The best dentistry is part science, part art, entirely human.
I'm Bryce Hoppe — a third-year dental student who chose this field because it sits at the intersection of the three things I love most: science, art, and genuine connection with people.
At a glance
D3
Third year, active in clinic
'28
Expected graduation
CosmeticImplantsGeneralCU Anschutz
This site is a transparent look at my journey through dental school — the clinical experiences I'm accumulating, the research I find compelling, and the long road toward practice ownership.
I believe that dentistry done well demands science, artistry, and genuine human connection in equal measure. Explore the pages below to learn more about what drives me, what I'm working on, and where I'm headed.
Explore
👤
About
My background, what drew me to dentistry, and a little about who I am outside the clinic.
Read more →
🦷
Clinical Interests
The areas of dentistry I'm most drawn to — cosmetic, implants, and comprehensive family care.
Read more →
🏥
Clinical Experience
A running log of the procedures and cases I've worked on as a third-year student.
Read more →
📚
Research & Reading
Studies and ideas I find worth sharing, with notes on what they mean clinically.
Read more →
Background
Science, art, and people.
I chose dentistry because it demands all three of the things I care about most. The science keeps me sharp, the artistry keeps me engaged, and the relationships with patients make it meaningful. It's the rare career where all three are non-negotiable — and that's exactly what drew me to it.
My real introduction to the field came before dental school, working alongside Dr. Craig Madsen at Madsen & Hirsch in Madison, Wisconsin. Watching a high-functioning, patient-centered practice operate from the inside — the clinical thinking, the long-term patient relationships, the standard of care a truly excellent dentist maintains — set the bar for the kind of dentist I want to become.
I grew up in Madison and have since lived in Minnesota, Arizona, and Colorado, which gave me a broad sense of how different communities relate to healthcare. I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to anything, especially not patient care.
I also competed as a varsity swimmer at the University of St. Thomas — an experience that taught me early that precision and composure under pressure aren't optional. They're the baseline.
Clinical focus
Where I'm directing my attention.
These are the areas where I find myself thinking the most, reading the most, and feeling the most engaged when I'm in clinic.
Cosmetic & aesthetic dentistry
This is where the art lives. The confidence a patient gains from aesthetic work is something I find deeply rewarding — few things in healthcare are as immediately visible as a smile.
Implants & oral surgery
Precision-driven and technically demanding — exactly the kind of challenge I'm drawn to. Restoring full function for a patient who has lost teeth is some of the most impactful work in our field.
General & family care
Being a patient's trusted provider across years and decades — watching families grow and being part of their health journey — is a responsibility I take seriously.
The journey
Where I've been, where I'm headed.
An honest look at the path — the milestones, the learning curves, and the long road ahead.
2018–2022 · University of St. Thomas
Collegiate athlete & pre-dental foundation
Competed as a varsity swimmer while building the academic foundation for dental school. Learned early what deliberate preparation and performing under pressure actually feel like.
2022–2024 · Madison, WI
Mentorship at Madsen & Hirsch
Working alongside Dr. Craig Madsen gave me my first real window into what comprehensive dentistry looks like in practice — the clinical thinking, the patient relationships, and the standard of care a truly excellent practice maintains. It shaped how I think about the kind of dentist I want to become.
Letter of recommendation
Now · 2024–2028 · CU Anschutz
Doctor of Dental Surgery — in progress
Now in my third year and actively seeing patients across a range of procedures. The clinical volume is building, and so is the picture of what kind of dentist I want to be. Documenting the learning along the way on this site.
Active
2028–2033 · United States Navy
Naval Dental Officer
After graduation, I'll be serving as a dentist in the United States Navy — an opportunity I'm genuinely proud of and looking forward to. Military service will push my clinical skills across a broad range of cases and patient populations, build my surgical volume, and develop the leadership and discipline that carries into every aspect of a career. I'll be learning the business of dentistry in parallel, so that when my service commitment ends, I'm ready to move toward practice ownership with both the clinical foundation and the financial literacy to do it right.
