Spotlight
Russell Watson’s Unexpected Dental Journey and SVU Connection
Russell Watson (‘23) wasn’t planning on becoming a dentist when he started his undergraduate, but after several unexpected series of events, he is now part of the inaugural class at Lyon College’s brand new School of Dental Medicine. A program that coincidentally is being shaped by another Southern Virginia University alumnus: Burke Soffe, the school’s inaugural dean.
“My dad’s a dentist, but growing up, I never really thought that I would go into that profession,” said Watson. “I was actually studying construction management at a different university for almost two years before my mission. But when I got home, I had a feeling that I should pursue something else, and I slowly realized that dentistry was that thing.”
Watson then decided to switch his major to biochemistry. While exploring the option of attending Southern Virginia University, a conversation with an admissions counselor whose husband was also attending the university with plans to become a dentist solidified his decision to transfer.
While a student at Southern Virginia, Watson participated in student government, interned in the university’s marketing and communications office doing photography, started the pickleball club, attended RAM clinics, and was part of the pre-health track. After graduating in 2023, he began working as a dental assistant for his dad while applying to dental schools.
“Dental school didn’t pan out that year, so I applied to other graduate programs to keep myself busy and increase my chances of getting into a dental program later,” said Watson. “I ended up getting into Roseman University and got a masters in biomedical science, and while I was out there I learned about Lyon College from an article in Southern Virginia’s newsletter about Dr. Soffe.”
Noticing that Soffe had worked at Roseman University and also attended Southern Virginia University, Watson decided to apply to Lyon College and see what happened. During the interview process, Watson and Soffe discovered that they had another connection: both had shadowed Dr. Brent Dryden, a dentist in Buena Vista, Virginia, during their undergraduate years.
“It was a neat, additional connection that we had in our journeys to become dentists,” said Watson. “And Lyon College reminds me a lot of Southern Virginia. They’re both small, liberal arts schools, and I’ve always thrived in those smaller environments, which is another thing that led me to Lyon.”
“Dental schools and dental practices are fairly small settings, and in health care you need to be able to connect with people, which in my opinion is much easier to learn in the smaller setting that these schools provide,” continued Watson.
Watson is now a part of Lyon College School of Dental Medicine’s inaugural class of 80 students. The three year program began on June 30 of this year.
“I’ve thought about specializing in some area of dentistry, but there’s so many possibilities that could be presented to me over the next few years,” said Watson. “You spend so long wondering if it will ever happen, studying in undergrad, taking the DAT, going through the application process, and suddenly you’re so much closer to your goal. And I’m really looking forward to seeing where this all goes and what I end up doing.”