On Thursday, August 11, 2016, Dr. Rebeca Weisleder, a clinical associate professor in the Department of Endodontics, stood before a judge in the Kansas City Municipal Court and swore her allegiance to the United States of America and officially became a naturalized citizen, thus bringing one chapter of her life to a close while beginning another.

“Before the ceremony,” said Dr. Weisleder, “I was very excited to see that a journey that took me 11 years to complete was coming to an end. During the ceremony I felt that I was blessed to have been able to accomplish this, especially since so many people are not able to. I was also very happy that the whole Department of Endodontics was there to support me. I am proud to be an American!”

Dr. Weisleder was born and raised in Mexico City. She attended the dental school at the Universidad Autonoma de Mexico in Mexico City. She later completed a preceptorship in endodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She returned to Mexico City and practiced for 16 years while also teaching at her alma mater and the Universidad Tecnologica de Mexico. In 2005 she returned to the United States to earn a certificate in endodontics at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. After earning a master’s degree in education and instructional design from the University of Houston, she joined the faculty in the UMKC Department of Endodontics.