DEARBORN — Dr. Ghada Beydoun has embodied the American Dream, which fills the hearts of immigrants all over the world looking to build better lives for themselves and their families.

The daughter of Lebanese immigrants, she is a first-generation American and the first in her family to attend college. She told The Arab American News that her journey sprouted from humble beginnings. Now as a respected dentist and mentor among her community, she continues to inspire and foster an environment for success and determination. 

She said her path into the world of dentistry is thanks to Dr. Victor Thomas, who was a prominent figure in East Dearborn, where she grew up. She worked as a dental assistant under Thomas and connected with the field deeply as her natural talents shined. 

She said Dr. Thomas recognized her talent and encouraged her to pursue dentistry, “a decision that would alter the course of my life forever.”

Beydoun began dental school in 2002 at the University of Detroit Mercy. At the time, she said the field was predominantly male-dominated and she was the sole female representative from her community pursuing dentistry. 

Despite the challenges she encountered along the way, she pushed forward, “driven by a passion for dentistry and a desire to defy stereotypes.” 

Being a first-generation dentist, she said the road to get there was not without hardships. But she said it was her upbringing that instilled determination, perseverance, and a solid work ethic, the traits that pushed her to overcome obstacles present in her path.

Today, Dr. Beydoun continues to empower individuals — especially women — in the dental community. Running her own practice in Dearborn Heights, she said she wants to continue to nurture and empower future generations of dental professionals. 

Every year,  she offers dental students — “many of whom come from similar backgrounds” — the opportunity to work as interns under her.

She said witnessing their growth and finding inspiration in her brings her immense pride. She also said that the landscape of dentistry has evolved significantly over the years, with a noticeable surge in female representation, specifically from her community.

Beydoun and her role within the community has helped foster this surge, pushing students to dream and move beyond societal expectations.

Once a mentee and now a fellow dentist working at Beydoun’s practice, Dr. Malak Hachem started working at her office as an assistant in high school. She followed in Beydoun’s footsteps, carving her own path and challenging societal norms. 

“I met Dr. Ghada during my first year of college; I was around 19 years old at the time,” Hachem said. “At the time, I was looking for a job as a dental assistant to build my experience and shadowing hours in dentistry; my mom actually gave me her contact information so I went to shadow her. After a few short days she so generously offered me a job working for her.”

Hachem, who studied dentistry at Indiana University, said Beydoun played a key role in her making the decision to leave her home state of Michigan to pursue becoming a dentist.

“Dr. Ghada trained me herself & taught me everything there is to know about the field in a few short years; when the time came to apply to dental school I was very discouraged from not getting many interviews,” she said. “I ended up getting into one school, Indiana University. Dr. Ghada encouraged me to go & venture outside of Michigan, even though I felt like it was the end of the world having to move out of state. If it wasn’t for her words of motivation & help I wouldn’t be the same dentist I am today. I knew after graduating that I would love to work with her again, as an associate this time.”

Now working at Beydoun’s office as a full-time associate, Hachem attributes her skills as a dentist to Beydoun.

“I continue to learn from her every single day; she pushes me out of my comfort zone & encourages me to do procedures I never thought in a million years I would be doing this early on in my career,” she said. “Dr. Ghada is not just a mentor, but a life long friend that I will forever be grateful for.”

Facing numerous obstacles as a first-generation dentist, my journey was not
without its trials. However, my upbringing instilled in me a strong work ethic and an
unwavering determination to overcome any hurdle in my path.

-Dr. Ghada Beydoun

Beydoun said that many former assistants have found the inspiration to become dentists themselves. Her current intern program accepts students in August and they rotate until June. She said dental students are encouraged to apply to strengthen their skills and gain practical experience. 

Both Beydoun and Hachem said perseverance was a key component in their dental journey, and urge aspiring dentists to keep pushing, persevering and working hard.