My Journey of Service as a Dentist in the Military – Part 1

When I graduated from Tufts School of Dental Medicine in 1995, I thought my path was already set: work in my uncle’s private practice, care for patients, and build my career. But deep down, I always carried a sense of admiration for my father, a retired Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve and an anesthesiologist. He had discovered a calling greater than himself, and it quietly inspired me. He would discuss with me the advantages of being in the Army Reserve. The chance to travel all over the world, pay off my school loans and make connections that last a lifetime.

By 2001, I began to realize that the Army Reserve could offer me that same opportunity. The promise of service, leadership, and a chance to be part of something larger than myself drew me in. On August 7th, I raised my right hand, swore the oath, and became a United States Army Reserve Dental Officer.

The commitment was simple on paper: one weekend a month, two weeks a year. But I quickly learned that wearing the uniform was about far more than sharpening clinical skills. It was about military readiness, adaptability, leadership, and above all — teamwork. My weekends were filled with military training, and my two weeks each year rotated between Individual Readiness Training (IRT) and large-scale Warrior Exercises (WAREX).

Then, just one month after I raised my hand, the world changed. The tragedy of September 11, 2001, forever altered the meaning of service and reshaped the role I had chosen.

In 2002, after completing the Basic Officer Leader Course, I set out on my first IRT mission at the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Providing free dental care to the underserved Lakota Sioux community was humbling and profoundly rewarding. For the first time, I saw how my skills could directly impact lives beyond the clinic and true selfless service.

By 2003, I was preparing to head to Egypt for my next annual training when plans shifted. All travel to the Middle East was canceled. Shortly after, I received the call that would change the trajectory of my military career: I was being deployed to Iraq.

That one call shifted everything. My mission was no longer training — it was real. What followed was a journey that would forever change how I viewed service, dentistry, and leadership.

I’ll continue my story next month in Part 2, where you’ll hear how my dental career in the military took some unexpected twists and turns.