Dental therapy student brings passion, drive to non-traditional experience

For Megan Wass, BSDH ’26, MDT ’27, the path to higher education hasn’t been easy. But her passion, dedication and hard work have turned her dreams into a reality.

Wass considers herself a non-traditional learner “because I am facing challenges that are different from my ‘traditional’ student peers,” she explained. “This doesn’t make me a better or a worse student—just different!”

The main challenge Wass faces: balancing her role as a young, single mom and a student. Wass had her daughter at age 19. She completed her associate’s degree in liberal arts just a few months after giving birth, but the demands of caring for a baby changed her original plan of completing her bachelor’s degree at a four-year college. Instead, she found a position as a machine operator in her hometown.

Life was comfortable, and Wass was successfully supporting herself and her daughter, but felt unfulfilled. “I found myself growing more and more restless,” she recalled. “I looked into returning to school, even though I was terrified. I felt God guiding me every step of the way and I trusted him completely”

After taking an oral anatomy class, Wass “fell in love with the field of dentistry, and wanted to make an impact in my community as a dental provider.” She discovered dental therapy, which “aligned perfectly with what I was looking to do in my dental career.”

So far, the journey has been difficult, but rewarding. Wass doesn’t participate in many extracurricular activities or social events, instead spending her free time with her daughter. “I have had to work harder, and make many sacrifices, but it is so worth it,” she reflected. “I am working toward a rewarding career, and I get to show my daughter that anything is possible when you put in the hard work.”

As she continues her three-year journey in dental therapy, Wass looks forward to working with DDS learners, taking advantage of the University’s resources for student parents and returning home after graduation to work in public health dentistry.

But for now, Wass is embracing every aspect of what it means to be a student parent.

“I am building a future not only for myself, but for my daughter,” she said. “ These challenges force me to be intentional with my education, time and money. My evenings and weekends are mostly spent with my daughter. As a mother, I cherish the time I spend with her, but it can be difficult to balance that with the demands of being a student in such a rigorous program. As challenging as this journey is, I feel so lucky to be studying at the University of Minnesota. I am humbled to be in this career and to have the chance to serve my community as a dental therapist.”