Category: Opinion & Editorial

Throughout our lives we all have been on the receiving end of countless gifts and have so much for which we can be grateful. From a personal view, one of the greatest gifts I have received is entry into this esteemed profession we know as dentistry. Dentistry has provided so many of us with a profound purpose in life, the joy of being valued and ... [continue reading]

I am continually amazed and often smile at how “things” come together in perfect timing to bring greater meaning to events which are already celebratory individually. Whether you view those times as stars aligning, God winks, kismet, good karma, or just plain luck, being open to see these connections can make life even more special. Allow me ... [continue reading]

So many times, I get accused of “preaching to the choir.” Someone who says that believes that preaching to the converted is a complete waste of time. If people are on the team with you, why should you expend additional effort keeping them informed? They’re already on board! You should take your message out to other people and create more ... [continue reading]

When my husband started his oral surgery practice in Medina years ago, he interviewed his first set of staff at the nearby Yours Truly restaurant because his build-out was not complete. I think he placed an ad in the local papers in Medina and Akron and he had a slew of options to choose from to put together his first team of four employees. This ... [continue reading]

When I graduated from my residency in periodontics over 30 years ago, I joined the American Dental Association, the Ohio Dental Association and the Columbus Dental Society. I joined these organizations upon the prompting of my mentors. It was expected. My mentors also conveyed to me that being a member of these organizations was an important ... [continue reading]

Next month marks the five year anniversary of my joining the faculty at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. It can’t possibly be that long. Time is racing by and it really was a pandemic ago. COVID taught us many things, but one important lesson was that the future is fluid. In the new world, agility and adaptation are more ... [continue reading]

Happy spring! This wonderful time each year of renewal: longer, warmer (we hope) days; awakening of trees, flowers blooming, grass to mow;  golf clubs, boats and bikes “dusted off” with outdoor activities like walks, runs, or just relaxing on a patio increasing; open windows, clean cars, Opening Day for baseball … a refreshed, renewed ... [continue reading]

Consider, if you will, three thought experiments … If today was a holiday in your honor, how would we celebrate? Last month was St. Patrick’s Day. Next month has Mother’s Day and Memorial Day. There’s a day for almost everything now. And there are so many “days” that every day of the year has at least one holiday. There are websites ... [continue reading]

Two things happened recently that prompted me to write this. The first was an online story entitled, “Amazon’s Alexa Now a Healthcare Provider?” in “Medscape in Focus.” The second was the Ohio legislature’s action on telehealth that was positively influenced by ODA’s lobbying effort to minimize the likelihood that Ohio’s citizens ... [continue reading]

In my private office (that’s the room within my dental office building containing my desk, a couch, and multiple photos of my wife and granddaughters) there is a closet. It’s actually a rather large, walk-in type of space with shelves for books, keepsakes and “whatnot.” So recently, I happened to stumble upon some “whatnot” – several ... [continue reading]