Why She Was Nominated:

The first African-American female graduate of the Pediatric Residency Program at the University of Kentucky, Dr. Harris is now the owner of Children’s Dental Clinic of Jonesboro and recently opened another office, the Louise Hage Medical & Dental Center. Named for her grandmother, the Hage Center will provide low-cost health care to the underserved. Annually, Dr. Harris and her staff provide free oral-health assessments to local Head Start facilities, day-care centers and public schools. In addition to partnering with local organizations in the fight to end human trafficking and homelessness, Dr. Harris also founded “Hello I Flo,” a nonprofit dedicated to ending “period poverty” by delivering feminine- hygiene products to those in need.

Tool She Can’t Live Without:

“Dry Shield, especially with pediatric patients, because it gives my assistant and me the ability to use our hands freely. You always need extra hands when working with wiggly patients.”

Why She Became a Dentist:

“I grew up being in hospitals often—not because I was sick. My mother is a nurse, and at the time, she didn’t have a babysitter for me. Being around nurses and doctors at a young age is what initially drew me to health care. During my junior year of high school, I discovered dentistry after talking to my then–pediatric dentist. I never looked back.”