Before Driss Sammari had even begun his ASPID studies at Ostrow, his oral healthcare career had spanned several nations around the globe. Now, with a USC degree in hand, Sammari is ready to take his career to the next level.

BY THE TIME DRISS SAMMARI DDS ’26 joined Ostrow as an ASPID student in 2024, he had already navigated multiple education systems, survived a pandemic border shutdown and begun an orthodontics residency in a new language.

Once an aspiring physician, Sammari’s passion for teeth was a mix of the artistic and pragmatic.

“Dentistry feels more creative,” he says. “You help people and fix smiles. You improve their lives.”

Born and raised in Morocco, Sammari earned his first dental degree through a cultural exchange program that sent Moroccan students to dental schools in the nearby African nation of Tunisia.

The six-year Tunisian program was similar to that of an American DDS degree, preparing students to practice dentistry immediately after graduation. But, Sammari decided that he wanted to practice in the United States, a decision that would require him to complete an accredited American dental program.

Drawn to Southern California, he enrolled in the Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists, an accelerated path that allows foreign-trained dentists to earn an American DDS in two years instead of four.

Because participants already hold dental degrees, the program compresses foundational clinical preparation into an intensive curriculum before students transition into patient care.

“We spend the first part in simulation labs and then go straight to clinic,” Sammari says. “Traditional DDS students spend two years before they get to that stage.”

ASPID offers more than technical retraining. For Sammari, one of its greatest strengths has been its diversity. “Our class has people from all over the world,” he says. “Australia, India, Colombia, Venezuela, Germany, Afghanistan. There are more than 20 countries represented. That alone is an education.”

The program also exposed him to technology that was largely inaccessible during his original dental training. At USC, digital scanning systems, computer-designed restorations and in-house milling machines are integrated into daily clinical education.

“We had an entire digital lab available to students,” he says. “Back in my first dental school, there was only one machine in the entire department, and students barely had access to it.”

Sammari believes that technological fluency is increasingly essential in modern dentistry, especially as cosmetic and restorative procedures become more digitally driven. His own interests lean heavily toward cosmetic rehabilitation, though with an orthodontic perspective that sets him apart from many general dentists.

Next Stop: San Diego

That specialty training emerged during an unexpected chapter in his life.

After moving to Southern California in 2019, Sammari relocated temporarily to Tijuana, Mexico, hoping to reduce living expenses while preparing for U.S. dental board examinations. Just months later, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down international borders.

Unable to return easily to the United States, he pivoted. For nearly two years, Sammari focused almost exclusively on orthodontics, including braces and Invisalign treatment. That experience, he says, fundamentally changed the way he approaches dentistry.

“Orthodontics gives you a deeper understanding of how teeth should function and fit together,” he says. “Even as a general dentist, I always look at bite, alignment and occlusion.”

Sammari has secured a position in a San Diego dental practice after graduation. One day, he hopes to own his own office.

To international students considering following in his footsteps, Sammari urges focusing on personal strengths, rather than ASPID’s competitive selection process.

“People think they need the highest GPA or the perfect profile,” he says. “But what matters is how you represent yourself and how hard you work.”

Ostrow’s Commencement Ceremony will take place, Friday, May 15 at 4:30 p.m. at the USC Village Great Lawn. Visit our Commencement webpage for more information.