Brooke King Tolliver, D.D.S.
“There is no place else I would have rather been for the past four years. The people of West Virginia are so welcoming and have been a joy to work with in the clinic. It has been amazing to have so many faculty that are WVU through and through.”
Hometown
Evans, WV
Undergraduate degree
B.S. in Biology, Concord University
Next move
I will be staying in West Virginia! I will be moving to the Teays Valley area to work as an associate with Warnick and Semder Dentistry with multiple WVU School of Dentistry graduates.
What made you want to earn your DDS?
I have always loved art; from staying inside at recess to work with the art teacher in elementary school, to pursuing a minor in studio art in college. I have also known for a long time that I had a desire to serve people through healthcare. For a long time I thought that would be through traditional medicine, until a conversation I had with my advisor in undergraduate, Dr. Darla Wise. She knew of both my desire to serve and my passion for art. She asked me if I had ever considered the field of dentistry. From there I shadowed local dentists and decided that pursuing my D.D.S. and becoming a dentist would most fulfill and combine these different parts of me. Dentistry requires more artistry than I ever imagined, and I am so grateful for that fateful conversation that led me to where I am today.
Why did you choose to do it at WVU?
As a West Virginia native, I am so grateful to have been able to earn my D.D.S. in my home state. There is no place else I would have rather been for the past four years. The people of West Virginia are so welcoming and have been a joy to work with in the clinic. It has been amazing to have so many faculty that are WVU through and through. I am also thankful for being able to stay close to my family, as they have provided so much support throughout this journey.
As a soon-to-be graduate, what is your best advice for incoming students?
My best advice for incoming dental students is to apply yourself. Make the most out of your education and your time at the WVU School of Dentistry. You will make the closest of friends and the best of memories. Your time here truly will fly by and before you know it, you will be writing your advice for incoming students! Work hard, enjoy your time here, and your reward will be the relationships you form and the knowledge you gain.
What will you miss most about WVU?
The people will be the thing I miss the most about the WVU School of Dentistry. It has been a joy to go through the past four years with my classmates. I will miss the advice on cases while passing in the hallway and the laughs we have all shared. The faculty are invaluable and I will truly miss their guidance. The patients that have been kind, patient and generous of their time have contributed to all of our education in more ways than they know. All of the people I have come to know in my time here will be greatly missed.