A journey of community
From Bahrain to OHSU: Ali Sultan, D.M.D.
This is the third of four stories the OHSU School of Dentistry ran leading up to and following the June 2, 2024, commencement.
Ali Sultan had extracted one of two teeth when his patient at a community clinic began to have a seizure. Sultan removed materials from the patient’s mouth and removed sharp items that were nearby during the 15-second seizure.
“We were trained to respond,” said Sultan, who graduates from the OHSU School of Dentistry on June 2 with a doctorate in dental medicine.
Though the incident startled the 26-year-old, the expert training he received while studying at the dental school gave him the tools he needed to protect the patient and later to refer them to a physician for follow-up care.
Sultan grew up in Bahrain, a Persian Gulf island of more than 1.4 million people off the coast of Saudi Arabia. He came to the United States on his own in 2014 in search of educational opportunities. He landed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he initially had dreams of working in public health and playing basketball. But his ball-handling skills didn’t quite stack up, so instead, he played pick-up ball while considering his next steps.
Sultan had heard the patients of his father—a general practice dentist in Bahrain—describe how much they relied on him.
“Patients refused to see other dentists. They won’t even let others do their cleanings,” said Sultan of his father. A spark was lit.
Island to city
Sultan applied to several dental schools and chose the OHSU School of Dentistry. He had never even been to the West Coast, but he had a friend in Portland.
“I hadn’t lived in a city before. I am an island boy. Portland was a smaller city, so it felt right,” said Sultan.
Student Ali Sultan treating a patient in a School of Dentistry clinic in April 2024. Photo by Christine Torres Hicks, OHSU
Now that he’s completed four years of dental school, he looks forward to starting his career in general dentistry. In June, Sultan will move to Washington, D.C. to start a new job and to be with his fiancé.
Sultan may choose to specialize in a specific field later in his career, but right now he’s content simply repairing or replacing damaged teeth.
“I’ll be taking people out of pain. That is a driving motive for me,” he said.
Sultan said his dental education has been made possible by the support of many family members, friends and OHSU faculty and staff. He’s relied on others to connect him to resources, housing, financial loans and scholarships.
“I feel very lucky. A lot of people have supported me,” he mused.
By Rhonda Morin, APR
