06/17/2026
10 years. As I sit in my quiet office this morning, I'm reminded that this journey is much more about the last 45 years than just the past 10. My office is quiet because we aren't seeing patients today. We have had this day marked for months as a day to celebrate. We were going to go big - food truck, sidewalk fellowship, a day of outward appreciation. Well, life happened and I've been so busy with the most important part of my life, my family, that the planning of today's celebration never happened. I am proud of the team I'm surrounded by. I am proud of the relationships I have formed. The wonderful people that I have met, that otherwise may have never crossed my path, have helped shape who I am in the last decade. Dentistry doesn't define me. My profession never will. Although I love what I do for a career, it's not who I am. Coincidentally, something profound happened just yesterday. I love having students shadow at our office and always welcome those that want to learn. I had the pleasure of having a sweet, aspiring dentist here. As we sat in my office between patients for a quick break, she caught me off guard with a question. "Are you religious?" she asked. Wow. I know my eyes got big with surprise as I have never been asked that. My response was a simple "I am." She said, "I can tell by the way you treat people." She'll never grasp the instantaneous impact that made on me. I could feel tears well up in my eyes. In that moment I realized that she had just given me the greatest compliment I had ever received. I have been blessed to serve so many of you over the last 10 years. I look forward to many more. I serve an awesome community. I serve wonderful people. I serve an amazing God.
