Born and raised in Fresno, Dr. Ryann (Walker) Christensen graduated from Bullard High School in 2006 and was admitted to the Smittcamp Family Honors College at Fresno State that fall. During her time at Fresno State, she was actively involved in the Pre-Dental Club, volunteered regularly at The Bulldog Pantry and participated in the Triathlon Club. In May 2010, she graduated with both a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and in kinesiology.
Following her undergraduate studies, Christensen attended the UCLA School of Dentistry, earning her Doctor of Dental Surgery in 2014. She went on to complete her specialty training in orthodontics and earned a master’s in oral biology from UCLA in 2017.
Christensen and her husband, Lance, who also graduated from Fresno State, moved back to their hometown of Fresno to be near family and enjoy all the wonderful things the Central Valley has to offer. In February 2020, she took over an orthodontic office from a retiring orthodontist, establishing Christensen Family Orthodontics. Her husband soon joined as office manager, allowing Christensen to focus on clinical care and creating beautiful, healthy smiles.
Christensen loves serving the community where she grew up and supporting local initiatives. She and her husband have two children, Logan, 6, and Hayes, 3, who keep them on their toes and laughing every day.
In October 2025, Christensen was honored to speak at the Honors Colloquium at Fresno State, presenting “From Bulldog to Braces: My Journey from Fresno State to Orthodontics.” She shared her path from Fresno State to UCLA, offering students an inside look at the world of modern orthodontics and how curiosity, compassion and dedication can lead to a career that changes lives, one smile at a time.
Reflecting on her time at at the Smittcamp Family Honors College, Christensen wrote the following:
“As I look back on my 11 years of higher education, I have such fond memories of my time as a Smittcamp Family Honors College scholar. Those four years truly set me up for success, and I honestly don’t think I would be in the profession I am today without the foundation that SFHC laid for me.
“The Honors College provided the financial support my family and I needed for my undergraduate education, since my parents weren’t able to save ahead for college. Just as importantly, it gave me an instant community of like-minded, motivated peers, friends I could study with, learn from and who continually inspired me to raise the bar. Furthermore, the smaller class sizes at SFHC and Fresno State made a huge difference. I never felt like a small fish in a big pond; instead, I felt seen, supported and challenged in all the right ways. It created an environment where I could truly thrive.
“When I interviewed at eight dental schools, I often found myself sitting next to applicants from Stanford, Harvard, Berkeley and UCLA, competing for the same seats. To my surprise, many of the dental schools in California already knew about SFHC and spoke so highly of the program and the caliber of students it produces.
“I am deeply proud of the legacy that Smittcamp Family Honors College holds and profoundly grateful for the opportunity to have been part of such a transformative program. Ever since graduating, I’ve made it a personal mission to give back to SFHC and Fresno State however I can because it was, and continues to be, one of the greatest blessings in my life.”
