05 August 2025

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From Venus to El Paso: A Small-Town Girl’s Journey to Orthodontic Excellence

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In the flatlands of North Texas, where cattle far outnumber dentists and the nearest clinic may be hours away, Georgia Hejny charted an unlikely course. 

Raised in Venus, a rural town of fewer than 8,000 residents, Hejny just graduated from the Hunt School of Dental Medicine in El Paso—part of the inaugural dental class at Texas Tech Health El Paso. Her path from ranch to clinic reflects the school’s ambition: to address the considerable gap in dental care across underserved regions of the Lone Star State.

Her early experiences with the health disparities of rural life inspired her to specialize in orthodontics. Hejny was accepted into UT Health Houston’s orthodontic program. She and a fellow classmate were the only 2 Texas students chosen this year. 

Hejny is one of 10 students from the Class of 2025 who secured highly competitive residency placements nationwide, including Yale University and Rutgers University. 

“I always knew I wanted to make a difference in small towns like mine,” Hejny said in a press release. “But I never dreamed I’d be part of something so groundbreaking. It’s been an incredible ride!” 

As one of the “First 40” students in the school’s inaugural class, Hejny experienced a unique curriculum focused on early clinical exposure and community impact. She performed her first dental filling during her first semester—a rarity among dental schools. She later served as Student Government Association president for 2 years and was appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott to serve on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in 2022.

Her passion for dentistry was reinforced in the Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic during Hejny’s third year. She crafted dentures for a patient in his 30s who had struggled with addiction and lost all his upper teeth. 

“He hadn’t smiled in years,” she recalled. “Seeing him look in the mirror for the first time with his new teeth—it was life-changing for both of us. Moments like that remind me why I chose this path.”  

It served as a gentle reminder of how a smile can be taken for granted, yet it can provide the confidence someone needs to reenter the workforce.

The dental school has already made an impact on oral health care education. Its innovative approach includes teaching Spanish language proficiency, business acumen, and public health advocacy alongside technical skills—preparing graduates not just as dentists but as community leaders. 

“It hasn’t been easy,” she said, referencing her 6-month-old daughter born during her fourth year of school. “But I’ve had incredible support—from my family and from this school—that has made it possible.”

Texas Tech Health El Paso serves 108 rural counties in West Texas and is a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution dedicated to preparing the next generation of health care heroes. Established as an independent university in 2013, Texas Tech Health El Paso is a uniquely innovative destination for medical, nursing, biomedical sciences and dental education.

Source: www.ttuhscepimpact.org