A Master of Dental Hygiene degree has been a ticket to see the world for UT Health Science Center College of Dentistry alumnus Lt. Cmdr. Demario Walls.
A clinical adjunct instructor in the College of Dentistry and 2017 graduate of the former master’s program in dental hygiene, Walls serves as a lieutenant commander in the United States Public Health Service.
For the past three years, he has been stationed as a pharmaceutical investigator with the Food and Drug Administration, traveling internationally to inspect manufacturers producing drugs intended for the U.S. market. Work destinations have included Brazil, India, Thailand, Ecuador, Peru, and Costa Rica.
While the trajectory of his career has taken him a long way from the dental office, Walls stays close to his roots in dental hygiene. He lives in Memphis with his wife and daughter, and several times a month, he instructs senior dental hygiene students in the College of Dentistry in the clinical aspects of the practice.
He credits his dental hygiene education with preparing him for excellence in the clinic and beyond. “I think it’s a great field to pursue,” Walls says. “It’s hard work. It’s a great education, and it also opened the door to a lot of opportunities.”
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