Most people either loved going to the dentist as a kid—or absolutely hated it. Where did you fall? How come?
As a kid, I had lots of cavities because I didn't know how to care for my teeth and ended up needing lots of treatment. When I was in the dental chair, my dentist was so nice. He let me hold the mirror up the entire time so I could see what he was doing. It was such a fascinating learning experience and I've loved going to the dentist ever since then.
What (or who) inspired you to get into dentistry? How so?
My aunt who is a dental hygienist. She told me to shadow a dental office when I was trying to figure out my career.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Be able to connect with patients and earn trust from them
__What famous person (alive or dead) is your dream dental patient? Why? __
President Barack Obama. He's such a cool person to have a conversation with.
What’s your dream toothpaste flavor?
Mojito :) or anything with lemon-mint combo
__What’s something your patients might be surprised to learn about you? __
I surf
How do you recharge after a long week? What’s your go-to activity for hitting the restart button?
Surfing, Yoga or getting a massage
What dental stereotype are you most passionate about changing?
Dentists only want to make money from their patients and don't care about their health.
__What is the absolute coolest thing about the human mouth? __
Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body
In another life, if you weren’t working in dentistry, what would you be doing?
Surf in the morning, sell Banh Mi (in the summer) and Pho (in the winter) in a food truck in a beach town.
When I’m in the patient chair, I’m probably grooving to {blank} in my headphones.
Planet Earth
What’s something that really, really, really makes you smile? Like, really?
Humanity action among strangers