Forging his own path

Jorge Morillo’s bright smile and positive attitude might lead some people to think dental school is easy, but there was a time he questioned his future in dentistry. After reevaluating his priorities and enrolling in Texas A&M School of Dentistry’s Post-Baccalaureate Program, Morillo was accepted to dental school and went on to excel all four years.

This week Morillo will graduate as one of the top students in his class, and he will return to the dental school to continue his education in the Graduate Orthodontic Program.

“The post-bac program [created to assist students who are non-traditional, from underserved populations or from disadvantaged backgrounds] was really important for me, and it solidified more reasons I wanted to stay here,” he said. “I love the faculty and staff, and it feels like a family to me. It would have been weird to be somewhere else.”

Morillo was inspired to pursue orthodontics by his mother, a practicing orthodontist. Although he was born in Venezuela, the family lived in St. Louis while she completed her orthodontic residency before moving to the United States permanently when Morillo was 7.

“She loves her profession, and I think seeing her being able to be mom while at the same time love her job was really important for us, so her excitement made me excited,” he said.

Morillo’s sister is also pursuing dentistry and is graduating this year from UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry.

“We just fell in love with it because of my mom,” he said.

Although being an orthodontist was his longtime dream, Morillo said he “got lost in college.”

“I’d kind of gotten a little bit unfocused, and I’d even doubted if I was going to be able to be a dentist because my grades had gotten a little lower,” he said. “My senior year I refocused, and (the post-bac) program changed everything for me. Without that program, I don’t know if I would have the capacity to be an orthodontist.”

Morillo spent two summers in the post-baccalaureate program and graduated from Texas A&M University in 2019 with his bachelor’s degree in nutrition. He said the post-bac program confirmed his love of teeth and dentistry.

“We did waxing, operative amalgams and composites … everything, so I got a lot of exposure to things I previously hadn’t experienced,” he said. “It helped me create my own identity in dentistry.”

Dr. Shaun Logan, instructional associate professor, said Morillo maximized the benefits of the post-baccalaureate program to the fullest, which allowed for a seamless transition to his first year of dental school.

“As a course director or participating faculty in many of the didactic biomedical sciences courses, I have observed not only Jorge’s exceptionalism, but also his consistency and dedication to learning, professionalism, and most of all a positive attitude,” she said. “Honestly, his attitude is what I am most impressed with. For four years, I have encountered the same pleasant Jorge. One who will, without a doubt, provide the same level of consistent care for his patients.”

Morillo said a key to his success in dental school was finding a routine and sticking with it.

“For me, consistency was really important,” he said, “and also taking breaks.”

Morillo studied Monday through Saturday and took most of Sunday off every week.

“For me, it was a time to rest, to go see family, to do anything I want … except dentistry,” he said. “I still had my moments of burnout and stress, but the practice really kept me grounded. By the time I got back to studying, I felt refreshed and able to get back to learning.”

Morillo served as a wellness ambassador on the school’s Mental Health and Wellness Committee, sharing his knowledge and experience with committee members and peers, as well as helping at the committee’s special events. He was also active in the American Student Dental Association, the Pre-Orthodontics Society and the Texas A&M Odontological Honor Society. Morillo was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon, an honorary scholastic society and won numerous awards throughout his time in dental school.

Upon graduating from the A&M Graduate Orthodontic Program, Morillo plans to join his mother’s practice in Flower Mound and eventually take it over.

“I love the idea of creating smiles, and my mom’s elated,” Morillo said. “She’s excited that we’ll get to work together and be colleagues, and she’s excited to retire. She always says I’m her retirement ticket, and she’s my golden ticket, so it works out well. She’s over the moon … I think it’s everyone’s dream that their children will follow in their footsteps.”

Although Morillo is excited about joining his mom in the clinic, he plans to make the most of his next three years on campus.

“This is a great place, and the faculty, staff and students are incredible,” he said. “I’m just excited to be able to stay here a little longer.”