Goal · 2033+
Practice ownership
A practice built on trust, modern technique, and relationships that last — not just a business, but a place patients are genuinely glad to come back to.
Clinical experience
Procedures & case experience.
A running log of the clinical work I've performed as a third-year dental student at CU Anschutz. All patient information is de-identified in accordance with HIPAA guidelines.
Restorative
Composite Fillings
Completed multiple direct composite restorations across posterior and anterior teeth. Gaining experience in shade matching, cavity preparation, and layering technique for natural-looking, durable results.
Preventive
Adult Prophylaxis (Routine Cleanings)
Performed adult prophylaxis appointments including supragingival scaling, polishing, and patient education on home care. Focused on building efficient workflows and meaningful patient communication.
Periodontal
Scaling & Root Planing (SRP)
Completed SRP procedures for patients presenting with moderate to severe periodontitis. Developing technique for subgingival instrumentation and patient management across multi-appointment cases.
Emergency
Emergency Appointments
Managed a range of urgent care presentations including acute pain, dental trauma, and lost restorations. Learning to triage quickly, communicate clearly under pressure, and deliver effective same-day relief.
A note on documentation: This page will grow as my clinical experience does. Photos of my own work will be added over time as cases are completed and appropriately documented. Written descriptions reflect genuine clinical encounters with all identifying information removed.
Research & Reading
What I'm learning.
Studies and ideas worth sharing — with a note on what they actually mean in the clinic, not just on the page. Updated as I go.
01
J Esthet Restor Dent April 2026 · Online ahead of print
Implants · Digital Workflow
A 10-Step Digital Workflow for Immediate Implant Placement and Loading in Terminal Dentition Patients
This paper lays out a structured, step-by-step digital workflow for rehabilitating patients who have lost — or are about to lose — all of their teeth. The approach starts with digital data capture to build a virtual patient, converts a 2D smile design into a 3D full-arch prosthesis plan, uses CBCT and intraoral scan data to finalize the prosthetic design, and then guides immediate implant placement and loading through a stackable surgical guide system. The goal is to place implants and deliver a provisional prosthesis in the same appointment while protecting soft tissue architecture from day one.
Why this matters to me
What stands out is how much of the treatment is designed before a single tooth is extracted — the prosthetic outcome drives the surgical plan, not the other way around. Full-arch implant cases are among the most complex in our field, and this kind of systematic digital workflow is what separates predictable outcomes from guesswork. That's a mindset worth internalizing early in training.
J Maxillofac Oral Surg Aug 2025 · Vol. 24(4): 914–928
Implants · Biologics
Implants with or without Leukocyte- and Platelet-Rich Fibrin (L-PRF): A Systematic Review on Dental Implant Stability
This systematic review examined whether using L-PRF — a concentrated fibrin matrix made from the patient's own blood — at the time of implant placement leads to better stability outcomes. After screening nearly 2,000 studies and narrowing to 7 high-quality randomized and controlled clinical trials, the authors found that L-PRF appears to enhance implant stability scores, accelerate healing, and potentially shorten the time between placement and final loading. Because it's derived from the patient's own blood, there's no risk of rejection or adverse reaction.
Why this matters to me
Early implant stability is one of the biggest variables in whether a case succeeds long-term. If applying a patient's own concentrated blood product at the surgical site can meaningfully improve those numbers, that's a technique worth understanding now — not after residency. There's something compelling about leveraging the body's own biology to do the heavy lifting. The best healing agent we have is still the patient themselves.
More entries coming as I read. Check back regularly — this page grows with my training.
Connect
Let's be in touch.
Whether you're a future patient, a colleague, or a program that values someone who takes both the craft and their own development seriously — I'd love to hear from you.
I welcome outreach from future patients, fellow dental students, mentors, residency programs, or anyone interested in connecting around dentistry, AI in healthcare, or practice ownership. I try to respond to every message.
