Dental Veterans Spotlight
October 2021
Recently I connected with Dave, a second year dental student at the University of Alabama Birmingham School of Dentistry. He served as a certified badass Marine Corps Osprey Pilot prior to attending dental school. He’s humble, has great insight on admissions, how the military contributed to his success and advice for vets interested in applying to dental school. Really enjoyed the discussion and and look forward to him continuing to be involved in the dental veteran movement and community. Enjoy!
“Don’t be afraid to have a dream and don’t feel guilty for pursuing your dream. If you’re thinking of transitioning, don’t let an O-5 guilt trip you into staying active for “a few more years” to make you more marketable. THE TIME TO FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS IS NOW!”
Dental School: University of Alabama Birmingham
Military Service: Marine Corps Aviation
Brief Bio: Dave was born and raised in Memphis, TN and graduated from the University of Mississippi with BS in Geology. When OIF/OEF kicked off he felt a need to serve so he signed up for OCS in Quantico, VA 2005, commissioned 2007, completed Naval flight training 2008 - late 2009. He trained on single and multi-engine airplanes and helicopters and winged in Dec 2009. Later he was designated 7532 (MV-22B) Osprey Pilot. He deployed to OEF 12.1 - 12.2 with VMM-161. In 2014 he graduate of Weapons and Tactics Instructor course in Yuma, AZ. His other qualifications include: aerial refueling instructor, low altitude tactics instructor, night systems instructor, functional check pilot, flight leader, air mission commander and instrument evaluator. After leaving the military attended pre-requisite classes at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Currently a D2 at UAB SOD. Dave served on active duty for over 10 years.
What ultimately led you to transition into the profession of dentistry?
I had always had an interest in dentistry as a result of multiple interactions with my childhood dentist, outside of the normal cleanings, etc. My older brother, unfortunately, was the victim of a bullying incident that resulted in trauma and significant damage to his front teeth so we were in and out of the dental office quite a bit while he was undergoing treatment, so I think that planted the seed. I always wanted to be a dentist from that point on, but my family was very blue collar so those aspirations were mostly kept to myself. Ultimately, fate led me to transition. In 2014 I had surgery to correct an injury--which was good, but it effectively ended my military flying career. I was subsequently medically retired and after interviewing for a few jobs in the corporate world it became clear to me that I had the opportunity to follow my dreams of becoming a dentist. After copious encouragement from my wife, along with a lot of research and phone calls, I was accepted into the Veteran’s Readiness and Employment (VRE) program (Chapter 31 benefits) where I completed prerequisites--read: all of the biology courses since my degree was in Geology. Applied for the 2020 class and haven’t looked back.
How has serving in the military contributed to your success in the dental profession?
A couple of things the military taught me that I’m consistently thankful for are perseverance and attention to detail. Dental school is demanding in and of itself. Couple that with the challenges of family life and it can be overwhelming at times. However, when I’m feeling like this is impossible, I think back to some of the things I accomplished during my time in the Marine Corps and it puts things into perspective for me.
What was the most difficult part applying to dental school as a non-traditional application?
Honestly I believe self-doubt was one of the biggest hurdles to overcome when applying as a non-traditional student. During all the courses I took for pre-requisites, it seemed like every undergraduate student was a genius. I started to feel like I could never compete with these individuals; however, a great professor I had for Organic Chemistry put it all into perspective for me one day. She told me that grades aren’t everything (mine weren’t too shabby, but still) and that life experiences count for a lot when it comes to admissions committees. She explained that we non-traditionals have a lot to offer and oftentimes bolster our class diversity and experience base. So, once I got over the mental hump it was just the standard ops of “figuring out the game” as far as admissions requirements, etc.
How did you choose what schools to apply to and why did you ultimately choose UW Dentistry?
Since I’m a bit older (I’m 37), I was interested in schools with increased clinical requirements. I knew from prior experience (flight school) when it came to a new skill set repetition was the name of the game. So, the idea of being a little bit “less slow” when I graduate appealed to me. Additionally, I was looking for places where I felt moving my family wouldn’t result in disaster: schools, job market, etc. UAB was the obvious choice since I already lived in Birmingham, but I ended up applying to 5 schools and got 3 interviews.
How are you paying for dental school?
As mentioned above I learned about Chapter 31 benefits (VRE, formerly called VOCREHAB) which fully funds dental school for me. The program can be a bit tricky to navigate, but it is well worth it if you are eligible and can get accepted. There is an upperclassman at my school who was also medically retired and I helped him get accepted to VRE, so it is definitely possible!
What advice do you have for vets that are considering dentistry?
Don’t be afraid to have a dream and don’t feel guilty for pursuing your dream. If you’re thinking of transitioning to pursue your dream, don’t let an O-5 guilt trip you into staying active for “a few more years” to make you more marketable. The military needs company men, which is fine, but the time to follow your dreams IS NOW. All that said, transitioning from the military to civilian life can be tough. You’ll be faced with some challenges, but I promise you have what it takes if it’s something you truly have a passion for. Plan your transition just like everything else you’ve always planned. Start at the objective area (dental school) and work backwards. Meet local dentists and network! Utilize the multitude of programs out there for veterans! Get plugged in with your school's veteran’s affairs office and use www.dentalveterans.com as it’s a wealth of information. I only wish I had known about it when I was going through the application process!
What do you plan to do after graduation?
I owe my wife a honeymoon that we never had the chance to take, so we’ll be taking a trip somewhere, sans kids, which will be nice. Also, I definitely plan on taking a trip out west to catch up on some hunting and fishing that has been put on the back burner due to school. Other than that just planning on enjoying life as a general dentist and focusing on my kids and family!
Anything else you would like to add?
I really appreciate people like you taking the time to educate veterans about their options and how to pursue a career in dentistry. Good on ya brother!
“I believe self-doubt was one of the biggest hurdles to overcome when applying as a non-traditional student. I had an Organic Chemistry Professor tell me that we non-traditionals have a lot to offer and oftentimes bolster our class diversity and experience base.”