From NICU nights to graduation: Cole Pace’s journey

(Graphic by UTHealth Houston)

As Cole Pace prepares to graduate from dental school, he’s had a year unlike any other — one that tested his resilience as a student, father, and husband when his youngest son arrived months early and required intensive care.

Now a fourth-year student at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, Pace is nearing the finish line of a journey shaped not only by academic rigor, but by the strength of his family and the challenges they faced together.

A family-first approach

For Pace, success in dental school has always gone hand in hand with his role at home.

“One of my main priorities has been to do well in dental school, but not at the expense of my kids,” he said.

He and his wife, Jenessa, are raising four young children: Vivian, Wayne, Ruth, and Cliff. Their daily routine reflects a careful balance between school and family life.

Mornings begin with breakfast, getting the children dressed, and helping them out the door before Pace heads to campus. Evenings are reserved for family dinners, bedtime routines, and time together before he returns to studying.

“It’s really busy. It’s definitely been a challenge,” Pace said. “I’ve just had to learn how to be really efficient with my time.”

Still, he embraces the experience.

“It’s been fun to have them along for the ride. We’ve made so many memories, and it’s been great.”

A year of unexpected challenges

That balance was put to the test during Pace’s final year, when his son Cliff was born prematurely at just 27 and a half weeks.

“Honestly, one of the most challenging times of my life for sure,” Pace said.

Cliff spent more than two months in the neonatal intensive care unit, facing a series of life-threatening complications, including a collapsed lung and a severe infection.

“There’s a picture of him in the NICU, and he’s just this tiny baby. He’s intubated, he’s got a chest tube, but he’s got his fist up in the air. He looks like a little fighter, and he definitely was.”

As Pace returned to school, his days became a constant rotation between clinical responsibilities and hospital visits.

“I would go to school during the day, and then in the evenings I’d get home, help with the kids, and then I was off to the NICU to go visit my son and my wife. That was draining.”

In addition to what Pace describes as “his faith in and help from God”,

support from family and the School of Dentistry community helped make it possible to keep moving forward. His mother temporarily moved in to help care for the children, while faculty offered flexibility and encouragement.

“I felt like I had the support I needed accomplish what I needed to with school and still feel involved and be with my family as much as I needed to.”

He also recalls moments of personal kindness from faculty, including Assistant Professor Bonita Wynkoop, RDH, DDS, who lent a helping hand by bringing meals to school for him and his family during that time.

“There were people being supportive from a school standpoint, and  also from a personal standpoint. Everybody was rallying around me.”

A path to dentistry

Long before dental school, Pace first found inspiration for his career in an orthodontist’s office.

“In junior high, I had braces, and during that stage of life people started asking, ‘What do you want to do when you grow up?’” he said. “So I started observing my orthodontist as he helped and interacted with his patients. After seeing how much he enjoyed his job and how much his patients were benefitting from his care, I was able to picture myself pursuing that type of a career.”

Originally from Arizona, Pace spent much of his upbringing in Utah before serving a two-year mission in Chile. He later attended Utah State University and Brigham Young University, where he and his wife began building their family.

That early interest in the field of dentistry eventually grew into a clear sense of purpose.

Growing in confidence

Known among peers and faculty as a strong clinical provider, Pace credits his development to fully embracing hands-on learning opportunities.

“I just made sure that I was staying really busy in the clinic,” he said. “It’s nerve racking to plan, schedule, and complete procedures for the first time, but just diving in head first and not being afraid of the learning process helped me to grow quickly.”

Working directly with patients helped solidify his passion for the field.

“I love this. I’d much rather be in the clinic, interacting with and helping people than sitting at a desk studying.”

He also values the relationships built along the way.

“It’s fun to learn about them and their lives and catch up with them at appointments. They’re always asking how my family’s doing.”

Looking ahead

After graduation, Pace will begin his career with a dental practice in McAlester, Oklahoma, a move that aligns with both his professional goals and his family’s lifestyle.

“We’re excited to get out to a smaller town, get a little bit of land, and get a house,” he said. “We’re excited to make memories with the family.”

He hopes to continue growing as a provider while offering a wide range of services to his patients.

“I’d love to learn more complex procedures just so that I can offer a wide range of services to meet the needs of my patients.”

Pace also plans to give back through volunteer and mission-based dental work.

“I have a unique skill set and knowledge base that can help a lot of people that may not be able to afford the care.”

A shared milestone

As graduation approaches, Pace sees the moment as a reflection of everything his family has endured and accomplished together.

“It’s been a long time of delayed gratification,” he said. “My family is excited to see the fruits of our efforts and to begin the life that we’ve dreamed of.”

After years of balancing school, fatherhood, and unexpected challenges, the milestone represents more than a degree.

“It’s been a long time coming. We’re excited to start into this career and the next phase of our family journey together.”

This student story is part of the Countdown to Commencement series, featuring graduating students from schools across the university. Check back each week as we celebrate the Class of 2026 leading up to commencement.

If you are graduating from UTHealth Houston this May, sign up now to attend UTHealth Houston’s Countdown to Commencement reception from 6 to 8 p.m. April 29. Visit the registration page to RSVP. Registration closes April 21.