Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Corinne Devin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Corinne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

As a little girl I had big dreams but growing up wasn’t so easy. I moved every 3 years, I was called four eyes, and picked on because I was small. But that didn’t hold me back from going after what I wanted in life and my family supported me every step of the way. I am 20 years old home from college on my summer break to go working with my dad which I love to do. He owns his dental practice after retiring from the Navy and loves taking care of the people who need him the most. Every month he volunteers his skills to those who can’t afford to take care of their own teeth, often it is the last thing on their mind. Helping people is something I always love doing, especially with him. It’s a typical Wednesday, we are off to work in a mobile dental van to a local elementary school. Our focus today is preventative dental services to 2nd graders. At this age, as you all know, these kids have their first adult teeth, teeth they will need for the rest of their life. Many of these children we are taking care of, live in poverty. Dad is often the first dentist they see in their entire life.

I’m standing in the van and an 8-year-old girl walks in, trembling and very anxious because this is her first visit to the dentist. I’m glad I’m with her because I can help her, calm her, and let her feel she is not alone. We get her as comfortable as we can in the dental chair, and she opens her mouth. Dad takes a mirror and dental probe looking for cavities but then stops. His probe drops. I watch it go lower and lower into her mouth. He motions me to look and what I see is unlike anything I have ever seen before. I gasp when I peer over (be shocked when deliver orally) and see her 1st permanent molars are rotted down to the bone. How can this be possible? She is so young. We are in Reno, Nevada, not an abandoned war zone. The pain she is feeling is unimaginable to me, especially since this is 100% preventable. To know her parents can’t afford to take her to a dentist, and she must continue to live like this. It’s just not right. At 8 years old, she should be able to laugh, play, dream big and simply enjoy life. To know she is in a constant state of pain is heartbreaking. I learn from the teacher that her parents give her an aspirin every night for the pain. I decide in that moment no other child will ever experience this, not on my watch. I am going to become a dentist.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Dedication, Communication, Results- with a genuine smile on my face, and my office adorned with my beauty pageant crown hanging beside my Navy uniform. I am a doctor, an officer, and… a beauty queen. Specifically, I’m an orthodontist, Commander, and motivational speaker.

Dentistry and duty run in my blood. My father, also a dentist, inspired my love of service and teeth, and I followed his footsteps becoming a Navy officer- a heritage that goes back to the Revolutionary War and earned me a Daughters of the American Revolution college scholarship.

While I continue my service as a Navy orthodontist based off-base, I have a passion for working with the community. I’m a proud member of Junior League in San Diego where we support forty local non-profit organizations and train to be civic leaders outside of our industries. In addition I speak at various schools, groups and organizations to bring motivation, inspiration and a bit of levity to the curve balls life can throw at us. This goes hand in hand with writing and published my first book, Commander to Crown in 2022 on Amazon that highlights and shares who I am and how to reach your goals making the impossible, possible.

I have lived in and visited over 50 countries in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, including my deployment with the United States Navy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom to Al Asad, Iraq where I took care of the smiles of over 25,000 active duty, contractors and Iraqi security forces.

After practicing for three years as a general dentist, I was selected to attend the elite Tri-Service Orthodontics Residency Program at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.

While in residency I competed and won the title Ms. Texas, then after graduating won Ms. United States 2012, and internationally won Ms. Galaxy 2014, Ms Earth 2018, International Ms. 2020. The titles allowed me the opportunity get involved with local communities, speaking at events including elementary schools where I mentored young girls and showed them that they can be and do anything- from beauty queen to Navy officer to orthodontist. I continued to balance my two passions, serving as the keynote speaker at the STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) Conference to over 1,000 middle school girls for the Department of Defense in Japan.

I believe that being well rounded in a multitude of areas can inspire, motivate, and place the seed of determination into our youth and their peers.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

If I could go back, I would choose this profession 1,000% over. I absolutely love what I do and feel incredibly grateful to practice every day, serving the men and women who selflessly sacrifice for the freedoms I enjoy. Orthodontics is more than just creating beautiful smiles—it’s a relationship-driven profession. In the military, it extends beyond the doctor-patient connection to include collaboration with the chain of command and a network of specialists who contribute to each case. It is truly an honor and a privilege to play a pivotal role in helping my patients achieve their dreams through the confidence of a beautiful smile.

The mentors, colleagues, and industry experts in the field of orthodontics constantly leave me in awe. I am truly grateful for the connections I’ve made, as they have inspired me to serve in various capacities. One new area I’m exploring is leadership within orthodontics. Serving on two committees with the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontics has opened my eyes to new ways I can contribute beyond the chair, furthering my impact on the profession.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Yes, in 2020, I was stationed at Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily when COVID-19 hit. Almost overnight, everything changed—the sounds of children playing in the streets and church bells ringing were replaced by helicopters overhead and encounters with the Italian police enforcing lockdown measures. The uncertainty of how to get supplies, ensure the safety of those around me, and navigate the evolving situation became paramount. It was truly an unprecedented time that tested my resilience, adaptability, and leadership. I learned how to lead in the midst of uncertainty—writing the playbook as I read it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.drcorinnedevin.com
• Instagram: @drcorinnedevin
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drcorinnedevin
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drcorinnedevin/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrCorinneDevin

Image Credits

Photographers: Grace with Fire, Tim Ertl, Simon Mostl
TEDx Youngstown Ohio: Greg Smith