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. 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 children and those who cannot advocate for themselves. She serves on the Board of Trustees and Executive Committee of the Minnesota Dental Association, on track to serving as President in the next few years. Her passion for teaching led to her becoming clinical adjunct faculty at the UofM School of Dentistry in 2015. She keeps strong connections with friends, mentors and colleagues from all over the country, always learning new techniques, testing new materials to achieve the best clinical outcomes for her patients. She values strong diagnostics and wants to provide the best options for her families.

A Midwesterner at heart, she enjoys spending time with her husband, son and daughter, being outdoors, Twins baseball, Gopher hockey and football! She's always on the hunt for the best pizza and ice cream!

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.