Dr. Sheri Doniger

Operating a solo dental practice in Lincolnwood, Ill., Sheri Doniger somehow also finds time to squeeze in numerous other duties including serving on a local school board and the police and fire commission in her hometown. And that’s not all she does. She is editor of the Chronicle, an online newsletter offered by the American Association of Women Dentists and writes a column for drbicuspid.com.

“It’s a day in the life of a dentist,” she said, describing the column. “If something funny or interesting happens, I write about it. It’s just whatever comes to mind.”
Sheri has had more than a few interesting experiences in her career. She started as a dental hygienist and then decided to attend dental school. When she was pursuing her degree at Loyola University in the mid-1970s women made up just a fraction of the enrollment. It was rarer still to find a student who was pregnant. But Sheri had her first child while in school and was pregnant with her second by the time she graduated.

“My instructors didn’t give me any leeway,” she said. “It was what it was.”
She credits her husband with supporting her desire to attain her professional goals in an era when it wasn’t necessarily the norm. She still provides dental hygiene services to her patients and enjoys that interaction.

“I love spending time with my patients,” Sheri said.

She also believes her volunteer work is an important duty.

“I just feel it is very important to give back to the community,” Sheri said.