What (or who) inspired you to get into dentistry? How so?
Helping others and being very detail-oriented! When I was in high school I knew I wanted to serve people, heal/help people, and add light into their lives in any way I could. Being a hygienist helps me to do all of the above. How meticulous I have to be cleaning teeth satisfies my desire to perfect all the little details.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Forming genuine relationships with my patients and coworkers, plus seeing a noticeable improvement in my patient's oral cavity from visit to visit.
What’s your dream toothpaste flavor?
Matcha latte with oat milk
How do you recharge after a long week? What’s your go-to activity for hitting the restart button?
Spending time outside (walking, hiking, going to the lake) and being with my loved ones!
What is the absolute coolest thing about the human mouth?
That it is TRULY connected to the WHOLE BODY! It's amazing how we can see signs/symptoms of systemic diseases present in the oral cavity and be able to gather so much information about patients habits/diets/disease just by looking inward.
In another life, if you weren’t working in dentistry, what would you be doing?
I'd be a photographer for National Geographic — I always thought it would be so cool to travel the world capturing all of its beauty.