My profession is a very large part of my life, and I feel fortunate to say that I truly love going to work. I have a wonderful team that I rely on to help support my attempts to improve the oral health of the patients who come to see us. My patients and my team have become my friends, and my life would truly be diminished without the relationships I have built with them.
I view my overall calling to be helping my patients understand what they can do to improve their dental health, to point out what they do that hurts their health, and what their options are to improve their oral health, as well as, to repair the damage to their oral structures. Through the partnership I create with each patient, we are able to work together to repair, improve, and maintain ideal oral health.
It is said that variety is the spice of life. My patients are no exception! Though the beginning of practice life can be intimidating, I have found it to also be exhilarating. As I gained ability over the past 30+ years, I have found great satisfaction in helping patients overcome their dental problems and shortcomings, and in helping them to return to optimal health. I feel very lucky to have received the heartfelt thanks from so many patients, whose lives have been changed for the better. It is both humbling and joyful to have been a part of that transformation.
Education and Continuing Education
- Bachelor of Arts in Zoology – University of Washington, Seattle, WA
- Doctorate of Dental Medicine – Washington University, St Louis, MO
Any dentist who does not strongly believe in continuing education fails to provide the best possible care they could to their patients. Only by pursuing perpetual education and improving our skills can we provide our patients with the most up-to-date care possible. My patients have benefited from my lifelong curiosity and interest in increasing my knowledge of and mastery of the field of dentistry simply because I have become a better dentist.
I currently belong to three study clubs and have amassed over 4,000 hours of continuing education. I still serve as a Speaker Host for the Pacific Northwest Dental Conference and have done so for 20 years. This gives me a chance to have personal interaction with some of the best speakers in the country. I love picking their brains for pearls of wisdom that might be missed in a classroom setting.
In the Dental Community
When I first arrived in Spokane, I served as a member of the Continuing Education Committee for the Spokane District Dental Society. I eventually served as the Chairman of that committee for several years. This involvement eventually led to me being both the President of the SDDS, as well as President of the Washington State Dental Association. Additionally, as a member of the ADA’s Council on Dental Practice and eventually the Chair, I had an inside seat on the committee that took the pulse of changes to dental practice in the U.S., and even the world.
For many years, I taught at the University of Washington, School of Dentistry and Spokane Community College, and the combination of teaching and putting that learning to use helped me grow in experience and confidence. We are so privileged to live in the Pacific Northwest, where the quality of life, and dentistry, is among the best in the country.
Professional Affiliations
- American Dental Association
- Washington State Dental Association
- Spokane District Dental Society
- Pierre Fauchard Academy, Fellow
- American College of Dentists, Fellow
- International College of Dentists, Fellow
- Academy of Dentistry International, Fellow
- Department of Health, Dental Quality Assurance Committee, former Chair, and Commissioner since 2011
- University of Washington, School of Dentistry, Affiliate Faculty
- Spokane Community College, Affiliate Faculty
- Western Regional Examining Board (WREB), Grading Examiner
Outside the Office
I was born in Tacoma, WA, and have lived in Spokane for the past 34 years. My wife, Peggy, and I have been blessed with six children and stepchildren, all of whom are grown. I am an avid reader, bicyclist, photographer, and skier, both downhill and cross-country.
In the past, I have been a member of the Executive Council of my Neighborhood Council, a Cub Scout den leader and Cub Master for several years, and a youth sports coach. I currently remain active in my church in several leadership roles.
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