Couple starting their careers provide insight into what it takes to become dentists today.

To say Jelani and Chemani Holliday are excited about life would be an understatement as broad as the smiles on their faces when asked about a future that’s right around the corner.

“It’s exciting. Full of potential. It’s really what we’ve both wanted to do for so long,” Jelani said. “We’re ready to make a difference.”

The Hollidays do, indeed, exude an enthusiasm and outlook on life dripping with optimism.

Jelani, an almost-brand-new dentist, is in his second year at My Community Dental Centers (MCDC) in Hillsdale, Michigan. Chemani, a recent graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy’s dental school, kicks off her dental career this month at MCDC’s Coldwater, Michigan, location. And, oh yeah, they’re getting ready to celebrate daughter Ciana’s first birthday in September.

“We are very, very blessed,” said Chemani. “It’s a lot of ‘firsts’ for us and we’re just excited to see what’s next.”

The Hollidays represent a new generation of dentist. It’s a generation that shares some commonalities with the generations before: Demanding academic standards, stringent accreditation processes…