Dentistry runs deep within my veins. My father, R. Douglas Teel was a brilliant dentist; the small-town, gentleman-farmer, Renaissance kind of dentist who could fix a Gleaner R62 Combine (a specialized harvesting tractor) axil or a #14 acute apical periodontitis at the drop of a hat. He died in 2002 after tragedy. This article was done in his memory and catalogues the responses of four generations of dentists to observe the changes in dentistry over the last 100 years. The interviewees include my great-uncle who is 94 years old, my aunt who is near retirement, myself, a 40-year old at the peak of my career and my beloved protégé, in the midst of dental school.
Steve Teel, DDS – University of Washington, Class of 1955
1. Why did you choose dentistry as a profession?
After the end of World War II, I went to college on the GI Bill. I had no idea what to study. I was only familiar with farming, but my brother Cliff (Lisa’s grandfather) was the son that was assigned to the farm and it was too small for two farmers. I seriously thought about medical school, but I figured that I wasn’t smart enough for that. I went and saw a psychologist (who was my brother-in-law’s brother) and he gave me a veteran’s test to help me decide what to do. He told me that he thought dentistry would be a good fit, so that’s what I did. I never looked back.
2. What was dental school tuition when you were in dental school?
I have no idea what tuition was because the GI Bill paid for all of it!
3. What was the demographic of your class in dental school?
There were 75 students in my class and it wasn’t diverse.I remember, they openly did not admit any women, except a lady named Doris Stiefell who had a recommendation from Albert Einstein, so they figured they couldn’t reject her. They admitted one other woman, so Doris wouldn’t be the only one. Doris graduated with my class, but the other woman dropped out because she couldn’t put up with the men’s attitudes toward her. Then, there were no women admitted until the late 70s. The general attitude was that men were dentists and women were meant to be dental assistants.
4. How do you think dentistry has changed in the last 150 years?
The biggest changes during my years of practice were: improvements in the quality of dental materials, dental anesthetics (they used to cause lasting discomfort and swelling post procedures because they had impurities it them) and improvements in dental hygiene. We didn’t think cleaning teeth was as important at the beginning of my career.
5. How do you feel about being part of a legacy of dentists?
Dentistry is a career choice that needs to be made solely by the person who chooses it. There is much that is good about it, but also much that is stressful about it.
6. Looking back at your career in dentistry, how do you feel about it?
Looking back, I think it was a good career choice for me. I enjoyed the one-on-one connections I made with people. I also enjoyed the projects that I did that improved people’s dentition and health. It’s all about connection.
Nancy Teel, DDS – University of Washington, Class of 1989
1. Why did you choose dentistry as a profession?
I chose dentistry because I wanted a profession where I could be my own boss and solve technical/mechanical problems (I am an engineer by training). I wanted to work one-on-one with people. I also wanted a job with flexibility, so I could dedicate time and effort to raising my children.
2. What was dental school tuition when you were in dental school?
Tuition was just slightly over $1,000 per quarter, or less than $5,000 per year. Equipment, materials and books could be as much as $3,000 per quarter, but it varied. For me, since I was married to a husband who was working and we chose to be frugal, we managed to make it all the way through with only $17,000 in student loans.
3. What was the demographic of your class in dental school?
My class had 52 members, and I believe 14 were women. I would guess 75% white, 20% Asian and 4% African American. My friend and best long-term connection after dental school, Esi, was the only black woman in the class. Let’s just say they gave her hell in dental school! She’s a strong woman and I am proud to say that her work and test scores were better than most of the other students. They tried to tell her she needed to stretch her curriculum out to six years instead of four so that the administration could count her twice in their minority statistics, or she wouldn’t make it through. She graduated in four years with us. Neil, the only other black class member started the year before us and was convinced by the administration to cut back his schedule midway through his first quarter the year before. He ended up joining Esi and graduating with our class in five years! He is now an orthodontist in South Seattle. His son graduated from UW dental school a few years ago.
4. How do you think dentistry has changed in the last 150 years?
Anesthetic, X-rays and high-speed drills are probably the biggest advancements. Each branch of dentistry has had amazing advancements. Endo didn’t exist 100 years ago. Orthodontics can really change lives. Implants have been a game changer. Preventative dentistry and the whole idea of good dental hygiene has been an amazing advancement.
5. How do you feel about being part of a legacy of dentists?
Dentistry is not for everybody. You have to choose this profession. Having a parent that was in the profession gave me familiarity with it such that I could make that choice knowing what I was getting into. My kids have not expressed any interest in the profession, and I think that is just fine. I don’t actively encourage anyone to consider following in my footsteps unless they arrive at the idea themselves. You will not be happy if you do not choose it for yourself.
6. Looking back at your career in dentistry, how do you feel about it?
Right now, I am approaching retirement and I can say I am ready. It is not a good time for me to say how I feel about my career because I am looking for an exit right now and not ready for the reflection that will come over time. Time to go skiing!
