>> I got my Bachelor of Science at Villanova and I got my DDS which is Doctor of Dental Surgery
at Georgetown University, School of Dentistry.
When I was an undergraduate I didn't know I really wanted to be a dentist right away.
I knew I wanted to go into the health professions.
I like science so I was a science major at Villanova.
I originally thought I wanted to be a physician and then I actually worked at a hospital
for a summer and then after working there I knew I didn't want to be a physician anymore.
And then I ended up working for a dentist one summer and I really enjoyed it.
I really enjoyed everything about it.
He taught me a lot.
I was his dental assistant.
And from there I just thought that might be something I'm interested in so I went in that,
you know that tangent to get all the courses I needed and all the requisites I needed,
prerequisites I needed for dental school.
I took the appropriate DAT which is the test you have to take to get into dental school
and then applied appropriately at the senior year.
Well I was in the Navy for three years.
I joined the Navy Dental Corps because I really didn't know where I wanted to practise.
I had a lot of dental loans out so I didn't really have the money to set
up my own practice right away nor did I know where I wanted to practise.
So I went into the Navy and I got great training in the Navy plus I got paid and I was able
to defer my loans through the Navy too.
The government deferred them.
And then that way I was able to also get some additional training because when you first get
out of dental school you're a little slow with treating patients so you really can't see a lot
of patients initially, that many, to get things going so I was able to gain my speed,
knowledge and my confidence when I was in the Navy.
That was a great.
I thought it was a great career move for me personally.