Dr. Rao is a Golden Gopher for life! She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. She then received a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Her love for working with children led to an Advanced Education Program in Pediatric Dentistry at the Children's Hospital of Buffalo and at the University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Rao received extensive experience in hospital dentistry, IV and conscious sedation. She is a Board-Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Rao believes in the mission of organized dentistry and its role in advocating for the public and those who serve them. She serves as current Chair of the New Dentist Committee and represents the upper Midwest on the American Dental Association's (ADA) Council on Membership.  She was selected for the 2018-2019 class of the ADA's Institute of Diversity in Leadership and is working closely to bring the Mission of Mercy to West Central Minnesota.Her passion for teaching led to her becoming clinical adjunct faculty at the UofM School of Dentistry in 2015.

A Midwesterner at heart, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son (and pet rabbit, Pierre), being outdoors, Twins baseball, Gopher hockey and football! She's always on the hunt for the best pizza and tacos!

Dr. Rao is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, a member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, and Minnesota Dental Association.