5 Questions
ADEA membership is made up of a diverse group of professions that span all facets of dentistry and dental education. But we are more than just our professions.
In the feature 5 Questions With... , we shine a spotlight on various ADEA members, asking them five questions (both professional and personal), giving us all a chance to get to know one another better.
1. What are you most proud of professionally?
My mentees and their successes! Their successes give me true joy. Whether that is getting into their professional program, publishing their first paper, winning an award or obtaining a grant (or any of their other goals), I celebrate their wins even more than I celebrate mine.
2. What's the one piece of advice you would give to anyone in dental school?
3. In 10 years, the biggest change about dentistry will be …
The integration of genetics into everyday clinical practice. This will reshape clinical care in numerous ways, including more personalized treatments, better diagnostic tools and earlier interventions for diseases. We will likely see greater use of genetic therapies to cure or manage diseases at the molecular level, the application of genetic counseling and an overall shift toward a more preventive and precision-based approach to health care. However, this will also bring about new ethical, privacy and access challenges that will require careful consideration.
4. Who is your go-to person when you need advice?
Gosh, that is a hard one! I have so many great mentors, colleagues, and friends. But if I must pick my ultimate go-to person, it is my husband. (Yes, the other Dr. Bumann—Dr. Aaron Bumann.) I was told by my mentor, Dr. Martha Somerman, many years ago that the most important choice I would make in my career would be who I choose as my partner, and I couldn’t agree more. Aaron is passionate about advocating for dentistry, optimizing all kids’ oral health, supporting me in my academic career and prioritizing what is best for our family.