Jennifer Buchanan, DDS

When McKinney residents think about leading women in our community, one name that quickly comes to mind is Dr. Jennifer Buchanan. Well-known both for pioneering the latest in orthodontic treatment and for her many philanthropic endeavors, Dr. Buchanan is the architype of “doing it all.” A wife, mother, business owner, mentor, and humanitarian, she’s spent 28 years impacting the lives of her family, her patients, her staff, and her community.

For Dr. Buchanan, it’s all about persistence. “Anything you truly want is going to require persistence,” she said. “When you encounter an obstacle and want to give up, it’s often that obstacle that will propel you in the right direction.”

It’s a lesson she learned at an early age. “When I was 10, a friend was pushing me in a wagon and I fell face first onto the pavement. Because I had an overbite (early orthodontic treatment wasn’t common at the time) I chipped my front tooth. It was that early experience plus the confidence boost I received when I got braces that first got me interested in orthodontics.”

One of the prerequisites for Jennifer to get into dental school was organic chemistry. “I struggled and failed the class the first time I took it,” she said. “I could easily have given up and let go of my dream of dental school.” Instead, she persisted enrolling in the class again in the summer where she landed a “B” and continued her dream of dentistry. “Giving up would have been easy,” she said. “But persistence is key. If you have a dream in your heart, keep trying.”

Again, when she applied for her orthodontic training, she knew only 3.5% of thousands of applicants were accepted. She recalled the Thomas Edison quote, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.’” She applied to every school in the U.S. and Canada, over 50 programs, typing out each application individually, before she was accepted.

“We’re living in the time of social media where it looks like nobody ever experiences anything but success,” Dr. Buchanan said. “We’ve all become used to instant gratification. But failure is often where you learn the most.”

Dr. Buchanan relishes the chance to mentor younger female dentists who are struggling to juggle their practice and their home life and speaking to high school and college students considering a dental career. “This is a wonderful profession that’s changing and advancing all the time and it allows for the flexibility you need, when you have a young family,” she said. “For me, it’s the perfect blend of art, science, and healthcare. I cherish the time I spend with my patients truly impacting their lives and the relationships I’m able to forge often with multiple generations in the same family. Orthodontics isn’t just for kids anymore.”

Find out more about this dynamic leading woman at McKinneyBraces.com; and call or text (972) 542-4412 for a free evaluation.