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Kweku Smith, PhD (right), a psychological services provider for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, speaks with a patient in a still from Figs’ “Anatomy of a Champion” ad. Figs, a medical apparel brand, designed the Team USA Medical Team’s first official Olympics uniform for the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. (Credit: Courtesy of Figs)

“When was the first time you went to the dentist?”

I faltered; usually I’m the one asking questions during an interview. My thoughts drifted back to childhood, to hazy memories of my pediatric dentist. I remembered the aquarium in the waiting room, the wall of manila file folders behind the reception desk, the aroma of bubble gum fluoride thick in the stuffy office air. But, as Kweku Smith, PhD, had surmised, I couldn’t pinpoint my first visit because I’ve been a dental patient for as long as I can remember. Coincidentally, I had an orthodontist appointment the day of my phone interview with Smith, a psychological services provider for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.