As a former foster youth, I have firsthand experience of what it feels like to be forgotten and looked over. To feel less worthy, less good, less capable, less lovable, and less important. And I certainly know what it feels like to not have access to decent oral health care. My experiences have given me a rich perspective on the value of caring for disadvantaged children. The combination of growing up in the foster care system, my own struggles with childhood cavities and the lack of access to timely, oral health care is what has motivated me to pursue pediatric dentistry. In my career, I hope to provide minimally invasive dental care to medically underserved communities and to ensure that the early dental visits that children and youth make are positive and educational experiences.