"I am so grateful to be awarded an Iowa Dental Foundation scholarship. I have known I wanted to become a dentist since I was 16 years old. I had braces, oral surgery, implants, and partial dentures all before I could drive a car; throughout the whole process, I loved going to my dentist appointments and the end-result was breathtaking. From then on, I wanted to help give others the gift of a beautiful smile.
As a first generation college student, I had no idea what kind of training was required of a dentist. And now, after seven years of college, I have learned so much about the science and art behind dentistry from the countless mentors I’ve worked alongside, but more importantly, I have been immensely impacted by the patients I am able to treat on a daily basis. It is the most rewarding feeling to alleviate a patient’s pain, restore their smile, or help them get insured so they can afford comprehensive dental care.
Throughout dental school, I have been involved with the Pediatric Dental Club, Student Research Program, Dental Public Health Club, and Student Advisory Board. After dental school, I will practice as a general dentist in Iowa serving underserved populations. I will also have my hands full raising my newborn son, Maddox, alongside my husband. Thanks to the IDF’s generous financial gift, I will have less financial concerns as a new dentist and can focus on treating my patients to the best of my ability."