Get to Know Your Incoming President

I have had some impressive adventures in my life. I’ve been a whitewater raft guide, backpacked through Glacier National Park alone, and moved 1,600 miles from home because I wanted to be a ski bum for a season -- and ended up staying for five winters! But of all my life experiences, I believe my next year as president of the Oklahoma Dental Association will be the most challenging. I say this because these are extraordinary times. I don’t need to explain the impact of this past year, and even the start of 2021, has had on everyone. You’ve all been through it, too. Before I look to this upcoming year, I must first acknowledge Dr. Paul Mullasseril for his outstanding performance as our president this past year. He took over in the midst of a pandemic that was still in its infancy. If I remember correctly, it was during the time that dental offices were shut down or limited to emergency procedures only! He has led this organization and Oklahoma Dentistry through some of its most difficult times with a grace and poise that I can only hope to emulate. Our Executive Director, Lynn Means, and her staff also deserve many accolades. They have been working tirelessly, often in difficult situations. This past year the staff has had to cancel, reschedule, adjust, and postpone many of the events we have become accustomed to attending as ODA members. They have done a fantastic job of keeping us informed amidst a sea of misinformation regarding COVID-19, as well as advocating for our profession. The ODA has also joined the fight against managed care in Oklahoma and our ODA staff has worked countless hours on this issue so far.

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview dental student applicants for the OU College of Dentistry. It is always interesting to hear how these students ended up in a chair across from me. It always makes me think back to my path to Dentistry. One of my first experiences was visiting a young new pediatric dentist in my hometown of Enid. I was one of his first patients -- his only one that particular day because the other one canceled. I know all this because I still have chart #32 with my name on it and the paper and pencil appointment book page framed in my office. To make a long story short, he and my mother eventually got married and he became my father. I grew up as the son of a dentist. I also worked in his office; since my junior high school was about three blocks from his office, most days I would walk there after school. I remember pulling paper charts for the following day’s patients and refiling the current day’s charts. I had to shovel snow and wash windows at the office on the weekends. Most of our vacations involved dental meetings. Trips to Oklahoma City usually involved a stop by the ODA building for a meeting or a stop at Sam’s so he could buy supplies for the office. At some point I decided that I did not want to be a dentist.

I graduated from St. Gregory’s University in 2000 with a degree in Communications and had no clue what I wanted to do after graduation. I was having difficulty finding a meaningful job so, much

Dr. Chris Fagan and his wife, Heather, with their two sons Cooper (6) and Caleb (4).

to the chagrin of my parents, I loaded up my truck and moved to the northern tip of Idaho to snow ski. My first job at the mountain was to flip hamburgers in the Café -- hundreds of hamburgers a day. It was great! I got to ski every day, got a free meal every day, and I didn’t have to stand out in the snow on the really cold days. After ski season ended, I took a job with a local company that provided consulting for mostly small business owners. They had a niche market with dentists. It was a great job because I got a ton of time off and I got to live in the mountains. I spent my summers hiking and traveling and I spent my winters on the mountain. My job allowed me to interact with dentists from across the country. I realized that the thing that most of them had in common was that Dentistry allowed them to have jobs that were really rewarding because they involved taking care of people. The profession also allowed them a lot of freedom, not just because they were financially successful, but also because they could set their own schedules. This was all very appealing to me. After a visit from my very persuasive mother, I loaded up the truck and headed home to enroll at the University of Oklahoma. Even though I had a degree, I needed a few prerequisite courses to apply to dental school.

I applied to the OU College of Dentistry and didn’t get in. Undeterred, I went to work with my father as a dental assistant and applied again. I spent the year learning what it was like to work in a very busy office, and again, probably washed a few windows. I was accepted into the class of 2011 and the rest is history! I moved back to Enid and joined my father in his practice. Three years later I bought his dental practice and started adding adults. Enid has a population of about 50,000 people but I have a rural practice. Every day I have patients that travel from all parts of Northwest Oklahoma. I have patients that drive over three hours from the panhandle to get their dental care. We take care of patients with special needs and offer in-office sedations, as well as general anesthesia cases at the local hospital. Our mission is simple: “Helping Families Become Healthier.” I pride myself on treating every member of Northwest Oklahoma, regardless of age or socioeconomic status.

Dentistry has given me so much in the past decade. Two years ago, my wife, Heather, and I bought a house on a few acres outside of Enid. We are enjoying raising our boys, Cooper and Caleb, out on the farm. We currently have 16 chickens, two dogs and a cat. We enjoy traveling, especially to Colorado, and we’ve started collecting wine. We love nothing more than having some friends over to try a new recipe and to enjoy a glass of wine. I look forward to the challenging opportunity ahead of me. The Oklahoma Dental Association has been instrumental in guiding Dentistry through this pandemic as it started, and will continue its efforts as we emerge from these trying times. We have begun a valiant fight against managed care on behalf of our most vulnerable patients and that fight will continue. It is my hope that we can all get together in the near future for the camaraderie that is so important to this organization. I look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Dr. Fagan and Heather during one of their recent trips.

Cooper and Caleb enjoying "Donut Friday" with their dad.

FAST FACTS

About Your Incoming President: • Enjoys golfing.

• Enjoys Waterfowl and Turkey hunting.

• Enjoys cooking and tasting wine. Nothing better than a new recipe and having a few friends over for dinner and a glass of wine.

• Loves to read.

• Has recently taken on several woodworking projects.