I was born and raised in Vicksburg, Mississippi, with a love for art and music. From a young age, I would spend hours playing the piano, painting, and assembling jigsaw puzzles. I grew up with a love for the intricacy and challenges of working with my hands to create something beautiful.

As I grew older, my artistic energy focused on music. By nature, I am a very involved individual; when I sit down to play the piano, though, life becomes focused and simple. Being a musician requires daily commitment, and I believe it is my study and practice of music that has allowed me to develop an adept visual memory, manual dexterity, and intense attention to detail. All of these skills have helped me become a better dentist and orthodontist.

Upon completion of high school, I knew I wanted to pursue dental school, but I wasn’t ready to end my study of music. I knew I had more to learn. It was with that revelation that I decided to attend college at Saint Louis University as a pre-dental student, where I made the decision to pursue a degree in the arts with a major in piano performance. When I wasn’t in the piano practice rooms, I could be found studying biology and chemistry in one of the many science labs on campus.

When I considered a career, dentistry was the perfect fit for me. My family is deeply rooted in the dental profession; my grandfather practiced general dentistry for 40 years, two of my uncles are general dentists, and two of my aunts are dental hygienists, so I found the idea of carrying on my family’s tradition extremely exciting. But more than that, a career in dentistry would give me the opportunity to work with my hands and dedicate my life to improving people’s oral health and well-being.

While in dental school at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, I realized the desire to focus on the practice of orthodontics, which is the perfect mixture of intricate artistry and scientific precision. I loved working with young people to customize their smiles with their unique dental and facial features. However, it was during my orthodontic residency at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center that I was able to gain a true appreciation for the joy that orthodontics can provide for people of all ages.

During my second year of orthodontic residency, my father told me he had always wanted braces to improve his smile and asked if he could become one of my patients. The months that we spent in treatment together were a very powerful part of my orthodontic education. I gained so much insight into the positive changes that orthodontic treatment can have on the teeth, face, and lips, but also on the self-esteem of a patient — no matter the age.

In my second year of residency in Memphis, I was also lucky to have met my wonderful husband Steven, a native of Greensboro and a former UNC-Chapel Hill football player. He is a kind and hilarious man and I am so grateful to share my life with him. We are so excited to begin our lives in North Carolina.

I feel very blessed to have met Dr. Mitchell and Dr. Bartlett, and now to become a part of their amazing orthodontic practice. I am excited and overjoyed for the opportunity to continue my family’s dental legacy while treating patients in the Greensboro and Kernersville communities.