Why She Was Nominated

A former veterinarian’s assistant turned dental hygienist, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz has become an advocate for and lecturer on implementing caries-management programs. She is also editorial director for DentistryIQ.com’s Pearls for Your Practice.

Inspiration

“As a hygienist, I could spot a problem, but I had no idea how to fix it. I progressed from being excited to hear how the dentist would fix the problem to wanting to fix it myself.”

Favorite Aspect of Dentistry

“I love the variety. It’s a joy to fabricate restorations and be part of my patients’ transformations from start to finish. I never get bored of watching their quality of life improve. And I love teaching, lecturing and writing.”

Philosophy

“Although I’m a prosthodontist, I believe prevention of disease or its recurrence during and after treatment is so important.”

Tool She Can’t Live Without

“I would be lost without my Canon 80D camera,” Dr. Maragliano-Muniz says. “I’m always breaking it out to document cases, and I use it to communicate with my lab and educate my patients.”

Something People Don’t Know

Growing up, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz was the only female hockey player in her league. A gifted goalie, she even tried out for the 1998 Olympics, but narrowly missed the cut.