For Zach Reber, dentistry has always been about more than procedures — it’s about people. Their stories, their struggles and the quiet moments when care can restore comfort and confidence. As he prepares to graduate from the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Dental Medicine, Reber's journey reflects a deep commitment to serving others.
Reber didn’t come to dentistry through family tradition. Instead, he arrived by curiosity and intention. As a biology major exploring healthcare careers, he shadowed a range of professions, but it wasn’t until his final shadowing experience — a private practice in Lubbock, Texas — that everything clicked. Within the first week, he knew dentistry was the right fit.
“What stood out to me was how hands-on and personal it was,” Reber said. “You get to know your patients and treat entire families. That connection felt really special.” He shadowed more offices, prepared for the DAT and ultimately found his way to Colorado.
That sense of service deepened through personal loss. Reber’s younger brother passed away from brain cancer — an experience that profoundly shaped his perspective on care. During treatment, his brother developed painful oral complications that made eating and drinking nearly impossible.
“I remember thinking how badly I wished I had the knowledge to make it better,” Reber recalled. “Even now, I carry that with me. It fuels my desire to help people who are going through incredibly difficult moments.”
Growth Through Collaboration and Community
Dental school challenged Reber intellectually and clinically, but it also reshaped how he works and connects with others. Previously a solo studier, he discovered that collaboration made him a better learner and clinician.
“Being surrounded by classmates who were going through the same challenges changed everything,” he said. “I realized how much I value working with other people and how important teamwork is in dentistry.”
That mindset carried into his leadership and service roles. Reber helped establish the GPR and AEGD Interest Group to help students understand postgraduate residency options and co-launched the Business in Dentistry Club to explore practice ownership and financial literacy. He also served as a CU Anschutz Student Senate representative, mentored first-year dental students during orientation for three years, and was inducted into dentistry’s national honor society Omicron Kappa Upsilon, recognizing academic excellence and professionalism.
One patient experience near the end of his clinical training affirmed his path. Reber treated a patient who had undergone surgery, radiation and chemotherapy for a parotid tumor. All remaining teeth had been extracted prior to cancer treatment, and the patient was determined to receive dentures despite significant clinical challenges.
After months of care and continued medical treatment, Reber delivered the dentures.
“Seeing him smile was incredibly meaningful,” he said. “It reminded me how important oral health is to people, not just for function but for their confidence and sense of dignity.”
Returning Home to Care for Community
As graduation approaches, Reber is preparing for a General Practice Residency at the Rocky Mountain VA, where he will train in a setting centered on service and comprehensive care. Long term, his goal is to return to Hobbs, New Mexico, where he grew up and where access to dental care remains a pressing need, particularly in surrounding rural communities.
“I want to serve the people who raised me,” he said. “Dentistry gives me the opportunity to be part of my community and make a real difference.”
Reber’s philosophy of care is grounded in a person-centered approach. He believes patients deserve to be active participants in their treatment and he wants them to leave their dental appointments feeling relief, not fear.
“You never know everything that’s going on in someone’s life,” he said. “My goal is for patients to feel heard, cared for and more comfortable coming back.”
Outside the clinic, Reber enjoys working out, playing pickleball and basketball, reading, playing guitar and learning Spanish with the goal of one day conducting full dental appointments without a translator. He is supported by his wife, Landrye Reber, a second-year dental student at CU Anschutz.
When asked what advice he would give to incoming dental students, Reber said, “Take it one week at a time, go with the flow and do not be too hard on yourself.”
It is advice that reflects his own journey and a career defined by empathy, humility and a deep commitment to caring for the communities he calls home.
