Ask just about any member of the Class of 2014, and they'll say it seems impossible they were due for a milestone reunion. From the loud roar of laughter and music heard from the hospitality suite on the 23rd floor of the Sheraton Hotel during MDC, one wandering the halls might assume a group of college kids were in the midst of a wild party on a Friday evening. Inside the suite, though, was a group of professionals almost a decade removed from finals and boards, reminiscing and reconnecting, starting nearly every conversation with an emphatic, "I can't believe it's been 10 years!"

For Mack Taylor (D.D.S. '14), the reunion felt just like old times. "It's funny, because even though it's been 10 years since you saw them, it's like you were never away from each other," said Taylor. "You just roll back into things like nothing changed."

During dinner later at Teocali Mexican Restaurant, faces lit up as each classmate walked into the room. Introductions of significant others were made.

Those intros were especially sweet Audrey Greaves (D.D.S. '14) and Jake Wolf (D.D.S. '14). Wolf introduced Greaves to his fiancée, and then Greaves told the story of Wolf playing wingman to Greaves and her future husband when they were in school. The two hadn't seen each other since Greaves' wedding, and the reunion provided an opportunity for them to catch up.

Caresa Doakes (D.D.S. '14) was thrilled to get her close-knit crew from school back together again. Her best friends in school were Leanne Desch (D.D.S. '14) and Misty Williams (D.D.S. '14). After UMKC, the three spread out across Kansas and Missouri and hadn't gathered as a group in years.

Doakes was also excited to see classmates she's kept in touch with through social media. "I hadn't seen Michelle Nwora (D.D.S. '14) since I graduated, but we're friends on Facebook," Doakes said. "I could not wait to tell her how cute her baby is."

Taylor spent much of the weekend reliving what forged those close connections with his classmates. He fondly recalled time spent doing lab work late into the night. With a movie playing on the lab or lecture room's AV system, Taylor and his classmates, often numbering 50 or more, gathered for marathon study sessions, shooting the breeze, commiserating on pain points and helping each other grasp concepts.

"Instead of being stuck at home by yourself, banging your head against the wall, you're hanging out with your friends," Taylor said. "You have shoulders to lean on and being together made things less stressful."