I grew up in a family of eight kids. One of the highlights of my early years was having my twin sister beat me in a school-wide race in elementary school. Fortunately, it’s been mostly downhill sledding from that earlier setback. Growing up in a large family, you learn the value of creating and cultivating a great team.

As a young man, there were a few role models in my life that happened to be dentists. Their examples showed me the value in dentistry as a profession and to the community as a whole. It pushed me in the direction of dentistry, and I’ve never looked back.

Dental school was a fun challenge, wherein I learned the very basics of filling cavities and repairing or replacing teeth. There are, however, a few things that they don’t teach you in dental school that I have learned in running my own practice.

It wasn’t until a couple of years after dental school that I really began to focus on the human being that the teeth are attached to, not just the procedures that these people receive. I really started to love what I do and develop a passion for what dentistry can do for people. As corny as it sounds, I began to see dentistry as a way to improve the lives of my patients instead of simply a way to fix cavities and replace teeth.

The training and postdoctoral education required to understand and offer this level of care have taken years. Being able to help improve the lives of my patients by eliminating years of debilitating migraine pain or ending the embarrassment of not being able to smile has been incredibly rewarding. The constant improvements in technology and care keep me excited to continually improve the level of care that I bring to my patients on a daily basis.

When I am not at the office or at a continuing education conference, I am with my family. My incredible wife and I have five kids (three girls and two boys) that keep us busy. They enjoy soccer, dance, art, snake catching, wrestling, and outdoor activities. My kids motivate me to create and leave a legacy of care and integrity that they can be proud of.