Nelly Silva , DMD
Dr . Nelly Silva is a 2004 graduate from the Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry . She practices in Collegeville and is a graduate of PDA ’ s 2022 Leadership Academy .
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment ?
1 . Having my family . 2 . The impact I have made in my patients ’ lives . 3 . The balancing act of having my family and being a dental professional .
Where do you aspire to be in five years ? Dental educator and a leadership role within the PDA .
Who has been your biggest inspiration and why ?
My parents . They both left their well-established lives to restart for our success in the United States . My mother ’ s health crisis in dental school ignited my passion and mission for heart health . I am excited for the future for dentistry and the collaboration with integrative health care .
What advice do you have for new dentists or dental students ? Find a great mentor early in your career .
What do you think is the biggest challenge that dentistry is facing ?
Re-education of our patients that we are physicians of the mouth , not tooth carpenters . Creating value in what we do . Adjusting the primary mindset of practice owners that the future is the small group , as the solo model may not be economically sustainable going forward . The public needs to understand that dental disease is almost always preventable and dental insurance is not their crutch for their own neglect .