Carson Cochran, D.D.S.

What is your hometown?

I am from Ansted, West Virginia, in Fayette County.

Where did you earn your undergraduate degree?

I received my Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 2021.

Why did you want to become a dentist? Is there an experience you’ve had that made you realize why you chose this profession?

I have wanted to become a dentist since I was around 8 years old, when my elementary school art teacher had our class set a long-term goal and incorporate it into the tradition of crafting a Daruma doll. The Japanese tradition of the Daruma doll is to set a goal and paint one eye of your doll, with the other eye to be painted upon completion of that goal. That day, after much deliberation in my 8-year-old head, I decided I was going to become a dentist, writing my goal on a small slip of paper, stuffing it inside my papier-mâché Daruma doll, and painting one eye of the doll.

I had reasoned back then and still believe that I wanted to become a dentist mostly because I had a good relationship with my own dentist, who is a distant relative. From what I saw of his life, I really liked the idea of becoming someone who not only helps people smile but becomes an integral part of whatever community I would settle in one day, getting to know and be a part of so many people’s lives in a helpful way. To this day, my determination to be a dentist has not wavered and I am looking forward to a long career of helping people smile, just like I did when I was 8 years old. And of course, I can’t wait to finally paint the other eye on my Daruma doll on graduation day!

Why did you choose WVU?

Growing up in West Virginia, WVU had always seemed like the state’s pinnacle of education and the place to end up if I ever wanted to become what Mountaineers truly are – hard working people who utilize all that they are and all they become to help others make their lives better. In my selection of where to go for dental school, there had never been a doubt in my mind from when I first set my goal of becoming a dentist, that I would find myself becoming a dentist at WVU and become the Mountaineer I had always hoped to be.

What would you tell prospective students about your experience at WVU and the School of Dentistry?

My experience in the WVU School of Dentistry has given me so much more than just the education needed to be a dentist. I have found friendship among not only classmates, but among professors and staff. I have formed memories and life experiences that have helped me grow into not only a more suitable professional for the field of dentistry, but to also be a better person.

What is your favorite thing about campus?

Growing up in rural West Virginia, living in Morgantown was a significant change for me that took some getting used to. However, it made me grow and adapt to a city lifestyle that I found myself enjoying and having all the amenities of a city like Morgantown nearby was so great. On top of that, Morgantown is not a large city that is too much of a headache to traverse, and the ability to be able to walk to class every day from my apartment and experience the open air of Morgantown so often has been a big highlight of my lifestyle here.

Have you had any particular professors or faculty members who have made an impact on you while at WVU? If so, how?

Being in the dental program, we dental students are constantly surrounded by not only some of the brightest minds, but some of the kindest souls. It would be impossible for me to point out only one or two professors that have made my time here more enjoyable. However, there have been certain ones that I have gotten to experience many trials, as well as fun times, alongside that I will never forget.

How has your decision to attend WVU inspired your career path?

Even if it were not the only dental school in my home state, I know it would be hard for me to have found a better university to prepare me for the dental profession. Not only the skills I have picked up, but the life lessons I have learned, will serve me well as I step out on my own and hope to provide dental care for many years to my fellow community members in West Virginia.

Have you received any honors or awards?

I was blessed to receive honors from the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society for maintaining a 4.0 GPA on all basic science classes throughout my dental school curriculum, as well as receiving the William S. Kramer Award of Excellence through the same organization. However, as great as those honors are, the greatest honor I received came from my own patients that I had in my care through my time at the WVU School of Dentistry. Their words of praise for me were some of the most rewarding sentiments I could have ever received through my education.

Do you have any special memories, achievements or messages you’d like to share?

Graduating from the WVU School of Dentistry is going to be the most bittersweet occasion of my life. I am so happy I have come to be where I am. The classmates who I have come to call friends, the faculty and staff who have become mentors and role models to me, and the lifestyle I have led in Morgantown are all going to be so hard to leave. However, I know it is only because I have all these things to which I am going to hate saying goodbye, that my next step into life will be all the better. I want to say thank you to the WVU School of Dentistry for giving me the best four years someone could ask for out of the trial-laden, but very rewarding, road that is dental school.

Anything unique or interesting about you that others may not know?

When I was younger, I would often drink entire gallons of milk in a day. I guess all that calcium must have not only made my bones or teeth stronger but made me want to study teeth for the rest of my life.

Is there anything else you want to share?

If anyone who is considering being a dentist is looking at WVU for their education, I can tell you that if you come into the dental school with a positive mindset, the school and everyone you will encounter throughout your time here will radiate that positivity right back at you. Dentistry is all about helping people smile again, whether through bringing them out of pain or making their smile more esthetically pleasing, and that’s why I believe we should all smile all the time, especially as dentists. Going through dental school at WVU has just made smiling all the easier for all the time I have been here. I hope more people get to experience what I have, coming through all the trials and tribulations with a big ol’ smile on their face. :)