HELP ALONG THE WAY

My dental journey started when I was 9 years old. I was riding shotgun as my Mom drove home from her cousin Dr Jack Rasmussen’s dental office. An hour earlier I received two amalgam restorations on the lingual surfaces of my maxillary lateral incisors (to this day are the only restorations in my mouth). I don’t remember much about the appointment, but I do remember two things: 1) How funny my lip felt, and 2) my Mom suggesting that I think of changing my career ambitions from a garbage man to becoming a dentist. Dr Rasmussen must have made a good impression on me that day because from that day on. I knew I wanted to be a dentist.

Fast forward to 1996 while at BYU, my friend and study partner, Jeremy White and I were applying to dental schools at the same time I had applied to about 10 different schools throughout the country and had mixed responses from a lot of them. Jeremy had been accepted by Virginia Commonwealth University (Medical College of Virginia) and suggested that I should apply there as well. I was poor and didn’t know if I could afford the application fee, but he was persistent, and I filled out the application. Little did I know that my second cousin, David Chamberlain, was on the admissions committee. When he saw the last name on the application, he reached out to me to see if I could fly out to Richmond for an interview. I had never met David before flying out, but long story short, he championed my cause and was able to pull some strings to get me accepted to the perfect dental school for me.

After dental school I was accepted to a pediatric residency at New York University where I received a wonderful diverse training. After my first year of residency, I started to look around for a place to practice and I came back to my childhood home of Utah County. I called up all five Pediatric Dentists in the valley and all of them were gracious enough to me let me observe their practices. I will never forget the two days I spent observing Dr Kevin Markham. I learned more in those two days than I learned to that point in my first year of residency. What made a bigger impact was how encouraging he was of me coming out to the valley and practicing right down the street in Springville. I’ll never forget when he told me “Darren, there are plenty of kids in this valley. You’re always welcome.”

I took Kevin up on his offer and decided to hang up a shingle (or an obnoxious orange fluorescent sign) over a strip mall just off the freeway in Springville. My first few months were busy. Kevin was right, there are plenty of kids in Utah County. I was so busy. I didn’t know if I could handle the headache of running an office. Luckily, it was right about then that I got a phone call from Dr Brian Trapnell, the local orthodontist, and President of the Provo District Dental Society (PDDS). He invited me to a local district meeting. I don’t remember anything about the meeting, but what I do remember was rubbing shoulders with colleagues who reassured me that I was going to be okay. I took the advice I received from them in that meeting and applied it into my practice the next day. The stress didn’t completely go away, but thing became more manageable, and I knew that I had a support group to reach out to if I had any questions or concerns.

As I got more involved in the PDDS, I was asked to run for an officer position. My wife says I have a hard time saying “no” so of course the answer was “sure!” This is one of those times that I’m glad I accepted the offer. It allowed me to meet one of my most cherished mentors, Dr Eric Vogel. I was able to serve two years in the presidency with Eric, and they made more of an impact on my life than any relationship ever has. Dr Vogel gave everything he had to the profession. Not only was he in leadership of the PDDS, but he was part-time faculty at BYU where he taught a pre-dental class. He also founded the Share-a-smile foundation which ran a pro-bono dental clinic at the Food and Care Coalition in Provo. He also organized several dental missions throughout the world. Unfortunately, Eric was diagnosed with cancer way too early in life and the profession lost one of its best advocates. From him I learned that stability comes from 3 pillars, Family, God and the Profession. If we dedicate ourselves to each of these three things, our life will be balanced. After my time in the PDDS leadership, Dr Gary Wiest approached me to run for an opening in the Utah Dental Association (UDA). This time, I didn’t say yes right away. When I approached my wife with the request she asked, “can you make a difference?” When I discussed the ways, I thought I could make some changes for the better she said “well then you’d better run.” This was another time when I’m glad I said yes. It allowed me to interact with some of the highest caliber in our profession. When I sat down in the UDA boardroom I was amazed by the insights and passion of everyone around the table. These were people that just wanted what was best for the profession. Last month, I was lucky enough to be elected as an ADA delegate position that was held by Dr Brent Larson and before him, AJ Smith. I don’t take this nomination lightly. I look to each of them as pillars of the profession. They have been mentors to me, and I look to them as the wise sages of the UDA Leadership. I’m humbled to serve in a similar capacity to them and I hope that I live up to their standard of excellence.

I wish I had the space to thank the dozens of colleagues who have helped me become the person I am. I am truly grateful for the direction they have given me on this journey. The point of this story is this . . .Don’t give up an opportunity to reach out and make a difference in a colleague’s life. My interactions with dental friends and mentors are something that I can never replace. I’m a better clinician, small business owner, and man because others have dispelled their knowledge to me. Put your arm around a new dentist, invite him/her to a study group or a dental society meeting. Call them up and invite them to lunch. You never know what that phone call might do, it could change a life.

Darren Chamberlain, DDS ADA Delegate