27 January 2025

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Inspired by Robert Peters: choosing to help the new generation of dental professionals

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Tuesday, August 1, 2023 was a special day for me. It was my final day serving in the U.S. Navy. Standing at attention for the last time, listening to the words of my retirement award as the commanding officer pinned the medal on my uniform, the reality hit me that my time in the Navy had come to an end after 36 years of service.

After a few weeks of relaxation and spending time with family, I began to think about the next chapter in my life. What would it be: going into private practice, or something different, something new, maybe academia? A few months before retirement, I had come across an opportunity to apply for a job at Ostrow, specifically, working at the Dr. Roseann Mulligan Special Patients Clinic. While pondering the possibility of this new position, I reflected on my time in the Navy and how well prepared I felt to pursue this new career possibility. The Navy is a microcosm of the world we live in. I had tremendous experience working with people from diverse backgrounds, serving as a clinic director, building teams for success and being a clinical mentor to junior dentists. Additionally, I had experience with global community outreach programs. These unique opportunities gave me real-life experience of working with others from different cultures with the goal of making a positive difference in the lives of many living in faraway places.

A Second Act

I knew that I wanted my second act to incorporate my passion for serving others, being part of something that mattered and preparing the next generation of dentists for success.

In September 2023, I made one of the best career decisions in my life by accepting an Ostrow faculty position. For the past year, I have been working in the Special Patients Clinic where I mentor D3 and D4 dental students as well as those from the ASPID program in providing dental care to patients with complex medical histories. And as I often say, everyone has a story. I am inspired by the personal journeys of our students that led them to Ostrow. It has been so rewarding to work with this highly motivated group and to witness the transformational growth in their clinical skills and ability to confidently manage the oral health conditions of their medically compromised patients.

What an amazing life-changing experience this has been. I am honored to work alongside such talented doctors and colleagues who share the same passion for delivering a world-class dental education to our students. The Special Patients Clinic is a diverse and welcoming learning environment where everyone is a team player, supporting our students and delivering the best care to our patients. One example was observing a patient’s overwhelming joy upon receiving her new dentures and having her smile back after many years of being edentulous. Additionally, I am grateful for the opportunities to participate in the mobile dental clinic community outreach events where our students perfect their clinical skills through “learning by doing.” Looking ahead, I am excited to be actively involved with the school’s efforts to further expand community outreach programs to provide dental care to our underserved communities, including veterans.

As I celebrate my first year at Ostrow, I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Trojan Family and the many wonderful experiences collaborating and working with others to educate our incredible student body. Fight on!

Source: https://dentistry.usc.edu/