Amaka Amakwe

AMAKA AMAKWE
D.M.D., M.D., Oral Surgeon at Bowling Green and Wauseon, Ohio
Associate in Science & Mathematics – Biology, Class of 2010

Amaka Amakwe D.M.D., M.D., joined Harbor Light Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Implants & Periodontal Surgery in July of 2022. She is a graduate of the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Residency Program at the University of Alabama, where she also held an internship in General Surgery. She received her D.M.D. degree at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine, and her M.D. degree at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. While in the Birmingham area, she performed dentoalveolar surgery for disenfranchised residents. Dr. Amakwe moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2006. She enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, and traveling. She loves watching Premier League soccer (she’s a Manchester United fan) and hopes to one day be able to see a World Cup game.

"I liked the small classes at HCC. I remember being part of Student Success. I started out needing tutoring in math and after my first or second semester, I was the one tutoring people."

What factors led you to decide to attend HCCC?

I just moved from Texas to New Jersey. I had never been to school in the U.S. I knew that there would be some basic courses that I would have to take in college, and HCCC made it possible to do this at a reasonable cost. I also wanted to be somewhere that had a lot of diversity, and HCCC provided me with that.

 

What is your favorite memory of the College, in or out of the classroom?

I liked the small classes. I also remember being part of the College Student Success. I started out needing tutoring in math, and after my first or second semester, I was the one tutoring person. I also made a lot of good friends at HCCC, and I keep in touch with a couple of them. I am the godmother of one of them.

What is the most memorable project you have worked on?

The mission trip I did in dental school to Galapagos. We were there for 10 days and provided dental care to over 400 residents at Isabella Island. The people there were extremely friendly and so grateful. We worked long hours, but it never felt so because time flies by when you are doing something you enjoy doing. I think that was also where I did my first root canal treatment. The patient was very nice and tolerated the treatment very well. I, on the other hand, couldn’t stop thinking about how an endodontist does this all day, every day. I guess that’s why I chose to do surgery.