Theodore Johnson '23Dental

 Name: Theodore Johnson 

Graduation Year: 2023

Major: Biology

Story: Hello! My name is Theodore Johnson, and I am from Shakopee, MN. I grew up in a family of dentists as my father, uncle, and grandfather have all been general dentists. I shadowed my father while in high school and immediately fell in love with the field of dentistry. While at Gustavus, I participated on the Gustavus Swim and Dive team, Habitat for Humanity, working as a tutor and teaching assistant, and Tri-Beta Honors Society. I also increased my interest in dentistry by shadowing in a career exploration opportunity, working as lab assistant at an oral and maxillofacial surgery office, and participating in the Pre-Dental Club. These experiences that I have had at Gustavus have helped me know that dentistry is the profession that I was meant to do.

Top Five Activities/Experiences: (in no particular order)

1. Gustavus Swimming and Diving

2. Habitat for Humanity

3. Working as a tutor and teacher’s assistant in the chemistry and anatomy department

4. Participating in the January Pre-Dental Career Exploration

5. Working as a lab assistant at a maxillofacial and oral surgeons office

Advice:

1. Try to get involved on campus and in the community. I met so many people and made great memories joining a variety of organizations.

2. Make connections with your professors as soon as possible. It makes it so much easier to ask question and is very helpful for making connections in future classes.

3. Be sure to take breaks. Sometimes, it may seem like school is the only thing that you can focus on, but there is always time to take a break. More importantly, I tried to never do any homework past 10:30. Getting enough sleep

Future Plans:

Attend the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry, starting Fall 2023.