Compassion and friendship seal Marie Seykora's commitment to dental hygiene and her interest in special care dentistry.
Time in a dental chair can change more than a smile. Ask Marie Seykora of Flower Mound, one of Texas A&M University College of Dentistry’s new graduates.
“I had a traumatic fall where I tripped and fell on brick while in high school and my three front teeth fell in,” Seykora said. “I had to go to the dentist a lot more, and the dental hygienist there really calmed me down.”
The dental hygienist restored her confidence, and Seykora was all smiles May 22 when she and 176 other dental hygiene students, dental students, graduate students and dental specialists earned degrees and certificates. Seykora also grinned broadly the day before when she was named the top student in her dental hygiene class of 30 in Dallas.
The full saga of saving Seykora’s smile and her journey toward a dental hygiene degree includes doses of friendship and lessons in finding joy despite some of life’s worst obstacles.
When Seykora fell on a brick stairwell outside her home in October 2016, her parents, Barbara and John, immediately sought the expertise of next-door neighbor and family friend, Dr. Aaron Vickers. Vickers is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and an owner of the multilocation Texas Center for Oral Surgery and Dental Implants.
“I looked at her mouth, and her teeth were all over the place,” he said.
Once he had Seykora safely at his Flower Mound office, Vickers numbed her mouth and manually repositioned her teeth. He used wire bonding to splint everything in place until she could follow up with her dentist.
“This was a Thursday evening, so she had school the next day,” Vickers said. “I remember I told her to just take the day off. I said, ‘You are going to feel terrible, and you are going to look like you got beaten up.’ She is so tough that she went to school.”
Life continued, and both families of six grew closer. Seykora often babysat for the neighbors, even after both families moved to other neighborhoods. Grace, now 12, is the third child and has Kabuki syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple systems in the body. Symptoms vary but often include intellectual disabilities, immune deficiencies, decreased muscle tone and cardiac and kidney abnormalities, according to Kabuki Syndrome Foundation.
Grace has had three open-heart surgeries, is developmentally delayed, and has low muscle tone.
“Grace is truly like a sister to me,” Seykora said. “Despite her hardships, she remains positive and reminds me to always live life to the fullest.”
Seykora graduated and headed to the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where she earned a bachelor’s in public health in 2024. She then considered pursuing a nursing degree, but Seykora always remembered her extensive dental treatment and wanted to help others like Vickers and other dental professionals had done for her.
“In my mind, what sets dental professionals apart is the combination of both paying close attention to detail and (focusing) on skills while also having the ability to make patients feel comfortable and confident,” she said.
When Seykora returned to Texas, she enrolled at A&M Dentistry and became a part-time nanny for Grace. She cares for Grace a few nights a week and on occasional weekends.
“My experience with her has led to my compassion in dentistry and the understanding of the connection between oral health and systemic health,” Seykora said. “Difficulties with oral hygiene can affect comfort, nutrition and other medical conditions, including heart health, which is a concern for Grace. Caring for her reinforces to me that proper oral health care is about caring for the whole body, not just teeth.”
With Grace in mind, Seykora sought opportunities in special care dentistry. That included working at A&M Dentistry’s Special Care Clinic. She also shadowed dentists at both Children’s Health and Scottish Rite for Children.
She’s focused on working at a general practice first, possibly one that includes some special care dentistry. Seykora interviewed at practices in Richardson and Southlake recently.
She sees a future in public health or academia, and treating patients who have special care needs is likely.
“In five to 10 years, I see myself as a compassionate dental professional dedicated to making every patient feel understood, respected and cared for, no matter their circumstances,” Seykora said.