Why He Was Nominated:

Having graduated at the top of his class at Marquette in Milwaukee and earned his DDS in 2014, Dr. Kurzawa served five years in the U.S. Naval Dental Corps, providing care to active-duty Navy and Marine Corps service members. Now, having owned his private practice for two years, he continues to serve his community and expand his patient base despite the challenges of the last year.

Most Memorable Patient:

“A 96-year-old World War II veteran. He has awesome stories. Being a Navy veteran myself, I respect this man with the highest regard. His sacrifice is one I will never know, but I am blessed to know and treat him.”

Biggest Challenge:

Business ownership. “Being the boss, dentist, friend, coworker, janitor, landsca­per, psychologist and many more is tough. Wearing so many hats can change you, so have a good team around you.”

Why He Became a Dentist:

“My grandfather and father raised me to have the skills to fix what is broken. Little did they know they were grooming me to become a dentist! Woodworking was a major part of my upbringing. Dentistry has a lot of commonalities, and the instrument usage is remarkably similar, so I find comfort in helping people with my fine motor skills.”

Something People Don’t Know:

Dr. Kurzawa moonlights as a professional paintballer for the Seattle Thunder in the National X-Ball League.