It is certainly not the most exciting procedure, but I would have to say a new patient exam is my favorite. Often, we see adults who are self-conscious about their oral health or fearful that nothing can be done for them. I have enjoyed being able to meet new patients and develop treatment plans that can improve their oral health but also help them regain confidence in their smile.

How I chose my practice location: 

I chose my practice location after I was recruited by a dentist whom I had common acquaintances with. I graduated for MOSDOH in 2018, and the clinical portion of our education was based in St. Louis. I am originally from Keokuk, Iowa and was hopping to get closer to my home town upon graduation. Hannibal was initially attractive to me as it is about an hour from where I grew up. After meeting with the doctors already practicing here, the location became less important. It very quickly became clear to me that the mentorship I would receive from the active partners, especially Dr. David Jackson, made Hannibal Dental Group the place for me.

One piece of advice:

If I could give my dental student self one piece of advice, it would be to talk to as many dentists as possible. There are so many ways to approach treatment, and each dentist has unique training and clinical experiences which may give them some insight you had not considered.

What drew you to the profession:

I think the combination of medicine and working with your hands drew me to the dental field. There is such a wide variety of conditions we treat and procedures we do as general dentists that it seems we never have a dull day.

How do you like to decompress away from the practice:

To decompress I spend time with family and friends. I am married with two children. Most of my wife’s family is in the Hannibal area and mine is not too far away. We are fortunate to be able to see them as often as we do. I also enjoy hunting, fishing and golfing.

How do you handle working with anxious or fearful patients?

Dealing with fearful and anxious patients is something we do at my office on a nearly daily basis. I have found that what works the best for me is thoroughly explaining the procedure to remove some of the fear of the unknown. I also talk through the procedure as I’m doing it. This helps the patient not be surprised by any aspect of what we are doing. I also think listening to me talk through the procedure can be a good distraction for the patient.