A FAMILY LEGACY OF DENTISTRY IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES For many dentists, it’s a dream scenario to have your child join you in the profession and your practice. And when the two of you work side-by-side in communities that are underserved by dental care, the experience becomes even more meaningful. Three Ohio State College of Dentistry legacy families are fortunate enough to be living this “dream scenario.” They’re filling important needs in their respective communities, while strengthening family bonds.
Susan Wilson-Brooks, ’83 DDS, and Maurina Brooks, ’18 DDS Hot Smile General & Implant Dentistry, Columbus, Ohio Dr. Maurina Brooks may have grown up in the dental practice of her mother, Dr. Susan Wilson-Brooks, but it wasn’t always a given that she’d join her in the profession. Then, at age 15, she saw her mother do a cosmetic reconstructive procedure for a patient who could not afford crowns or veneers. “She had to form and reshape the tooth by hand,” recalls the junior Dr. Brooks. “When I saw her do that, and the patient’s self-confidence bouncing back after the procedure, I thought, ‘This is the life-changing effect I want to have on people.’” Dr. Brooks earned her dental assistant radiographer license at age 16 and worked in her mother’s east Columbus practice before enrolling at Ohio State’s College of Dentistry to develop the same “amazing clinical skills” as her mother. When she graduated with her DDS in 2018 as the youngest member of her class, she became the college’s first Black female legacy alumna. “I’m very proud of the fact that we made that inroad, and hopefully we can inspire a lot of other little girls who look like us, and little boys in our community, to pursue this profession as well,” Dr. Wilson-Brooks said.
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