Was there a defining moment during your time at UConn?

The defining moment of my time as a dental student at UConn occurred during my third year. I traveled to Chile with several classmates and Dr. Lurie for a dental service trip. Working together with Stony Brook and local Chilean dental students, we provided much-needed dental care to the local community. The locals were willing to wait for hours in long lines to receive treatment from the dental volunteers, yet they showed such sincere appreciation. The dentistry was wonderfully rewarding, and the scenery was breathtaking. It’s an experience I’ll never forget, and hopefully it’s the first of many service trips in my dental career.

Describe someone you’ve met here who has already impacted your future.

So many of the faculty have had a positive impact on me during my time as a dental student. Watching talented people do what they love is the best way of learning how to do it yourself. During my rotations at the UConn clinics, I had the opportunity to learn from one of the best, Dr. Redford-Badwal. Working with her definitely helped me decide that pediatric dentistry was the direction I would take, and she made our pediatric rotations enjoyable.

Where are you headed after graduation?

I am thrilled to be heading to Columbia University’s pediatric dentistry residency for the next two years. Working at my top choice, New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, will be a proud achievement on my way to becoming a pediatric dentist.

What will you miss most about UConn?

That’s an easy answer: the people here. My classmates, the instructors, lab assistants, patient care coordinators, student services staff, and the entire dental and medical school faculty have been a pleasure to work with. The size of the program at UConn lends itself to forming close relationships. People are always accessible and willing to go that extra step to help students. I will be forever grateful that I chose UConn Dental.