Why She Was Nominated:

Dr. “Tiya” Ungphakorn runs PCO in Queens with her best friend and business partner, Dr. Sarunphorn “Sara” Rasamimari. Dr. Ungphakorn, born and raised in Thailand, graduated from Chulalongkorn University College of Dentistry, the country’s top dental school, before coming to the United States. Both she and Dr. Rasamimari have traveled abroad to provide dental care to the underserved.

Tool She Can’t Live Without:

“The Mathieu plier is often taken for granted, but we need this instrument in almost every orthodontic procedure. And the clicking sound it makes is very satisfying.”

Biggest Challenge:

“Moving to a new country as an immigrant. English is not my first language, so it was challenging to move to the USA to embark on a new career.”

Why She Became a Dentist:

“Being an orthodontist is the coolest job ever—orthodontists are engineers and architects at the same time, and the planning that goes into the treatment is what makes this specialty fun.”

Something People Don’t Know:

“I was a dental officer in the Royal Thai Navy.”