My Journey into Public Health Dentistry

I applied to residency programs that would provide me the opportunity to see patients from all walks of life, and the ability to build and refine my skills. During this time, I discovered my passion—making a difference for underserved people and giving back to a system that was there for me when I needed it most.

Did you know that we spend 57% of our waking hours at work? That is a lot of time. I spent my young adulthood not sure what I wanted to do, but I was certain that I wasn’t going to waste my time on “just a job.” This very mindset led me down an unconventional and unpredictable path to finding this inspiring career that has impacted individuals and communities across the country.

The standard advice of “go to college,” was overwhelming, undesirable, and was not in my plan. I wanted to do something satisfying that paid the bills and contributed to society, so I enlisted in the US Army right out of high school. What seemed to be the better option than school led me to a major culture shock.

Boot camp confronted me with an intense test of my emotional, mental, and physical abilities. I made it through, and I am grateful I did because I was gifted with opportunities to experience new things and see new places. After years of serving, I was honorably discharged and returned home to New Jersey.

For several years I bounced from job to job in an effort to “find myself.” However, what I found was myself being laid off and unable to find a job. I decided at the age of 27 to give this “college thing” a try. Soon I began working my way through Rutgers University as a full-time student with a full-time job. I always envisioned working in healthcare, I just hadn't settled on which part of healthcare was right for me. Our family dentist invited me to shadow him. In that process, he worked to convince me of a profession in dentistry. Heeding his advice, I started my education in dentistry at the age of 31, and I am so glad I did!

I grew up in Paterson, NJ—a very urban, inner city. Dental care was not a priority, but more of a luxury. My first visit to a dentist didn’t happen until I was six years old. I had been experiencing pain due to the development of twelve cavities—bring on the pulpotomies and stainless-steel crowns! Without public health, kids like me would have even fewer options for care.

Sadly, that’s not where it ended. What most people don’t realize is while in the military, all of your dental care is free. The unfortunate truth is very few veterans qualify for VA-covered dental care. I related to my patients, remembering that not long ago I found myself needing the public health system again, as a veteran with limited options and riddled with pain from a toothache.

When my residency in the Bronx ended, I spent time working in several practice modalities: group practice, FQHC, and private practice. But no matter what, my heart was always drawn to the underserved. Helping people that deserved the right to quality dental care motivated and inspired me. It offered me the ability to give back and truly make a difference—I knew I found my path.

Even within my ability to help patients, there were often huge disparities and limitations. I felt the need to mobilize people, organizations, and systems to work cohesively and address our most pressing problems in dental access. I’ve spent more than half of my career at all levels of administration, transitioning from a practicing dentist to a dental director with an FQHC.

The pinnacle of my career was accepting the position as CEO of My Community Dental Centers (MCDC). MCDC started in 2006 in Northern Michigan with eight dental centers, partnering with the local health departments. Today, MCDC continues to carry out our mission as a non-profit that has grown to 34 centers, serving over 90,000 patients per year across the entire state of Michigan. We remain vigilant in the pursuit of our vision to provide dental care for all, particularly those on Medicaid or those who are uninsured.

We are dedicated to serving communities and eliminating barriers to access quality dental care. We do this through our unique model that differs from a traditional FQHC or DSO structure. We are committed to being a different kind of dental provider—one that sincerely champions the growth and development of our dentists, while supporting and empowering individuality. MCDC provides operational and business support so our dentists can focus on what they love most: dentistry!

I am driven to change the narrative around public health dentistry. Through my unconventional journey, I have learned that the highest-impact career is the one that allows you to make the biggest contribution in solving our society’s most pressing problems. And guess what? It hasn’t just changed the lives of the patients; it has equally changed my life. You no longer need to choose between a great-paying career and helping your community. If dentistry is your career and helping people is your passion, MCDC brings them together.

You can improve lives too—one smile at a time!