Dr. Ryan Michael Knight, DDS, credits Carroll Community College for his academic and professional journey, which began after high school at the community college. That is where he discovered a love for science, which eventually led him to become a dentist.

While a student at Carroll, Knight developed a special liking to science courses like Biology, and Anatomy and Physiology. His interest in the sciences while in college was in stark contrast to his academic performance while in high school, a time that was marked with uncertainty about his next steps.

“After I enrolled at Carroll Community College, I became much more goal-oriented and developed a great drive for studying. I worked hard and got straight A’s while working a full-tine job,” said Dr. Knight. “Carroll Community College gave me the fire to keep moving forward.”

Dr. Knight transferred to James Madison University, followed by transfer to the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from UMBC in Biological Science. His concentrations were Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The next step in his journey took him to the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. There he worked on viral therapeutics, including the monkey pox vaccine and Ebola vaccinology. Dr. Knight received a Master of Science in Biomedical Science with a concentration in Virology from Hood College. Then he attended the University of Maryland School of Dentistry where he became a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS). Subsequent training included maxillofacial surgery and periodontal surgery course work.

Today, Dr. Knight works in his practice in Eldersburg, Md. with Dr. Shivani Patel, DDS. Dr. Knight said his choice to become a dentist was the result of the orthodontics work that his younger brother endured early in life. Dr. Knight’s compassion for patients and love for science made dentistry an excellent career choice.

“The faculty and staff at Carroll Community College were fantastic,” said Dr. Knight. “My instructors saw something in me and encouraged me to go the extra mile. The curriculum at Carroll Community College is second to none. I encourage anyone to start here because Carroll provides a good foundation for the next steps in academics. Without such a great start at Carroll, I would not be where I am today.”



Dr. Ryan Michael Knight, DDS

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