Dr. Dawn Diehnelt has enjoyed working as a dentist for more than 20 years. Although a native Midwesterner, she earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) from the University of Washington in Seattle, and practiced dentistry in California and overseas before choosing to settle in the Chicago area.

Dr. D, as she is affectionately called by her patients, completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa in Japanese and spent a few years in Japan studying its language and culture. She also earned Masters degrees in both International Affairs and Economics. Results of her studies and dental research were published here and abroad.