For 30 years, Alex Mendoza has been fabricating removable appliances in restorative sciences. As dental laboratory coordinator, Mendoza oversees the work of dental and graduate students.

“I love my job and I love Baylor College of Dentistry,” says Mendoza.

One of the things he likes most about his job, he says, is helping students when they need advice or assistance with their cases. He also enjoys having former students stop by his lab to say hello and bring him up-to-date on their careers.

The most noticeable changes Mendoza has observed over the years are smaller class sizes and younger-looking students.

When he is away from the lab, Mendoza loves to travel. He also enjoys playing golf and working in his yard. He has three children from whom he has five grandchildren. His wife has four children and many, many grandchildren.

“If we get them all together, there is no way our house can hold them all,” jokes Mendoza. “It’s quite a handful and it’s quite a circus with all those grandbabies around.”

After three decades at the college, Mendoza declares he still enjoys his job and doesn’t feel old enough to retire.