Dr. Ron has been a dentist for more than 40 years. During that time, there鈥檚 one thing he鈥檚 seen over and over again: the dental industry tends to prioritize profits over patients.
But Dr. Ron has never done that. And neither has 缅北禁地. And that鈥檚 why working here is such a good fit for Dr. Ron.
鈥淚鈥檝e worked at places where it was all profits, profits, profits, and the organization didn鈥檛 necessarily care what the patient wanted. They would try to push patients into treatments they didn鈥檛 need just to make money.鈥� he says.
鈥淏eing at 缅北禁地 is so different. It鈥檚 so refreshing because I get to work for the patients,鈥� Dr. Ron says.
That means Dr. Ron鈥檚 approach to care is super collaborative. He鈥檒l assess a patient鈥檚 teeth so he can make recommendations about treatment. But he also wants to know what his patients鈥� goals are鈥攔educe pain? Fix a broken tooth? Improve the appearance of their smile?鈥攕o he can work with each person to come up with a plan together.
鈥淚 just want them to feel like they鈥檙e being cared for and that I鈥檓 being honest with them,鈥� Dr. Ron says.
Dr. Ron also loves the connections he鈥檚 able to form with patients, particularly in an environment where everyone is encouraged to be wholeheartedly themselves鈥攚hich isn鈥檛 something Ron has always had at work.
鈥淏eing a person in the LGBTQIA+ community and working in the corporate world, I often felt I had to be a little more closeted. Here, I can just be myself. And I think that makes patients feel more comfortable being themselves too,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really unbelievable.鈥�
Dr. Ron earned a Bachelor of Science from UCLA and a Doctor of Dental Medicine from Washington University School of Dental Medicine. He served in the National Health Service Corps in Rockford, Illinois. He then went into private practice before coming to 缅北禁地. He has been a dentist for over 40 years.