Keep moving foward: an ASDOH alumnus profile

The following profile was reprinted from the February issue of INSCRIPTIONS, the monthly journal of the Arizona Dental Association.

Because we are celebrating National Children’s Dental Health Month, we felt it would be fitting, as well as interesting, to profile one of the newest members of our ADF Board, Pediatric Dentist Charles E. Clark, DMD.

Charlie, an alumnus of ASDOH Class of 2007, has been involved with ADF from practically the first day of his dental education. Over the course of those 4 years, he volunteered for many Give Kids A Smile events, completed ADF-sponsored Special Needs Training, and turned his participation in the 2006 Ironman Arizona triathlon into an ADF fundraiser.

Originally from Seattle, Charlie spent summers in Phoenix with his grandfather, Pediatric Dentist Charles J. Mehlum, DDS). “He was an important person in my life,” Charlie noted. “I am named after him and our birthdays are a day apart. It’s perfectly natural, plus quite an honor, to be moving forward in his footsteps.”

While a teen, Charlie took a job as a ski instructor. Assigned to students ranging in age from 3 to 12, he soon discovered a proclivity for working with children. “Watching them develop from totally overwhelmed to speeding down a black diamond run… the feeling is indescribable.” The experience also provided Charlie with insight into his own personal strengths. “Teaching a child the mechanics of skiing is one thing but you must also hold their attention so you can teach them how to avoid injuries, cooperate with each other, cope with weather conditions, and much more. Learning to ride the chair lift for the very first time can take hours and often resulted in frustration and drama. I learned the power of positive reinforcement, the same principles we apply in pediatric dentistry, the same way we take a child who is fearful of a new dental environment and turn them around to someone who is excited to see the dentist. It was great training for my future, although I probably didn’t realize it at the time.”

After completing his degree at ASDOH, Charlie entered the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee (200 applicants for 4 open slots). “It was a great experience,” he said. “The faculty were remarkable, the patient population unique. Because it was a hospital setting we saw some very vulnerable medically compromised children in ICU, plus countless trauma patients. It wasn’t unusual to get summoned to the ER in the middle of the night.” One particular patient made a lasting impression on Charlie, a 6-year-old girl with an inoperable brain tumor. “She knew her prognosis was dire but she stayed positive, never let it get her down, and she never gave up hope. Even in her situation, she kept moving forward.”

Because “Phoenix has long felt like home to me,” Charlie returned to the Valley and soon found himself with a few employment offers from dental practices. He is now a full-time associate in a group practice in the West Valley. “I enjoy working there,” he said, “because I like my colleagues very much, it’s a great team atmosphere, and I love the patients. Straight out of a residency program, you learn how to do things strictly by textbook with that same focus — the ultimate goal is quality care and safety for the child. Other offices, of course, have those same principles. This particular practice provides the perfect fit at this time, for me and for them. I’m learning, growing, still moving ahead.” Eventually, Charlie hopes to open his own private practice.

When I asked Charlie how he is managing his dental school debt, he replied: “It’s a burden, certainly, but it’s an investment in my future and that’s what keeps me focused, moving forward, and makes it worthwhile. Basically, it’s the equivalent of owning a nice house. My goal is to pay it off in ten years or less.”

What are Charlie’s words of wisdom for new dental students about to take on student loan debt? “You should always live within your means,” he stated, “especially when you are about to take on a substantial financial responsibility. Don’t take out loans to support the lifestyle you want to have. You can live well while living modestly.

“It’s a huge concern,” Charlie continued. “So many dentists come out of school unsure of which direction to take. Many would like to work in the rural communities where the needs are great but the financial incentives aren’t always there. There are programs that help subsidize rural dentists and the funding for that has been adequate, so progress has been made, but there is still room for improvement. It’s a very complex picture and student loans pay a major role in decision-making for new dentists. So, getting new graduates early into a needed community is the ideal situation because once a dentist has established his or her career and life, it’s difficult to move.”

The more I get to know Charlie, the more I marvel at his confidence, and I began to wonder whether it was natural, taught, or a combination of both. “Growing up in a loving and supportive family in which education was valued provided me with a foundation upon which I could build self-assurance,” he explained. “Also, a few of my teachers made a difference. And when I got to ASDOH, a can-do attitude was a must. There was quite a bit of pressure considering the community’s doubts about the program and whether it would succeed.

“In particular,” Charlie continued, “I gained tremendous confidence while going out on fourth-year rotations in the community health centers and while traveling around the villages in Alaska. Those unique life experiences afforded specifically through my dental education at ASDOH will forever propel me forward.”

As an Affiliate Member of the ADF Board of Directors, Charlie’s role primarily involves fundraising as he learns the policies, procedures, and intricacies of a nonprofit charitable organization. “It’s a complex network of individuals and communities all with a shared goal,” he said, “and it’s providing me with opportunities to get to know others who are passionate, motivated, and have done so many great things already but are still stepping up to the plate and going above and beyond what would be asked of them. It is truly inspiring and I am grateful ADF wants me to be a part of it.”

In five years, Dr. Charles Clark, the grandson of an AzDA Past President (see below), will be a full dues-paying member of the Arizona Dental Association. Looking ahead, what are his expectations? “Membership is already a good value,” he began. “There are so many things AzDA does to positively impact the community. The benefits offered through AzDA Services are important. The Western Regional Dental Convention is a great meeting. Legislative representation, publications, reasonably priced CE, networking events, and most of all the opportunities to get involved in volunteer work alone make membership a must. I am pleased that the dental schools in Arizona advocate association membership.

“I’m new in my career,” Charlie concluded, “but I have already learned that getting outside of the walls of your dental practice, getting away from the chair, is absolutely necessary. The one thing I know for sure is that life is too short to do anything but keep moving forward. In dental school, residency, and in the Ironman race there are moments when you think there is no way you can finish. But when you stay focused and continue to put one foot in front of the other, you will eventually get to the finish line. Just keep moving forward.”

Dr. Greg Pafford practices General Dentistry in Phoenix. He is Chairman of the Arizona Dental Foundation Board of Directors. Visit ADF online at AzDentalFoundation.org

Reprinted with permission, INSCRIPTIONS Journal of the Arizona Dental Association, vol. 24, no. 7, February 2010.