Career Growth

Navy Dentist Details Life at Sea, from Tooth Emergencies to Rarely Seeing the Sun 

Kelsey Smith was stationed on the USS Carl Vinson as a dentist for two years

Living on an aircraft carrier was like a never-ending sleepover with her best friends — just a little louder. At least, that’s how Kelsey Smith describes her life as a U.S. Navy officer and dentist aboard the USS Carl Vinson.

For two years, Smith left her Washington State roots and university life behind for the tight quarters and constant motion of life at sea.

“I shared a bathroom with other women and bunk beds with my best friend. It was kind of like college, but with jet engines overhead,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively over Zoom.

Kelsey Smith smiles in her Navy outfit.

Kelsey Smith

Smith’s journey to the high seas began with a simple dream: to become a dentist. Growing up in Washington, she developed a passion for science and a desire to help others. After high school, she attended Gonzaga University, where she discovered a unique opportunity: a U.S. Navy scholarship that covers dental school tuition and provides a living stipend.

If accepted, graduates join the Navy as commissioned officers and commit to serving at least two years on active duty, or one year of service for every year of scholarship support. While in undergrad, Smith applied to the program, was accepted, and enrolled at the University of Washington’s dental school in Seattle.

Kelsey Smith alongside the other Navy crew.

Kelsey Smith

After finishing dental school, Smith attended Officer Development School, where she was sworn into active duty as an officer and learned all about the Navy. She was then stationed in San Diego to complete a one-year residency in general dentistry.

Following that, Smith, 26 at the time, was assigned to the USS Carl Vinson — a massive aircraft carrier that doubles as a floating city. The flight deck — where aircraft take off — is about 4.5 acres, and when the ship is full, there are about 5,000 people on board.

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“What was going through my mind is, I'm going to get lost because it’s just a metal box —everything looks the same,” she says, recalling her first time on the ship. “The hallways, everything’s metal, and you can’t see outside or the windows. So it’s like you don’t know what’s left and right. It is a maze.”

"But it is pretty crazy," she adds. "Every day I would go — if we weren’t out at sea — just thinking, ‘This is my office.’ You’re parking your car and walking up, and you’re like, ‘Whoa, this is big.’ ”

Kelsey Smith on a horse outside the ship.

Kelsey Smith

At first, the ship was docked in Coronado, Calif., so Smith could live at home and commute to work. But after a while, the USS Carl Vinson began heading out for “underways,” which she describes as training missions lasting from a week to a month, designed to keep the crew and ship ready for deployment.

Not long after, the ship deployed into the waters.

While at sea, Smith’s days followed a steady rhythm. She’d wake up at 6:30 a.m. in her bunk, get dressed in her uniform, put her hair up, and head upstairs to breakfast, where the food was already prepared. The best part? She didn’t have to do the dishes.

Kelsey Smith inside the ship.

Kelsey Smith

From there, she’d walk down a narrow hallway known as the P-Way, or passageway, to the dental offices. Each morning began with a team meeting to make sure everyone was aligned for the day ahead.

“We’d start at 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. and see patients for a full eight hours,” Smith says. “Sometimes, probably a few times a week, we’d have night clinic from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. because those are the hours when people are just waking up for their shifts. The ship runs 24/7, so there are night workers who need dental care. So we’d keep the clinic open at night. And when we were out at sea, we worked six days a week, including Saturdays.”

"Every day, even when I wasn't working, I'd walk by my patients and they’d say, ‘Oh, hi.’ They'd talk about their tooth or something," she adds. "I really don't remember faces. I just remember teeth.”

Aside from work, some of Smith’s most memorable moments came during port calls and traveling to places she’d never been to before, including South Korea, the Philippines and Singapore, to name a few.

While at sea, she also ran her first 5K race on the ship, fired a .50 caliber gun off the back, hosted a college basketball game — where she got to see Gonzaga, her alma mater, play Michigan State — and helped with burials at sea. Another highlight was celebrating holidays on board the ship, including a “crossing the equator” ceremony held on Christmas Day that began before sunrise.