Lisa Teel, DDS, MS, Periodontist – New York University, Class of 2007
1. Why did you choose dentistry as a profession?
During my undergraduate career, I determined that my calling was medicine, surgery in particular. This quickly changed after a semester abroad in France studying with French physicians at the Université Paris René Descartes and observing the demands of medicine in a socialist system, which at that time required quick in-person visits every 15 minutes. I wanted to spend more time with my patients to have more freedom. My passion was always the arts and philosophy, and I found dentistry (the profession and legacy of my father and great-uncle Steve) to fit this suit – dentistry is the perfect culmination of art, science and altruism.
2. What was dental school tuition when you were in dental school?
Dental school tuition was around $48,000 before living expenses. Being that I went to NYU in the heart of New York City for my dental school education, the annual debt load was around $98,000 per year, a small fortune (we will call it an “investment”). I would point out that the opportunity to study under world-renowned clinicians, such as Drs. Dennis Tarnow and Barry Wagenberg, made the investment worth every penny.
3. What was the demographic of your class in dental school?
My dental class was comprised of 40% women and 60% males. Minorities comprised about 20% of the class. I loved the diverse tempo and my best of friends were Hispanic, black and Indian.
4. How do you think dentistry has changed in the last 100 years?
In my lectures, I often use the quote “no man (woman) is an island.” I believe the primary innovation, outside of digital technology, has been interdisciplinary care with a comprehensive medical-dental team working together for the good of the patient.
5. How do you feel about being part of a legacy of dentists?
Roots run deep and I am proud to carry on the tradition of dentistry. I am most proud to follow in the footsteps of some incredible egalitarian men who believed, as my father and uncle put it, “Girls can do anything a man can do, but just a little bit better.” (Don’t worry, this is all in fun, boys.)
6. Looking back at your career in dentistry, how do you feel about it?
My passion is people, the profound (albeit sometimes brief or unexpected) connections we make with others. Periodontics is my craft and I am passionate about the beauty I can create, but I am even more connected to the internal soul-deep bonds I make with the patients and the doctors I spend time with.
Lato Nguyen, dental student – Marquette University School of Dentistry Class of 2022
1. Why did you choose dentistry as a profession?
I never chose dentistry as a profession, but dentistry chose me. I knew I had a purpose in life, but I just never believed in myself. When I shadowed more, I had some interest, but I still did not believe that I could do dentistry. Lacking guidance and resources made me think this until I met great people who gave me the inspiration and push. I knew I would have to climb more steps and run many more miles to become a dentist. Now, I can proudly say that I want to be a dentist because I love to make people happy and see them smile. I love to be challenged not only as a clinician, but also a leader, a future business owner and an educator.
2. What was dental school tuition when you were in dental school?
MUSoD is around $65,000 per year before living expenses and is continuing to rise due to inflation. I live a very basic and frugal life as a student. My philosophy is spending smart and for the right reasons. Some of my classmates used their student loans to travel for leisure vacations. I plan to use mine on dental mission trips. I think the trips will benefit me to become a better clinician, help people, network with other dental clinicians and will be more satisfying than a vacation.
3. What was the demographic of your class in dental school?
My class has 100 students, 50 in-state and 50 out-of-state. Fifty-five percent are female and 45% are male. I do not remember the statistic for minorities, but Marquette makes their best effort to diversify our class. In my sim lab pod, we have three who are Asian (all Vietnamese), one who is Hispanic, one who is white and one African American (Nigerian). From my experience, as minorities, we always connect with each other naturally due to our backgrounds. There are also sub-groups in my class, and I think as time passes, the barriers will be broken between them.
4. How do you think dentistry has changed in the last 150 years?
There are significant changes in dentistry over the years, including clinical innovations, elevation of the business model and most recently, a revolution of PPE requirements due to the pandemic. More millennial dentists choose implants over conventional RPD/Complete denture restorations. We also use social media/podcasts for marketing and continuing education purpose. It is very common to see dentists in my generation using CAD/CAM & CBCT for diagnosis and treatment planning nowadays – digital dentistry is just getting started. Dentistry is a very dynamic and promising field because it keeps evolving.
5. How did your family history impact you?
My dad was a neurosurgeon in Vietnam. My memories of him were mostly just hanging out at the hospitals, sometimes with him, sometimes with his colleagues. The inspiration was just strong enough to give me an interest in health care, but not dentistry. I have some cousins who are physicians, as well. I will be the first dentist in the family. Like I mentioned, I never thought of dentistry before, probably until second or third year of undergraduate. I never believed that I could become a dentist, until I met inspiring people in the field who really motivated me. When I applied to dental school, the interest turned into confidence and commitment. My confidence and commitment is growing into passion and purpose.
6. Looking back at your career in dentistry, how do you feel about it?
I am still a student, so I can only look forward to my career in dentistry. My vision is laser-focused and optimistic. With the right planning, work and execution, I am looking forward to seeing what I can do with this vision.
Great article! So good to hear each individual stories, your personal experiences and your views of dentistry. Thank you!