“I fell in love with it.” That’s how Dr. Melanie Whalen describes choosing dentistry, a field she calls “hands-on, patient-forward,” with results patients can see right away. Her favorite moment is “the joy on a patient’s face when treatment is completed.” She also counts her “wonderful support staff” and the challenge of tailoring each treatment to the person in the chair among the best parts of her day.

Dr. Whalen attended the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health. Her advanced training includes the U.S. Army’s Advanced Education in General Dentistry program and a two-year general practice residency at Wake Forest University. Her Army service included assignments in Colorado and Alaska and a tour in Egypt with the Multinational Force & Observers. Later, as a U.S. Public Health Service officer, she provided dental care in the Navajo Nation.

Dr. Whalen grew up in the Midwest and on the East Coast and today lives on Hawaiʻi Island. Being in nature is what brings her joy, so a day off often means a hike, a swim, a camping trip, or time at the beach. Her life goal? “For me and mine to be happy, healthy, and in a position to help others.”