Dental Sound Bytes

It’s never too late to pursue your dreams as illustrated by Dr. Amber Thomas’ recent graduation from dental school. She had about 10 years on her classmates along with a husband and three children, yet she still found time to be an active member and officer in her CMDA student group. What she discovered was that her dream was God’s calling, and His grace was sufficient to see her through.

Few of us in dentistry would have seen dental anatomy as our favorite course in dental school, but Dr. Samer Zaky has discovered an inherent fascination with the wonders of God’s dental creativity. God’s exquisite design of teeth cannot be matched by even our best restorative materials and techniques. For this reason, preservation of natural tooth structure should be our highest clinical goal as dental professionals.

Dr. Katie Musser, a 2019 graduate of CMDA’s Dental Residency [+] program, is now highly committed to giving other graduates the same opportunity to treat patients with both clinical and spiritual excellence in the U.S. and abroad.

Dr. Bill Griffin and Dr. Mike Chupp sit down to have a conversation with well-known financial advisor and author David Bahnsen to talk about his new book, Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life. In this insightful offering, Mr. Bahnsen corrects some deeply held false assumptions that have become prevalent in our society’s attitude regarding the work of our hands.

Dr. Robert Zimmerman’s five decades in dentistry have been driven by a profound zeal to address dental needs through the skills that God has given him. Whether treating missionaries in his practice, starting a local clinic for the underserved, or providing care and teaching internationally, his efforts were fueled by the love of Christ.

Dr. Kevin Aduddell strives to provide top-notch dentistry for his patients in Plano, TX. But he doesn’t stop there. His ultimate desire is to communicate the love of Christ through the care he provides. His zeal for the Gospel also inspires him to care for the dentally underserved at a local Christian clinic. Be challenged and encouraged by Dr. Aduddell’s efforts to integrate spiritual care in his private practice.

The Lord has used Dr. Van Haywood to spark a tooth-whitening revolution in the dental profession, and for three decades he has been pouring into the lives of dentists and dental students. Van’s story goes well beyond the world of academia, which has become his platform to communicate the glory of Christ. This podcast was previously released throughout CMDA as a CMDA Matters episode.

Dr. Walt Larimore is hosted by Dr. Bill Griffin and Dr. Mike Chupp in this podcast, which was previously released as a CMDA Matters episode. Dr. Larimore has been a pioneer for spiritual interventions in healthcare since 1995, when he co-led (along with Pastor Bill Peel) the Saline Solution resource. Hear how this first resource came about and how Christians in healthcare can best address their patients’ spiritual needs.

Dr. William “Bill” Sasser has enjoyed a long career as a dental missionary and has introduced many others to the excitement and blessings of short-term international mission trips. He established a dental clinic for the underserved in Charleston, SC. Additionally, he and his wife Susalee are heavily invested in the lives of dental students at the Medical University of South Carolina. The love of Christ has compelled him to serve in these and many other ways, both domestically and internationally.

Dr. Joe Bolil has had more than his share of physical challenges over the past few years, yet he continues to serve as an enthusiastic faculty member at Creighton School of Dentistry. Hear how the power of Christ has enabled faithfulness, despite the suffering he has endured.

Author and social critic Os Guinness talks about his latest book called Signals of Transcendence.

Dr. Bill Griffin shares about the exciting opportunities for dentists to use their skills on GHO mission trips. GHO Trip Calendar: https://gho.servicereef.com/events?sort=upcoming

Providing dental treatment can be a physically tedious pursuit, often leading the dental team into strenuous positions that can compromise the health of our necks, backs, wrists, etc. Dr. Matthew Mattox, a physical therapist, was able to achieve great success in treating his wife Krystal’s ergonomic issues, enabling him to collect a wealth of information that he now provides for other dental personnel. This podcast can put us all in better position for long-term clinical careers.

Dr. Thomas Lee established a successful practice in Southern California, then the Lord used a short-term mission trip to refocus his attention on the great dental needs of Rwanda.

For the past three years Dr. Caren Abraham has been working to establish the first dental clinic in a region of Kenya that is home to 350,000 people. Hear how the Lord is greatly blessing her efforts as the Gospel goes forth through the dentistry she provides.

Rather than jumping into retirement, Dr. John Ward chose to follow his private practice days with a faculty position in Cajun country at LSU School of Dentistry. Dr. Ward also serves as Campus Advisor for CMDA’s student group at LSU. His vast clinical experience over the years is now contributing to the development of the next generation of dentists and he’s having a blast in the process.

About a decade ago, Dr. Mark Brunner was diagnosed with a benign inoperable brain tumor. The physical and mental challenges he faced were overwhelming, but the result has been a closer, deeper walk with his Savior, and also with his wife Stephanie.

Dr. Katie Musser talks about how God is working to create disciples in dentistry through CMDA’s Dental Residency [+] program in Memphis, Tennessee.

The dental component of CMDA’s Women Physicians and Dentists in Christ (WPDC) has grown by leaps and bounds over the past few years. Much of this growth is due to the efforts of Dr. Elisa Ghezzi, who has served CMDA in various capacities for a quarter of a century. She is passionate about connecting females in dentistry for mutual encouragement and fellowship.

Dr. Jonathan Spenn is CMDA’s new Midwest Regional Dental Coordinator, a position which will allow him to energize dental school ministry across his region. His vast experience providing dental care to the needy domestically and internationally will be a great asset as he works with students and colleagues. Hear how his zeal to care for others has taken him to 18 different countries in his 15 years as a dentist.