Apolinar Madrigal, who attended Hughson High school from 2001-2005, is now a general dentist at Trinity Dental & Implant Center in Ceres, California. 

While he attended Hughson High School, Dr. Madrigal was a student-athlete and the captain of the track and field team as well as the cross country team. He was also involved in student politics and served as student body president during his senior year. He enjoyed the small-town community and the quality of teachers he learned from throughout his four years, his favorite of which was science teacher and track and cross country coach Mr. Bernard. He even partially accredits his broadened interest in medicine and dentistry when he was younger to Mr. Bernard’s anatomy class. 

Following high school, he received his undergraduate degree from CSU Stanislaus, where he was a student from 2005-2010. Afterward, he attended La Salle Bajio School of Dentistry in Leon, Mexico, where he graduated with academic excellence in 2016. Equipped with his Doctorate of Dental Science, Dr. Madrigal began practicing as a dentist. Since then, he has presented globally on dentistry, lecturing in Dubai, India, Italy, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and throughout the U.S. and Canada.

When asked why he chose his career, Dr. Madrigal explained, “You can really change lives just based on a smile. Not only that, but your oral health determines your overall health. That’s the entryway of the whole body. If you have a healthy mouth, more than likely you’re going to have health overall.”

Dr. Madrigal’s accomplishments beyond high school and his dedication to providing quality care for his patients certainly serve as an inspiration to current students. Although Dr. Madrigal cited back pain as his single greatest grievance with his career, he passionately advocated for its many merits, primarily the ability to change smiles, change lives, and change his schedule easily to meet the needs of his family life. 

For students considering a career in dentistry, Dr. Madrigal advised, “Really, you just have to be focused on trying to help people. I think that’s the main factor. If your main goal is to help people, to help your patients, I think everything else is secondary.”