After risking their lives during a perilous 42-day boat journey, Quynh Nguyen’s parents arrived in the United States, fleeing Vietnam after the war. Their determination to build a better life for their future family ran deep, and nothing could stop them from making this dangerous attempt.
Their relief was immense upon arriving safely in Oregon—made even greater when Quynh’s mother discovered she was pregnant. The joy of this new life, paired with the security of a fresh start, marked a moment of profound hope. That hope, however, was soon shaken when doctors diagnosed her with a rare, pregnancy-related cancer already at stage 4. Against extraordinary odds, Quynh’s mom carried her pregnancy to term and delivered a healthy baby girl. Determined to fight, the family relocated to Houston, TX, where the renowned team at MD Anderson Cancer Center treated her. Just as the harrowing boat journey had tested their will to survive, this battle with cancer demanded even deeper resilience.
With cancer eventually under control and in remission, the family returned to Colorado, where they had been living when learning of the cancer diagnosis. Growing up, Quynh often heard stories of the physicians who saved her mother’s life, especially the lead oncologist who had trained at Baylor University. Inspired by them, Quynh chose Baylor for her undergraduate studies before pursuing dentistry at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. Since graduating in 2008, she has practiced dentistry with passion and now runs Oasis Dental with her mentee, serving patients of all ages and offering orthodontic care.
“My parents are my biggest inspiration,” said Quynh. “They sacrificed so much, and no matter what struggles they faced, I was always their priority. They shaped who I am today, and I strive to be a reflection of them.”
In 2012, Quynh adopted a two-year-old special needs daughter from Russia, who is now 15. Deeply committed to the adoption community, Quynh helps other families realize their own adoption dreams. Charles, Quynh’s husband, became part of her and her daughter’s lives seven years ago. He’s an Army Airborne Combat Veteran who returned home permanently from Afghanistan in 2018. Theirs is a richly multi-racial, multi-cultural family: Quynh is Vietnamese; Charles is half Portuguese and half Native American; and their daughter’s heritage spans Russian, German, Uzbek, Mongolian, Korean, and Chinese roots. Drawn by the welcoming spirit and diversity, they chose to settle in Painted Prairie.
Today, Quynh and her family live next door to her parents in a KB Home paired home. “My neighbors call my dad ‘the mayor,’” Quynh said with a smile. “He’s always lending a hand to everyone around us.”
Outside of dentistry, Quynh is active in the martial arts community, teaching children Jiu Jitsu, and also plays the piano. “I’m a kids’ dentist, a martial artist, and a musician—that’s not your everyday combination,” she jokes.
