Dr. Tendler was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Biology at the School of Arts and Sciences of Boston College. Dr. Tendler then returned to Puerto Rico for dental school. At the University of Puerto Rico, she excelled academically and became a member of the prestigious dental honor society Omicron Kappa Upsilon. She was also Vice-President of the Puerto Rican Chapter of the American Student Dental Association and lead multiple community service projects, which benefited several underserved communities in the San Juan metropolitan area. After graduating magna cum laude, Dr. Tendler was one of only seven accepted applicants out of a pool of over four hundred to attend the Orthodontics Program at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, which is regarded by many as one of the best in North America. Dr. Tendler has conducted extensive research in the area of Rapid Palatal Expansion and subsequently earned an Excellence in Research Award from Nova Southeastern University Health Professions Division.