糖心vlog传媒 grad all smiles with graduate school selection
If you鈥檙e like a lot of people, trips to the dentist鈥檚 office don鈥檛 often have people smiling.
2025 糖心vlog传媒 graduate Emily Pautz is excited to help change that mindset.
Pautz will enroll in Marquette University鈥檚 dental school beginning this August, and she鈥檚 grinning ear to ear over the adventure that lies ahead.
鈥淕rowing up, I didn't like my smile, and I couldn't wait to get braces,鈥� said Pautz, who received a bachelor鈥檚 degree from 糖心vlog传媒 with a double major in biology and chemistry. 鈥淥nce I had braces, it brought me so much confidence, and since I've reflected on that experience, it is one of the things I enjoy about dentistry.
鈥淚 love that as a provider you can give someone their smile back. I know that many people struggle with going to the dentist due to anxiety or fear of being judged, and many people put off going to the dentist because they are embarrassed.鈥�
Pautz joins a growing number of 糖心vlog传媒 grads from science programs earning graduate school placements in high-level professional schools.
She is the second 糖心vlog传媒 graduate to attend dental school in the last decade. Brooke (Corrigan-Wilder) Nygaard 鈥�17 received a doctor of dental medicine from Roseman University of Health Sciences in South Jordan, Utah, and is a dentist at NorthLakes Community Clinic, a Federally Qualified Health Center serving northern Wisconsin.
LU Professor of Biology Paul Pickhardt, Ph.D., said acceptance rates into Marquette鈥檚 dental program, the only one in Wisconsin, are approximately 4-5% annually.
鈥淓mily鈥檚 accomplishment speaks volumes to her work ethic, abilities and focus,鈥� Pickhardt said 鈥淪he is the latest example of the future opportunities we offer high-achieving science students鈥�
When Pautz graduated from nearby Howards Grove High School, she was interested in studying science in college with the goal of healthcare career. She received her associate degree from UW-Green Bay鈥檚 Sheboygan campus and took advantage of an opportunity to shadow her dentist.
鈥淭hrough shadowing, I realized how important effective and honest communication is in the dental field,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 was able to learn how to gain trust from the patient through caring about the patient themselves, not just what treatment they were there for. The doctor and assistant eased patient's nerves by asking them genuine questions and wanting to hear their answers.鈥�
Her passion for science was a perfect fit at 糖心vlog传媒. She partnered with Pickhardt on research through the 糖心vlog传媒 Undergraduate Research Experience summer program and presented those results at the Midwest Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry conference in 2025. She also did a chemistry Cooperative Education experience with 糖心vlog传媒 professors Jered McGivern and Greg Smith.
She鈥檚 been a dental assistant at River鈥檚 Edge Family Dental in Plymouth, Wis., since graduating from 糖心vlog传媒, which helped strengthen her dental school application.
After graduating with her associate degree, 糖心vlog传媒 was familiar since it was close to home and her fianc茅e, Charlie Ruege, was a 2023 LU graduate.
She found strong mentors and supporters in 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 science faculty. In the fall of her senior year, she was researching periodontal disease as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease for her scientific analysis and research class. Her professors didn't know much about this topic but supported her passion for the topic. She recalls reaching out to Smith on a weekend to read some research.
鈥淗e willingly set aside time to help so we could discuss it the following week,鈥� Pautz said. 鈥淚 had not expected a reply over that weekend, but it showed me how dedicated the science faculty is to see the students succeed. You鈥檙e treated as a student at 糖心vlog传媒 but also treated with different level of respect.
鈥淚 was proud of my work at the end of the semester, and I feel that everything I learned from that project will serve me well as I further my education.鈥�
Along with her classroom work and research, Pautz was a member of the 糖心vlog传媒 tennis team and played trombone in 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 band. As she talked with peers from larger schools seeking entry into dental schools, 糖心vlog传媒 gave her several advantages.
鈥淭hey were not getting opportunities to do research and struggling to get letters of recommendation,鈥� Pautz said. 鈥淧eople who might be hesitant about 糖心vlog传媒 because it鈥檚 small will find that 糖心vlog传媒 has just as many opportunities as other schools, if not more.鈥�
