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I grew up between San Diego and Tijuana, two cities separated by a border but deeply connected by family, language, and a shared need for accessible healthcare. This bicultural upbringing shaped how I view my role in dentistry: not just as a provider, but as an advocate for communities historically left behind.
My path started in Sacramento, where I helped build and manage a student-run dental clinic while studying at UC Davis. From there, I dove into microbial research, shadowed in rural Mexico, and translated at free clinics which were experiences that taught me how systemic and social factors shape oral health. At UCSF, I continued this work through dental school and my periodontics residency, caring for diverse patient populations across the Bay Area and contributing to research on bacteriocins, the oral virome, and novel regenerative therapies.
I’m particularly interested in making periodontics more accessible through early interventions and biologically guided treatments. My hope is to bridge research, education, and clinical practice in a way that empowers patients and strengthens community care.
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