Tuesday - 08/03/10

When I ask high school or college kids what they want to do in life it's not surprising many are unsure and are hoping something will become apparent as time goes on. I am blessed to be able to do what I wanted to do since eighth grade. Because it feels so natural to me it's hard to imagine doing anything else. I enjoy it more every year. It is easy for me to become excited about new procedures, instruments or products while those outside of dentistry might find it incredibly boring. All the new technology enables me to do procedures that provide patients with treatment opportunities that were considered fantasies when I graduated from dental school.

Dentistry is both an art and a science. I'll visit more about that at a later date. We work in tiny dimensions of fractions of millimeters with little margin of error. One wise professor would notice how intense we became with the intricacies of a procedure. He would calmly say “Don't forget there is a body attached to that tooth!” That was his way of reminding us that we are in the business of helping people not just their teeth and gums. Over the years I have come to realize the most enduring reward is the gratitude of those who have trusted me with their care.