Dentaltown September 2022 - 31

You studied architecture
and fine arts before
transitioning into dentistry.
How did that happen?
Where do I begin? It all started with me
being an innate idealist and perfectionist,
voyaging in the hope of finding a dream.
But I was never pleased with my artwork; I
was harshly critical of myself and believed
no one would ever buy my work. Ironically,
there was a brief period when people would
appreciate my work-but when I achieved
praise too easily, I didn't feel challenged in
a meaningful way.
Soon after, I fell deeply in love with
architecture, a new challenge, and doublemajored
in architectural history and fine arts
at New York University. Then I decided to
become an architect: I applied to prestigious
architecture grad schools and I worked
at an architectural firm in Minneapolis.
Several months later, I got rejected by all
the architecture schools I'd applied to, and
the firm I worked at revealed the realities of
32 SEPTEMBER 2022 // dentaltown.com
being an architect that made me question if
architecture was the right fit for me.
That was the beginning of my quarter-life
crisis. For about a year, I was jobless. On
many days, I'd stare at the ceiling above
my bed, not knowing what to do for the
rest of my life.
Then, one day, I learned about dentistry
(almost accidentally) through a family friend.
The fact that dentistry requires manual
dexterity (which I never get tired of and
is a strength of mine), would allow me to
pragmatically heal people and also allows for
a flexible work schedule instantly captured
my attention. Further, the fact that I could
have a new challenge-taking prerequisite
science courses-gave me a concrete goal
to work toward.
While I was living in North Carolina,
I cold-called the UNC at Chapel Hill
Adams School of Dentistry, which was
both prestigious and nearby. I met with
an admissions director and asked questions
about dentistry, career outlook and steps to
get into dental school. I've fallen in love with
dentistry ever since and the rest is history.
How has that artistic eye
lent itself to dentistry?
I didn't realize until my dental school
career that I was gifted in visual arts. I tried
all types of dentistry at UNC, thanks to
its great, comprehensive curriculum, and
I'd find myself having a blast cosmetically
restoring a patient's chipped front teeth or
any form of restorative or surgical procedure
that leads to an aesthetic outcome. Several
mentors and instructors also encouraged
me to pursue a niche in cosmetic dentistry.
One unforgettable moment at UNC
was during a pediatric practical course when
Dr. William Vann, a distinguished professor
in pediatric dentistry, came to me with a
concerned face. He asked, " Catharine, are
you thinking of continuing the research
path after dental school? " (At the time, I was
involved in research at the periodontology
department.) I replied, " I'm not sure yet,
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Dentaltown September 2022

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