For some kids, getting braces is just another part of growing up. But for Grace Moore, the process was fascinating. When her braces came off and she saw the results, she knew she wanted to work in the field.

“After I got my braces off, I started thinking more about my own teeth and noticing everyone else’s teeth,” says Moore, a Mason City native and third-year student at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. “I started thinking about how a beautiful smile really does boost a person’s self-esteem. I had always been interested in the health sciences, and dentistry just seemed like a good fit.”

As her graduation date nears, Moore says she looks forward to finally putting on her white coat and beginning her career, one she hopes will take her back to her rural roots.

“I’m pretty adventurous, but at the end of the day, I feel like I’ll probably stay in Iowa,” says Moore. “Iowa is a very safe place to live and my entire family is here. I really like the values of the Midwest and the people who live here. I appreciate the pace of life that comes with living in a smaller town.”

For her undergraduate studies, Moore attended Loyola University Chicago, where she ran cross country and studied biology and biostatistics. When she started thinking about attending dental school, she knew she wanted to return to her home state, in part because her family members are die-hard Iowa Hawkeye fans, but also because she wanted to attend a top-notch dental school.

“Everyone I talked to had great things to say about Iowa’s dental school,” says Moore, who sought advice from her own childhood dentist, Daniel Burgmeier, a 1985 UI College of Dentistry graduate, as well as Michael Louscher, a family friend who is a 1996 UI College of Dentistry grad. “In the end, I chose the college not because it’s close to home but because it’s an excellent school with a great national reputation.”

UI College of Dentistry Dean David Johnsen says the college’s balance of knowledgeable professors and cutting-edge research sets it apart from its peers. For students, the opportunity to work with researchers and learn about the science behind dental techniques makes them stand out in the job market.

“Our students regularly outperform students from other dental colleges on national board exams, and all of them are highly sought after upon graduation, either for jobs in dental practices or for advanced programs such as residencies,” Johnsen says.

Moore speaks so highly of her classes, classmates, and professors that her younger brother now plans to attend the school. He will begin his dental studies in fall 2018.

“The clinical experience we get here is second to none,” says Moore, referring to the amount of time students spend working with patients, even during their first year of dental school. “When I go to dental conferences and I talk to other students, I realize how amazing and unique our patient and clinical experience is here at the UI.

When she graduates, Moore says she’ll probably look for work in general practice in Iowa. She says she’d like to help fellow Iowans achieve good oral health, no matter their age, and that she’d like to get involved in community activities and volunteering.

“Since I was born and raised in Iowa, I feel that I owe it to Iowa to give something back, and this is one way to do it,” says Moore. “I’m excited to work with kids, adults, and elderly patients. I really enjoy patient education and communication, so I think general dentistry is a good place for me. I’m looking forward to a long career of helping my community.”

About the UI College of Dentistry

• About 80 percent of Iowa dentists are alumni of the UI College of Dentistry, delivering an estimated $800 million in dental care to Iowa citizens.
• An estimated 98 percent of Iowans are within a 30-minute drive of practicing alumni.
• The college received 882 applications for 80 slots for the 2017 entering class.
• The College of Dentistry dental clinic had more than 170,000 patient visits in 2015–16.
• The college has 27 outreach programs that served 98 Iowa counties in 2015–16.