A “Crowning” Achievement: How Miss America Pageants Prepared Mya Leonardo DMD 29 for Dental Success
GSDM student Mya Leonardo DMD 29 is no stranger to crowns—whether they’re on top of the head or inside the month.
Leonardo has six local Miss America titles from the past seven years: Quequechan Teen, Miss Freetown Teen, Miss Norfolk County, Miss Southeastern Massachusetts, Miss Collegiate Area, and, most recently, Miss Old Colony 2025. Throughout her years of pageanting, she has used the Miss America platform to become a well-rounded individual and to prepare for the dental profession.
“I’ve tailored everything in my life to what I want to be in the dental field,” Leonardo said. “But being a part of the Miss America organization allows me to access my other outlets [including] being able to show my love of tap dancing and being able to connect with new people in the community.”
By the time she was 11, Leonardo had set two life goals: Being a Miss America competitor and becoming a dentist. It only took her four years to achieve the first goal when she entered, at age 15, a local competition with the Miss America organization started by her dance teacher.
Her parents initially told her she couldn’t participate, but Leonardo was determined to do so anyway. She paid her first entry fee and her evening gown—the rest was history.
“I wanted to find another outlet to express myself since I was healing [from surgery] and I wanted to try something new,” Leonardo said. “So, I did. I absolutely did not win that pageant, but my parents really saw how much it impacted me in terms of my confidence levels with the way I held myself on stage and how I spoke. They saw it made a difference in my life, and they have continued to support me.”
Becoming a Jack-of-All-Trades: Dental Professionals and Pageant Competitors Both Need to Talent and Brainpower
In each pageant, contestants must compete in multiple phases, including a private interview, health and fitness, talent, evening wear, and on-stage questions.
“I really appreciate everything that I’ve learned in the pageant world,” Leonardo said. “It helped me with how to present myself in an interview, how to dress appropriately, how to have good posture, how to be aware of my expressions, [and] my tone.”
All Miss America contestants are required to have a community service initiative to promote and advocate for a social cause or issue. Leonardo volunteered more than 600 hours for the initiative “Smart Smiles: Empowering the World One Smile at a Time.”
She hosted Smart Smiles Toothbrush Drives, collecting and donating more than 800 toothbrushes plus toothpastes for schools and shelters across the state. Leonardo also has hosted free oral hygiene workshops for after-school programs and schools across Massachusetts.
“You really don’t know what kind of education or services that that student is getting,” she said. “To be able to provide just a little bit of education to students has been the best thing ever.”
More than Meets the Eye: Leonardo Breaks Down Misconceptions and Future Plans
Pageantry is often viewed as an overly competitive and harsh environment pitting participants against each other, but Leonardo said her experience has been empowering and community oriented.
“I [have] met my closest friends through the organization,” Leonardo said. “When we’re going to a competition together…We’re making memories, we’re laughing.”
She added that involvement in Miss America competitions does not have to be as wildly expensive as it may appear. It is a $40 entry fee for the entire Miss America local competition season. Leonardo shared that she bought a $300 dress for the evening gown phase—and has worn that dress eight times over the years.
“You don’t need to have all the money in the world to do [competitions,]” Leonardo said. “It’s based on what you can bring to the table. You take out what you put in.”
Leonardo said she plans to participate in Miss American competitions during her time at GSDM until she ages out of the program at 28. Her biggest goal is to compete for and win the Miss Massachusetts title. For now, she is focusing on her academics and getting involved with GSDM community service opportunities.
Regardless of her former, current, and potential future Miss America titles, Leonardo said her greatest victory is the skills she has acquired that will help her become a dentist.
“There’s just so much that you can get out of pageants that can help in all aspects of your life,” Leonardo said.”