It wasn’t until the age of 10, after moving to the U.S., that he recalls meeting his first dentist. The experience made a profound impression on him and influenced his future career. As he prepares to graduate with his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, he reflects on finding his purpose.
“I saw this as something I could do to have an impact on others,” Danquah said of dentistry. “I found a field that really spoke to me.”
In high school, Danquah sought out opportunities to shadow dentists in their clinical practices to learn more about the profession. It piqued his interest in science and medicine and he majored in Biology as an undergraduate at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. When applying for dental school, he set his sights on Harvard.
The moment he was accepted is still vivid in his mind. “I remember screaming out in joy and running around so happy. It was a dream come true,” he said.
During his predoctoral program at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM), Danquah became interested in ensuring other students had access to the opportunities he did. He became active in the Student National Dental Association, an organization dedicated to the advancement of minority dental students. He also volunteered with HSDM’s Bridge to Dental School to encourage undergraduate students from backgrounds underrepresented in dental medicine to apply to dental school.
In his clinical work, he found fulfillment in making a difference for his patients.
“Some of my most rewarding experiences have been working with patients and getting them to change their perspective,” he said. “The impact of dentistry can be so widespread. Sometimes it’s not just about the work you do with your hands [to repair teeth] but also what you say and how you interact with your patients.”
Danquah recalls treating a young patient with a fear of the dentist who he saw more than 10 times for a complex dental treatment. The patient would frequently insist he hated the dentist, before becoming more familiar with Danquah and realizing he was there to help.
“The patient and his mother gave me a heartfelt note at the end of the course of treatment. It was such a rewarding experience,” Danquah said.
Being able to transform a patient’s outlook is part of what led Danquah to the specialty he will pursue after graduation. In July, he begins a six-year Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency with HSDM at Massachusetts General Hospital. He’s also interested in teaching in the future and was recently recognized with a research award for his project on remote learning and simulation trainers used to build skills in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthroscopy.
In his residency, Danquah plans to focus on Head and Neck Oral Surgery. The specialty treats conditions affecting the mouth, head, throat, and sinuses, as well as cancerous tumors in the head and neck region that may require reconstructive surgery.
He’s driven by a desire to help cancer patients having experienced his childhood best friend’s father passing away from the disease. “Being able to help patients and prevent a family from going through what his family went through would be amazing, Danquah said.
“I love the combination of everything I’ve learned in dental school with medicine,” he added. “I hope to someday have a legacy like some of HSDM’s great oral surgeons.”