Kelsey Smith and her friend on Christmas.

Kelsey Smith

“We crossed the equator, and we do a ceremony — that’s where it’s called you become a Shellback,” she explains. “Before that, you’re a ‘Pollywog,’ and then when you cross the equator, they do this ceremony where you become a Shellback."

"You kind of have to go through this whole process … they slime you and make you do silly things,” she adds. "There’s King Neptune, they have him over the loudspeaker, and they’re dressed up. There was Neptune’s throne and everyone is dressed up, and you have to go through this whole course. Then you get to the end — and you’re a Shellback. That was really fun to do.”

Kelsey Smith in her Navy uniform.

Kelsey Smith

But despite all the fun moments, life at sea came with logistical curveballs and challenges. For two years, Smith, now 30, navigated living away from her family — including her boyfriend, now husband— for extended periods. Although there was WiFi on the ship, it wasn’t always reliable.

Smith also lived below deck, so she’d only go outside about once a month. Despite there being little peepholes where you could see the sun below deck, they were still covered, so it wasn't the same as stepping outside.

“I would kind of go see where I worked out — in an area where you could see outside, but you’re not getting sun on you," she says. "You can see the ocean. That makes sense because they’re doing a lot of drills flying jets and maintenance on the top. You can’t actually go to the flight deck unless they allow you or call all hands.”

For Smith, another hurdle was dealing with unpredictable supply logistics.

While she and the other dentists onboard didn’t perform major surgeries, their scope of care was broad, so having a wide range of supplies for exams, fillings, and crowns was necessary. But often, they'd run out of things.

“You order it, and maybe you’re not going to get it,” Smith says, recalling supply issues. “The stuff goes to where you say you’re going to go. The ship’s like, ‘Yeah, we’re going to South Korea,’ and your ship’s heading there but then decides to change course. So now your stuff’s in a completely different country.”

"But I never felt like it completely limited our abilities," she adds. "I like to say that dentistry is very ... you can make things work.”

Kelsey Smith on the ship deck.

Kelsey Smith

After completing her two-year deployment last October, Smith was stationed in Naples, Italy, where she will serve as a Navy dentist for the next three years. This is her final duty station for her commitment, after which she’ll decide whether to continue in the Navy or pursue dentistry elsewhere.

Since arriving in Italy, Smith has been sharing her experiences online, posting videos about life as a Navy dentist. She wanted to shine a light on the scholarship program and Navy dental careers — topics she says many people know little about. What started as a way to inform quickly went viral: one video alone has garnered more than 7 million views and nearly 5,000 comments.

"This is so interesting! My daughter LOVES the military and also wants to be a dentist so I’m going to show her your TikToks!! 🤍" one mom writes.

Another viewer adds, "It’s cool that you can go into the military to be a dentist."

Someone else notes, "This video and others like it are a great way to give this kind of career more exposure."

Kelsey Smith running on the ship.

Kelsey Smith

Smith says, "I had a mix of people who didn’t even know that was a job on an aircraft carrier, to folks in the Navy saying, ‘Oh, that’s an officer life,’ or sharing their own thoughts. It was pretty intense how much it caught on. But now, I’m motivated more than ever to keep sharing my Navy career journey.”

“I just want to inspire people and give them information, because most don’t have it,” the dentist adds.

Looking ahead, Smith is ready for whatever comes next — whether that means more time in uniform or a new chapter beyond the Navy. One thing is clear: she’s learned to meet every challenge, from navigating the complexities of life at sea to navigating the unexpected spotlight of viral videos, with resilience and a smile.

“The best part,” she reflects, “was that while my friends were anxious about interviews and next steps, I already knew where I was headed for the next four or five years — the Navy. That security was invaluable. Now, it’s time to put on my big girl pants and figure out what’s next.”