Manuela Zeidman

Most people either loved going to the dentist as a kid—or absolutely hated it. Where did you fall? How come?

I loved going to the dentist as a kid because my mom would always take me to the bakery for a treat afterwards.

What (or who) inspired you to get into dentistry? How so?

I wanted to go into dentistry because as a minority we tend to be underserved by the field of dentistry. I want to be able to make people aware of the importance of going to the dentist preventively rather than when a problem arises, which is when most people in underserved communities decide to visit the dentist.

What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

A healthy mouth that will help with my patients’ overall health.

What famous person (alive or dead) is your dream dental patient? Why?

Gabriel Garcia Marquez simply because he’s my favorite author and I would love to have a conversation with him.

What’s something your patients might be surprised to learn about you?

I have to give myself a pep talk before I brush my teeth because I find it boring.

How do you recharge after a long week? What’s your go-to activity for hitting the restart button?

Pickleball, fastest-growing sport in America!

What dental stereotype are you most passionate about changing?

That dental checkups aren't affordable.

What is the absolute coolest thing about the human mouth?

The tongue

In another life, if you weren’t working in dentistry, what would you be doing?

I'd be working in chemistry.

When I’m in the patient chair, I’m probably grooving to {blank} in my headphones.

Motomami

What’s something that really, really, really makes you smile? Like, really?

Cat videos