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So I wanted to do dentistry for a bunch of reasons, but mostly in high school and college, I really liked the sciences. I was just sort of drawn to biology and things like that. When I was looking into some sort of health care profession, whether it's dentistry or medicine or veterinary, things like that, I just really liked the patient interaction with dentistry. So you really get to actually know your patients. You see them more than once a year for 10 seconds. And so I really liked that interaction. I also liked the fact that you have to work with your hands every day. It's a specialty where it's actually a lot of instant gratification. You take a tooth that is diseased, and by the end of the day, it looks beautiful and healthy. That's how I sort of fell into dentistry.
I really like putting the patient first. I think everyone here in the office always puts the patient first. I'm going to treat you like I treat my mom and sister and dad and brother and all of that. So I always want to make sure that you're comfortable. I try and explain everything that we're going to do. I sort of believe that the more information that you have, the more comfortable that you can be.
People hate coming to the dentist. They tell me that every day. And I think a lot of that is because as kids, they didn't have a great experience, and dentistry hurt and we didn't have the technology that we have now. So here at Bell Dental, we always try and use the best technology to make everything kind of the most comfortable so that you have the best experience.
Dr. Maggie Ernst is a Cincinnati native who was born and raised in Hyde Park as the youngest of four children. She attended St. Mary Grade School and Saint Ursula Academy High School before obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Dayton, where she graduated magna cum laude in 2010.
Dr. Ernst then attended The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, where she earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree in 2014. She graduated magna cum laude and was initiated into the elite Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society as one of the top graduates from her class. She earned several other honors while at OSU, including the Dr. Harold E. “Hal” and Faith B. Barlow Dental Scholarship in 2011.
Dr. Maggie Ernst on the most Rewarding Part of Dentistry
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I think the most rewarding part is just sort of either taking patients out of pain. When patients come in and they've got a problem. Their tooth hurts, and I can actually solve that problem for them. Most of the time that day. I think that's really rewarding.
The others would be just making people comfortable with their smile. Patients who come in and they don't ever like to smile. They don't like how their teeth look. When they leave and are happy with everything, it's just really rewarding.
Following dental school, Dr. Ernst completed a general practice residency at the Hampton Veterans Affairs Medical Hospital in Hampton, VA from 2014 to 2015.
Dr. Ernst loves that dentistry combines two of her passions – science and working with her hands. She genuinely enjoys taking your problem teeth and turning them into a beautiful smile. Her pride in her work and commitment to her patients’ satisfaction allow her patients to be relaxed and comfortable during appointments.
Dr. Ernst has completed extensive training in many areas of dentistry, including family dentistry. She loves getting to know the families who visit us and watching your little ones grow into their beautiful smiles. With her help, your family’s pearly whites will stay beautiful and healthy for many years to come!
Dr. Ernst has expanded her practice to include obstructive sleep apnea treatment with oral appliance therapy. Dr. Ernst has been qualified to practice sleep dentistry by the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. In addition to completing over 60 continuing education credit hours, she has also completed a clinical internship under Dr. Kathleen Bennet, a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine.
Dr. Ernst is thrilled to be practicing in her hometown, furthering her career with her friends and family by her side. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her nieces and nephews. She also likes to walk her dog Lucy, go hiking, play tennis, and read.