Why did you choose to become a dentist?
I had a great dentist as a child and great experiences. I knew I wanted to do something in medicine, and it seemed to be a logical spot. I really liked doing stuff with my hands and building models and carving and stuff like that. It was a natural fit either as a dental surgeon or a medical surgeon. Dentistry had more appeal because you are not on call. So I took the path of less resistance.
Why did you work with Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine to incorporate oral health into the curriculum?
One of the things I’ve been really proud of is exposing future physicians to the connection between oral diseases and health, and also the manifestation of some medical diseases that you see in the mouth. There is not really a curriculum, except one on the West Coast, that purports to do what we’re doing here. I think it’s highly critical in disease management in diabetes or cardiovascular disease that physicians are aware that oral health problems contribute to the chronic condition for those patients. It helps improve oral health and cuts down on the cost of health care. ...
