New Dentist Corner

CAPS AND CROWNS

By: Ciarra Stapleton & Elle Miller

For the last year, we have all had to make several adjustments to our daily routines. Among other changes, we have had to find ways to entertain ourselves at home. As two fourth-year dental students, we have spent some of that time at home studying for board exams and, of course, stressing about graduation requirements, but that’s not something new. Something that has been new for us, however, is a small business we started called Caps and Crowns. The pandemic brought many changes to the dental profession, one of which included head coverings - Caps and Crowns (Get it now?) At first, we started making scrub caps because we wanted them for ourselves.

We spent countless hours figuring out the “perfect fit.” We were consistently complimented on our caps and decided we would make some to sell at school and open an Etsy shop. Now, six months later, we can hardly keep up with our orders! Nothing like being in your mid-20s and spending Friday and Saturday nights fabric shopping and sewing! In all seriousness, it has been such a fun endeavor for us. We have taken so much pride into making a quality product. We also limit the number of caps we make out of each fabric. You don’t want to show up to a party wearing the same dress as someone else, right? One of the most rewarding parts of it all is seeing our peers at school in our caps. It is so fun to see what people choose and it has proven to be a great way for people to express themselves. We each have a very specific role and skill set in the cap-making process. Ciarra, a life-long seamstress, does all of the sewing and serging (creating a seam on the interior to prevent raveling or fraying). Elle, a lifelong athlete, irons, cuts and pins the fabric, in addition to being the self-proclaimed “quality control supervisor.” We joke with each other about the importance of every stitch, but we quite literally check every stitch before we will sell the cap. We take a lot of pride in how our caps look, but ultimately, it has been a really fun project that we have enjoyed working on together. Over the past few months, we have made nearly 500 caps! Our goal is to pay for our licensure exams with them, but we still have a ways to go. If you have any interest in checking us out, please find us on Instagram at @ capsandcrownsokc or on Etsy by searching Caps and Crowns Design. We currently have a classic surgical cap style and a bouffant style, both offered in several choices of fabrics.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Ciarra Stapleton is a fourth-year dental student at the OU College of Dentistry. She grew up in Norman, Oklahoma and was a competitive gymnast and swimmer. She attended college at the University of Oklahoma where she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and was an active member of Delta Gamma. During her time at the College of Dentistry, Ciarra has conducted student research on the wage gap among Oklahoma dentists and has held leadership positions including Dental Co-Chair of the Unity Clinic, Vice President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists, and Community Outreach Chair for the OU College of Dentistry Diversity Council. When she’s not studying, she enjoys sewing, taking her Goldendoodles to the dog park, and traveling to watch her sister’s NCAA gymnastics meets. Elle Miller is a fourth-year dental student at the OU College of Dentistry. She was raised in a small rural town called California, Missouri where she grew up playing competitive basketball and softball and showing pigs and steers at local fairs. She attended the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri and obtained a BS in Biochemistry and an MS in Agriculture Education, Communication and Leadership. At MU, one of her favorite experiences was serving as a Director for the 2016 Mizzou Homecoming Steering Committee. During her time at the College of Dentistry, Elle has served as Class Representative of the Oklahoma Association of Women Dentists, Vice President of the Diversity Council, the American Association of Women Dentists President (President of the OUCOD chapter of the Oklahoma Association of Women Dentists), and Dental Co-Chair of the Unity Clinic. Before COVID, she enjoyed playing on intramural soccer, basketball and flag football teams. She also enjoys golfing, watching her 14-year-old sister play sports, and attending both Mizzou and OU sporting events.