April 7, 2021
Becoming a dentist was not always part of Dr. Amy Heim’s career path – in fact it wasn’t even on her radar. When graduating from high school and while in her first semester at Shawnee State University, Dr. Heim was set on getting an art degree and going into design work. Her plans changed when she got a chance to witness a person in a role that she didn’t expect.
“I was working in an orthodontic office in town and there was a female orthodontist there,” she said. “She had such grace and poise, and everyone loved her. That was the first time that I had witnessed a female in the position of the provider. I went home and told my parents I wanted to be a dentist.”
Switching her major from art to Pre-Med, Dr. Heim quickly found her place at SSU among her classmates, professors, and within the Natural Sciences department.
“The third floor of Massie Hall was basically our home,” she said. “It felt like we slept there, we studied there, we were having pizza delivered there; it was always great laughter but we also developed so much in our courses together there.”
One of her favorite memories Dr. Heim likes to share with prospective students to the Pre-Med program is about the night she called her professor Dr. Eugene Burns before an exam to ask him a question.
“I called him at what must have been 11:30 at night,” she said. “I was having trouble understanding a concept and wanted to ask for his help. He answered and walked me and my friend through it until we understood it. There’s not many places that the professor is going to answer their phone that late, much less stay on the phone and help you.”
After graduating from SSU, Dr. Heim enrolled in dental school to pursue her goal to become a dentist. Starting in her classes, she found herself well prepared for the education before her.
“I can remember pulling out my notes from Shawnee State to help me study for my dental school exams,” she said. “We’d be studying and everyone in my group would want to refer to those notes. It speaks volume to the level of education I received.”
After taking a year of residency in Akron, Ohio once she graduated from dental school, Dr. Heim decided to return to her hometown to start her own practice and give back to her community.
“I came back to this community because this is where my heart and soul is and where my heart and soul will always be,” she said. “If it weren’t for Shawnee State, I may not be a dentist. I have nothing but positivity and gratitude for all the things, the events, the people, and the mentors that helped me get to where I am today.”
Buying and starting her own dental practice in Portsmouth, Ohio in fall 2014, Dr. Heim is happy to be back serving her home community and giving back to SSU. She currently serves as a member of the university’s College of Professional Studies Advisory Board and regularly attends Pre-Med Day to share her experience with prospective Shawnee State students.
“When I have a high school student sitting in my dental chair and they are talking about going to Shawnee State, I always want to make sure they are aware that just because this is a small town, doesn’t mean that their next step is going to be small,” she said. “You can do great things at Shawnee State – there’s no limits on what you can do.”
This spotlight is part of an ongoing series by the SSU Alumni Association in celebration of the university’s 35 Years milestone. To learn more about alumni making a difference in their careers, visit shawneestatealumni.com for more features.