Gentry Nielsen

WHERE THEY'RE FROM: Doylestown, Pennsylvania

WHERE THEY'RE HEADED: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Orthodontics Residency. Along with Georgia Hejny, he earned one of two available spots in the prestigious residency.

“One of my patients had spent years caring for her family and grandchildren, and this was finally her time to focus on herself. What started as a routine exam became a chance to restore her smile with crowns and prosthesis, and to help her feel confident again. She never thought this kind of care was possible at a dental school. Being able to provide that for her, to go beyond disease control and really focus on aesthetics, was incredibly rewarding. It was a profound experience for me as a student. I’ll cherish it for a long time.”