Most people either loved going to the dentist as a kid—or absolutely hated it. Where did you fall? How come?
I needed a lot of dental work as a child and it made me very afraid of the dentist. I was that kid that my mom had to hold down in the dental chair! But over the years I had some wonderful dentists that showed me that going to the dentist does not have to be a traumatic experience no matter how old you are. My own experience has made me hyper-aware of the patient experience and I've made it my goal to change the negative stereotypes around going to the dentist.
What (or who) inspired you to get into dentistry? How so?
I got my first job in high school taking out the trash and filing charts in a dental office with the goal to make enough money to get a puppy. I didn't end up getting the puppy but I did end up learning more about dentistry and finding my dream career!
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing patients get as excited as I am about their smile transformation.
What’s something your patients might be surprised to learn about you?
My party trick is playing the ukelele!
When I’m in the patient chair, I’m probably grooving to {blank} in my headphones.
J Balvin
What’s something that really, really, really makes you smile? Like, really?
A nice drink under the sun at the beach :)