very first day of clinic was at the pediatric clinic where he completed his first direct restoration on a 7-yearold patient. He finds working with kids both challenging and rewarding. After completing pediatric rotations, attending journal club meetings and volunteering to provide free dental care to children, his interest and passion for pediatric dentistry has continued to grow. So, it is not surprising that he is starting his Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry at LLU. In addition to working with children, Abhishek enjoys spending time with his family, surfing and traveling.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES Stephanie J. Vargas was born and raised on the south shore of Long Island, NY. Stephanie graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2013, where she obtained her BA in Biological Basis of Behavior and a minor in Hispanic Studies. In May 2018 she graduated from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine in New York City and feels fortunate to further her learning here at UCLA, where she is also pursuing a Master’s in Public Health. Stephanie was first inspired to become a dentist by none other than “Miss Tammy,” her Lisa-Frank sticker and milky pen gifting pen-pal/Tooth Fairy (thanks mom). To further explore dentistry, Stephanie started working at various dental practices during high school and college, moving up the ranks from office “face-painter” to dental assistant. Aside from teeth, Stephanie enjoys running, meditation, and watching documentaries. Since relocating from the beast coast to the best coast, Stephanie is open to and excited for whatever the future holds! Nima Moaven was born and raised in Iran, and spent much of his young life “California Dreamin'.” He’s spent the past decade as a Washingtonian, studying and working in our nation’s capital. Nima earned a B.S in Physiology and neurobiology from University of
Maryland at College Park (Go Terps!), a M.S in biotechnology from the Johns Hopkins University and finally his Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. At the same time, Nima spent much of what little free time he had at the NIH’s Medical Genetics Branch (MGB) of National Human Genome Research institute (NHGRI) working on various research projects. And he’s finally made it to UCLA! He’s excited to meet the challenges of Pediatric Dentistry! Chloe Meyer was born in Des Moines, IA. At the age of 18 months, she moved to Oklahoma where she originally aspired to become a meteorologist and a storm chaser. Even though you can still count on Chloe to tell you random facts about weather, that dream didn’t last long term. Due to her congenitally missing lateral incisors, she gained interest in another career path. Growing up dancing competitively, Los Angeles and the entertainment world were appealing to Chloe. She got up the guts and moved to the big city of Los Angeles to attend UCLA where she obtained a B.S. in Psychobiology in 2014. After living 20 minutes from the beach, attending award shows, and becoming a UCLA football fan, Chloe knew she would be a bruin for life. Little did she know, she would take that literally. She graduated from UCLA School of Dentistry in 2018 and recently became part of the UCLA Pediatric Dentistry family. When not consumed by studying or clinic, you can find Chloe travelling to see her two nieces in Denver or grandparents in NYC. If you ever need a workout partner whether it be HIIT, pilates or hiking, Chloe is only one call away. Dan Truong was born and raised in San Jose, CA. He attended UC Irvine and double majored in Business Economics and Biological Sciences. After college, he moved to the concrete jungle to attend New York University College of Dentistry where he obtained his D.D.S. Afterwards, he returned to California to complete General Practice Residency CSPD BULLETIN 13
at the Northern California Veterans Affairs in Sacramento. Dan is ecstatic to join the UCLA Pediatric Dentistry family and looks forward to starting this new chapter in his life. During his spare time, Dan enjoys traveling, hiking, camping, movies, live music and water sports. Carlynn Chappell was born and raised in a tiny beach town right outside sunny San Diego, California. She grew up with her two wonderful, younger sisters and funloving parents. Carlynn moved up to the Bay Area for her undergraduate studies at The University of California Davis, where she quickly became fast friends with the cows, chickens, and the wild turkeys that would walk her to class (…Go Aggies!!). Her threeyear commitment as a summer camp counselor for UC Davis Camp Kesem solidified the happiness she has when working with children and confirmed her desire to pursue a career in Pediatric Dentistry. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery from UCLA School of Dentistry, and is so excited to officially become a double bruin and pursue Pediatric Residency at her alma mater! Carlynn enjoys cooking up tasty meals for friends and family, playing tennis, and watching Gilmore Girls. In her free time, you can catch her exploring Los Angeles, hiking the Hollywood hills, and visiting National Parks across the country! She is so happy to have found her own dental home at UCLA amongst an amazing team of Co-Residents, and can’t wait for all the challenges, wisdom, and fun that is yet to come in Residency! Donielle Williams was born in Honolulu, Hawaii and lived there until she was 3. Growing up as a military brat, she has lived in nine different cities; however, she affectionately refers to the state of Georgia as her “home”. Donielle attended Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana where she majored in Biology (and also developed a deep love for Cajun cuisine). She received her D.M.D. degree from the University CONTINUES ON NEXT PAGE