Dr. Melissa Goodpaster was raised in a small town in northern Idaho. There she attended the University of Idaho, where she graduated with honors, receiving her bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in Spanish. In pursuing her passion for dentistry, she applied to graduate school and was accepted into a prestigious scholarship program titled the Idaho Dental Education Program. This special program selects only 8 students from the entire state of Idaho, and offers them a unique scholarship to attend Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska. During her time as a student at Creighton University, she made the Dean’s List six out of eight semesters and was an active member of the Student National Dental Association. After completing dental school at Creighton, she moved to Denver where she has been practicing dentistry in the metro area for the past 8 years. She is now an active member of the Colorado Dental Association New Dentist Committee and is a member of the American Dental Association, Metro Denver Dental Society and American Academy of Facial Esthetics. Dr. Goodpaster is also a regular participant in both the Seattle and Spear Study Clubs.