Southeast Missouri State University alumna Dr. DanielleRiordan recently was named a recipient of the American Dental Associations(ADA) annual 10 Under 10 award.
The ADA 10 Under 10 Awards recognizes 10 new dentists whodemonstrate excellence early in their careers.
I am so honored to be named a 10 Under 10 recipient,said Riordan, a native of St. Peters, Missouri, who practices at FamilyDentistry of St. Peters. I absolutely love the dental profession and workingwith my peers in organized dentistry. I have met so many amazing leadersthroughout my early career who have helped me along the way. I am so humbled tobe recognized for doing what I think is the natural thing to do. I firmly believethat if we truly loves dentistry, it is our duty to do all we can to protectour future in the profession. Being given recognition for doing that issurrealI am beyond honored by this prestigious distinction.
Selected by the ADA New Dentist Committee from more than 120nominations, the winners were chosen for making a difference in science,research and education, practice excellence, philanthropy, leadership andadvocacy. Recipients also were selected for showcasing the devotion and time new dentists have put towards theirprofession. Winners had to be active ADA members who graduated between 2009 and2018.
New dentists really have their eye on the future of theprofession and making it better for everyone, said Dr. Lindsay Compton, chairof the ADA Subcommittee on New Dentist Engagement, which selected the winners.They willingly take on large tasks and contribute to the integrity of theprofession. Many of the pursuits were selfless and took an extreme amount oftime and sacrifice to make the profession better.
The ADA recognized Riordan for being a natural leader whoinspires others and who is highly respected among her new dentist andestablished peers. Additionally, she is passionate about improving oral healthcare for the public and regularly volunteers for Give Kids A Smile, DonatedDental Services and Missions of Mercy. Her nominators describe her asimpressive and a real-life wonder woman, stating that she serves withdistinction and personifies grace and humility even in the face of difficultsituations.
Riordan, a 2005 Southeast graduate with a Bachelor ofScience in biology, has been interested in dentistry from a young age. Shebegan her dental career working as an assistant during high school andthroughout her time at Southeast in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
I thoroughly enjoyed working with patients and knew it wasthe right fit for me, Riordan said. Being able to see someone smileafter years of hiding behind their hands is by far the most motivating andexciting thing about working in the dental field. I am able to change someoneslife simply by using my skills, and that is an unbelievably rewarding feeling.
She chose to earn her undergraduate degree at Southeastbecause the campus felt like home, and the academics and faculty provided theskills and knowledge she needed to besuccessful in dental school and beyond.
I knew I wanted to pursue dentalschool, and I knew in order to do that I would need a program that offeredsmall class sizes with professors who were focused on their students academicsuccess, she said. It was the best decision I could have made. I wascontinuously held accountable and driven to succeed by my professors.
Riordan graduated from the University of Missouri-KansasCity School of Dentistry in 2010. She is a member of the Missouri DentalAssociation (MDA) and the ADA Council on Membership; the 2019 first vicepresident of the Greater St. Louis Dental Society; and chair of the MDAFoundation Board. Riordan and her husband, Nick, have three children, Daniel,Grace and Alice.
She says the experiences she had while at Southeast preparedher for her professional and leadership roles.
My time at Southeast contributed greatly to my successbecause it was at Southeast that I first developed leadership capabilities,she said. I was active in extracurricular activities on campus and thishelped not only strengthen my leadership skills, but also taught me how to beresponsible when it came to juggling multiple tasks. My education was top-notchand I felt fully prepared for my academics come dental school as well.
Riordan encourages students to explore and pursuevolunteering and leadership opportunities, and to build positive relationshipswith their professors.
They truly do care about your ultimate success and willhold you accountable for your academics. Ultimately, no matter what career pathyou choose, this will be one of the greatest benefits, she said. If youwork hard and stay focused, you are capable of truly amazing things. Anddont forget to enjoy life at Southeast as wellsuccess takes balance.