From Root Canals to Radical Creations

Life as a dentist can be demanding, making it essential for clinicians to find ways to unwind and recharge. To inspire you, we’re featuring dentists with extreme hobbies—those who take their downtime to the next level.

Dr. Lisa Germain channels her creativity into art, designing bold, one-of-a-kind shoes that symbolize love, friendship, and shared memories. The New Orleans-based endodontist began experimenting with shoe design about a decade ago as part of a Mardi Gras tradition with the Krewe of Muses, the first all-female nighttime parade in uptown New Orleans. Today, she gifts her creations to those she cares about.

"As an endodontist, I am precision bound to the millimeter. But as an artist, I have the freedom to create with passion and daring. I can color outside the lines to my heart’s content without fear, shame, obligation, or limits. My art is where I go to live my life completely on my own terms. There are no rules or rulers. These shoe creations are just one medium that I use to express myself.”

-Dr. Lisa Germain