Here are seven dentists running for Congress in 2018, Roll Call details.
1. Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS, R-Ariz., represents Arizona's 4th district. Before he was elected to Congress in 2010, Dr. Gosar owned his own dental practice in Flagstaff and served as the president of the Arizona Dental Association and as the vice-chair of the American Dental Association Council on Governmental Affairs. He is unlikely to have a challenger in the Aug. 28 Republican primary.
2. Rep. Drew Ferguson, DMD, R-Ga., came to Congress in 2016 after finishing second in a GOP primary with 27 percent and winning the runoff with 54 percent. He represents Georgia's 3rd district. Dr. Ferguson practiced dentistry for more than 20 years in West Point, Ga., where he served as mayor from 2008 to 2016.
3. Rep. Mike Simpson, DMD, R-Idaho, represents Idaho's 2nd district and is running unopposed in the May 15 primary. He is currently serving his 10th term in the House of Representatives.
4. Rep. Brian Babin, DDS, R-Texas, represents Texas' 36th district. He won a competitive Republican primary in 2014, but ran unopposed in the March 2018 primary in his bid for a third term. Dr. Babin practiced dentistry in Woodville, Texas.
5. Sen. Jeff Van Drew, DDS, D-N.J., is running in an open-seat race for New Jersey's 2nd district after GOP incumbent Frank A. LoBiondo, R-N.J., announced his retirement. According to Roll Call, Dr. Van Drew represents one of the Democrats' best chances to take over a GOP seat anywhere in the country. He represents New Jersey's 1st legislative district in the New Jersey Senate and practices dentistry at Pleasantville, N.J.-based Van Drew Dentistry.
6. Fred Costello, DDS, previously served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives, representing the 25th district as a Republican. Dr. Costello is now vying to become the GOP nominee in the 6th district. In 2012, he finished second to Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., in the GOP primary; Rep. DeSantis is running for governor this year.
7. Gary Wegman, DDS, is running for Pennsylvania's newly drawn 9th district seat as a Democrat. Dr. Wegman previously served as chairman of the Reading (Pa.) Parking Authority. In addition to his dental practice, Dr. Wegman maintains his family's 85-acre farm.
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