I am a general dentist and mother of 4 great kids!
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family. Include your pets too!
My husband, Steve, and I have 4 children: Gabby, Jonathan, and twins, Caroline & Christopher, and they all attend Sandymount Elementary School. We also have a miniature dachshund, Bella.
Q: What is one of your favorite quotes or lines in a song and why does it resonate with you?
“However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault-finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poorhouse. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its door as early in the spring. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have as cheering thoughts, as in a palace.” ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden. I have always loved this quote because it recommends optimism. We all have our “stuff,” but we should endeavor to view our lives with gratitude. As Michael J Fox has said: “And if you don’t think you have anything to be grateful for, keep looking. Because you don’t just receive optimism. You can’t wait for things to be great and then be grateful for that. You’ve got to behave in a way that promotes that.”
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I graduated from McDaniel College in 2004, with degrees in both Biology and Sociology. My interest in arts and sciences as well as my desire to help people led me to the University of Maryland, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, from which I graduated in 2008 with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. I went on to complete a 1-year residency in the Advanced Education in General Dentistry program at the University of Maryland. As soon as I graduated, I returned to Carroll County to practice general dentistry, and I currently co-own a dental practice in downtown Westminster. I am a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, Maryland Academy of General Dentistry, American Dental Association, Maryland State Dental Association, and Carroll County Dental Society. I am a past president of the Carroll County Dental Society and have served as the Trustee for the Carroll County Dental Society to the Maryland State Dental Association. I became the Vice President-Elect of the Maryland State Dental Association in September 2022. In addition to advocacy efforts with the state dental association, I have published in the fields of dental anxiety, oral pathology, and restorative dentistry. I often give back to the community by participating with both Mission of Mercy and Donated Dental Services. I visit Sandymount Elementary School each February for National Children’ Dental Health Month, dressed like the tooth fairy, to educate kindergarteners and first graders about the importance of oral health. The part I love most about my job is getting to know my patients. I have been practicing in town here since 2009, and there are kids I saw when they were 5 years old that are now headed off to college! I love getting to know families and learning from people.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Just be grateful. Focus on what you have rather than what you haven’t. The older I get, the more I realize how important this is.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite places or events in our community? What is something unique about our community?
I really enjoy the festivals that take place here in town.
Q: What advice would you give to people living in Westminster or looking to move to Westminster?
Get to know people. There are a lot of kind, wonderful, service-oriented people that live in Westminster.
Q: What 3 words come to mind when you think of Westminster?
Home. Community. Tradition.
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
My kids – but I’ll admit to bias!
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I published 2 children’s novels while in dental school.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My kids. Whenever I make a decision, I keep them in the back of my mind. They are my moral compass.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I’d probably want to meet members of the British monarchy, although I doubt they’d make the trip to have lunch with me at Olive Garden.
Q: Who in Westminster should be featured on The Faces Of Westminster MD and why?
Definitely more health care providers, especially those that have worked on the frontline during the pandemic.
Q: Finally, how can our readers and I know if someone we come in contact with is a good connection for you or a good person for you to meet?
I like nice, honest people who have good stories to share.
Please include your website link if you have one!
www.lkdentalofwestminster.com
