5 Questions With

Shannon Nanne
Director, Professional Relations and Education
Curaden USA

1. What drew you to dental education (or dentistry)?

Ever since I was a little girl, I loved the smell of the dental office. That strong eugenol scent was something I was drawn to. I asked to work at my dental office when I was just 12. I started as a dental assistant when I turned 16 and never looked back.

2. What are you most proud of professionally?

I am most proud of the difference I make in our profession. Improving the quality of life with the patients we treat on a daily basis is my goal every day when I get out of bed. Specifically, patients suffering with xerostomia and mouth sores from systemic diseases.

3. What’s the best career advice you ever received?

The best career advice I ever received is to become a continuing education lecturer. Since 2000 I have had the pleasure of educating thousands on a global level. My love of shoes has coined me as the “Shoe-genist”, and fellow dental hygienists await my next shoe debut at dental meetings. Even in my Zoom presentations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, I added shoe slides in my presentations!

4. What’s your favorite TV show—and why?

I have been watching The Young and the Restless my entire life. I enjoyed talking about what happened on “the story” with my Grandma Helen and my beautiful mother. To this day, I still watch it every night; it calms me down and gets me ready for bed. They just celebrated 50 years! On one of my initial dates with my husband in 1998, we saw Titanic and he whispered to me, “Wow, Victor Newman is in this movie? He’s from ‘the story’.” I knew I would marry him that moment!

5. Dogs or cats—and why?

Dogs for sure for me! I am allergic to cats so I have always been team dog