Ana Mejia

Ana Mejia’s unique path to dental school began with an intense military career in the Navy. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Mejia returned home to Queens, New York, and started working as a dental hygienist. It was in this job that Mejia realized how much she wanted to help her patients and began to think about dental school. “I like to be able to help my patients understand the importance of oral health and provide them with the knowledge to care for their teeth,” she says.

While exploring dental schools, Mejia was drawn to Touro for its warm and welcoming environment. The innovative, state-of-the-art technology and dedicated faculty only added to Touro’s appeal. “One of Touro’s biggest strengths is that it always strives to be the best at what it does, which really benefits the students and the patients. The faculty is very invested in our growth as dentists and as people,” she explains.

After graduation, Mejia plans to specialize in Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology (OMFR), which involves the production and interpretation of radiographic images, including CT and MRI scans that are used for the diagnosis and management of diseases, disorders, and conditions of the mouth, face, and jaws. Helping those less fortunate is especially important to Mejia. “I’d like to be able to volunteer my services to communities that do not have the luxury of readily accessible dentistry and help them improve their lives through oral health,” she says.