NEW DENTIST CORNER: The Next Chapter

My name is Hilary Smiley, and I will be working with the Cherokee Nation Health Services at the Cherokee Nation Outpatient Health Center in Tahlequah, OK.

I am from Tecumseh, which is a smaller town in Oklahoma. I have always wanted to work in a rural community, whether that be in my hometown or somewhere else. Serving has always been a calling of mine, so being able to work someplace where I can serve the underserved brings joy to my heart. I have always wanted to be a figure and a role model in a community, and in a rural community, I can easily make the relationships needed to do that. I enjoy educating others about things that are good for them and their health. Because of this, I even decided to coach CrossFit throughout my last year of dental school. I am very passionate about making personal connections and helping people reach their goals. All of these reasons for why I became a dentist are also why I believe that working in a rural location for the Cherokee Nation will be the best fit for me.

My husband is Native American, so I have always been interested in working for a tribe. I was able to complete my fall externship with the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, OK. I enjoyed working with many doctors throughout the day and always having a dentist nearby if I had any questions or concerns. I fell in love with the beauty of the town as well as the kind-heartedness of the people. I was thoroughly surprised by how much I felt at home, and I knew that it would be a great opportunity for me to start my career.

As a new graduate, I look forward to the support and mentorship that I will receive from working with several other doctors each and every day. I look forward to learning as much as I can to serve people in the best way I can. I am excited and anxious to be a dentist, and I think this route is the best way to for me to learn my roles and responsibilities as a dentist and for the community.