Faculty: Dr. Nikki Tucker

Dr. Nikki Tucker grew up in Ayden, a small town near the borders of Craven, Lenoir and Pitt counties. Home to the annual Collard Festival, it’s the very definition of eastern North Carolina.

That’s what drew Tucker back home to East Carolina University.

“I have a commitment to serve eastern North Carolinians and those who are underserved,” she said.

Tucker is a clinical assistant professor and the division director of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at ECU. She arrived in 2017 after working in private practice for about a dozen years.

“I always had an interest in dental education,” said Tucker, who is certified through the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. “I was just waiting for an opportunity.”

That opportunity came in 2011 when ECU’s School of Dental Medicine began. She watched from her practice in Greensboro as the school opened and developed its identity as a place where students not only learn proper dental techniques, but also understand the importance of helping those in underserved areas.

Tucker joined ECU after working in a private dental practice for nearly a dozen years.

“I had my eye on it, and when I decided I was going to put my foot in the water and see how the opportunities in dental education were, I decided to apply for a position here,” Tucker said. “It was sort of funny because the position had been posted maybe two or three times, and on the third time, I thought, ‘I’m just going to apply.’ I ended up with the position and was able to transition back home. My mother is still here. My cousins and most of my family still live in the area, so it was like coming back home to serve. I’ve been here since 2017, and in that time I’ve come to really appreciate and love dental education.”

She said she stresses to her students and residents the need to understand social constraints and the family dynamic of their patients.

“It’s just being aware of what they are bringing to the table and meeting them where they are so you can provide quality and competent dental care for their patients and their parents,” Tucker said. “Even though you work on children, you have to interact with their parents and help educate the parents so they will appreciate dental health care as well so they will bring their children to you for their appointments.”

As the mother of a daughter herself, Tucker said the key to good oral care is an early start. She points out that the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommends a child’s first visit to the dentist come by age 1.

“Prevention is key, so getting yourself and your children in early is important,” Tucker said. “We’ll see some children who are 3 or older and that’s the first time they’ve been to the dentist, and they at that point have a lot of cavities. We like to do prevention so we want to see them early so we can educate the parents and hopefully prevent their children from having a whole lot of dental problems. We can also monitor their development and catch any issues early on.”

And going to the dentist doesn’t have to be scary for children.

“Most kids come with no fear,” Tucker said. “… We try to make it a comfortable environment. We talk about things they like, toys that they like to play with. We also take our time and explain to them what we are going to do to show them that it’s not so scary. A lot of times, that will get them to where you want them to be. Once we show what we’re going to do and gain their trust, they will let you look in their mouth and brush their teeth and all the other things that go along with that.”

Tucker graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from North Carolina A&T in Greensboro, but didn’t go to dental school right away. Instead, she started working at nearby Proctor & Gamble, where — of all things — toothpaste was made.

“I worked in the lab where they did quality control testing. I was in charge of lab safety,” Tucker said.

After a couple of years, she embarked on her dental career at the Howard University College of Dentistry.

“It was definitely a transition for me because coming from a small town and going to the nation’s capital was an adjustment, but I liked it,” Tucker said. “I really did enjoy my time at Howard. Howard is an HBCU, so it was an enriching experience for me.”

She did her residency at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center in New York before entering private practice in Greensboro. She brought that experience with her to ECU, where she serves as the faculty advisor for ECU’s chapter of the Student National Dental Association.

Tucker said the National Dental Association was initially geared toward dental professionals of color before integration but is open to all dental students. She focuses on the organization’s community outreach. Students recently hosted children from the Boys and Girls Club and has organized a 5K run/walk event on May 14 in support of patients with oral cancer. The fundraiser will benefit Beau’s Buddies Patient Care Fund.

In March, the group hosted its annual Impressions Day, which is designed for undergraduate and post-graduate students to learn and receive tips about the dental school application process while also participating in some hands-on activities, such as making dental impressions.

Beyond her activities as an instructor and dentist, Tucker is also a student. She decided to strengthen her abilities as an instructor through ECU’s master’s in adult education program, earning her degree in Spring 2022.

“My dental students will walk across the stage, and I will too with a master’s in adult education,” Tucker said. “It’s life-long learning. You never stop learning.”

FAST FACTS

Name: Nikki G. Tucker, DDS

Title: Clinical assistant professor and division director, pediatric dentistry

Hometown: Ayden, N.C.

Colleges attended and degrees: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Bachelor of Science in chemistry; Howard University College of Dentistry, Doctor of Dental Surgery; Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, general practice residency and pediatric dentistry residency; East Carolina University, Master of Adult Education

PIRATE PRIDE

Years working at ECU: I joined ECU in 2017.

What I do at ECU: I am a clinical assistant professor and the division director of pediatric dentistry at the ECU School of Dental Medicine. I serve as a faculty member and manage the predoctoral curriculum for pediatric dentistry module.

What I love about ECU: It is home to me. I also like the mission of the School of Dental Medicine and its commitment to serving the underserved in North Carolina. Also, the commitment to provide educational opportunities to historically underrepresented groups, disadvantaged backgrounds and underserved areas. I was born and raised in eastern North Carolina, and I am happy to return and serve.

QUICK QUIZ

What do you like to do when not working? Serving my community through my sorority Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and spending time with family and friends.

Last thing I watched on TV: “Golden Girls”

First job: Taco Bell

Favorite meal: Anything from Cheesecake Factory

One thing most people don’t know about me: I enjoy line dancing.