5 Questions With

Michelle Brady, D.D.S.
Course Director, Diagnostic Sciences
Interprofessional Education Coordinator
University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry

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

The best career advice I have received is always to remain curious and ask questions, set goals to grow every academic year and be prepared for opportunities when they arise—even if it is not the optimal time.

2. If you could change one thing about dental education (or dentistry) with a snap of your fingers, what would that be?

I would reduce the cost of student education and debt; removing this burden from our students could allow them to pursue different career options on graduation that could significantly impact access to care and strengthen our dental school faculty teaching.

3. What’s a major development in your field that’s flying under the radar?

We have made significant steps forward in interprofessional education and practice and are preparing our students for future collaborative care models. This transition from a siloed approach to placing the patient at the center of care to support their overall well-being is a significant development. This was highlighted as an area of interest for further inquiry by the NIH report Oral Health in America: Advances and Challenges report, published last year, that calls for action for the integration of collaborative health care. This will improve access to care and help patients live healthier lives.

4. What do you look forward to outside of work?

I look forward to spending time with my family. We are lucky to live near Golden Gate Park in San Francisco and access incredible urban hikes and the beautiful Marin Headlands.

5. Who is your go-to person when you need advice?

My go-to person is my husband. We went to dental school together, owned a practice jointly and now both work in dental education.