Member Spotlight: Megan Beatty

My name is Megan Beatty. I was married this past July in Minnesota to a boy that I met while attending Luther College. Two weeks after saying "I Do", we found ourselves packing up our lives and moving to the University of Illinois at Chicago Dental School. I am a teacher by trade and hoping to find myself in school in the fall, but for now, I work as a waitress/hostess/manager at a cafe down the street and at Midtown Tennis Club.

Johanna Manasse welcomed the incoming dental students one day during orientation and my husband, Joe, grabbed an AADA welcome card from her to bring home to me. Not sure what I was getting myself into, I signed up as a student spouse. Johanna helped me find another dental spouse named Amber who lives just a couple floors below me and had us meet Pat Cross at our first conference in Illinois. And well, that's how it all began. Our student spouse alliance at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) is now up to three members with a recent addition!

Together, Amber and I attended the AADA Conference and had a great time. Our favorite part was actually getting to be with other student spouses. They have been a great resource, wonderful encouragement, and great friends to us. Our alliance is going to be making a website before the end of the year! The current project we're working on is getting a "It's not Tooth Early, It's not Tooth Late" packet out and presented to a local hospital. We are also looking forward to working on the "We've got you covered from head to toe" project in the fall for the AADA Convention in Las Vegas. Photo Right: Amber (left) & I at the Plantation home in Richmond, VA, at conference.

Student Spouses at our Sock Party!

The other part I loved about the conference was the meeting they had just for us student spouses. The meeting was filled with tons of info about starting up a dental business, things to be aware of, and even a book to being successful in the Dental world. So wonderful and thoughtful! We felt very welcomed into this community of dental spouses!

At the Civil War Museum in Richmond, VA

Thank you to all the members who made me feel welcome at the Alliance event and for making it possible for me to attend.