Nik Christoffel

Nik Christoffel is a second-year dental student at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and currently serves as the ADEA District 2 Commissioner for the ADEA Council of Students, Residents and Fellows. He attended the University of Wisconsin for his undergraduate degree where he majored in Microbiology and minored in Global Health. He is a Health Professions Scholarship Program scholar who is passionate about mentorship, advocacy and serving the community.

Hometown: Madison, WI

Why I think I will be a good dentist: I think a good dentist has compassion and a strong sense of responsibility for the well-being of their patients, and the ability to form trusting relationships with them. A good dentist is knowledgeable and determined to continually learn more to provide the highest standard of care. And a good dentist is able to be professional while also accessible and understanding of a diversity of patients’ backgrounds and experiences. These are some traits that I have or aspire to fulfill during my training to become a dentist.

What’s surprised me the most about dental school: I was surprised by how dental school is more like high school than college in many ways—the class size, the predetermined class schedules, the group presentations and projects and the gossip!