FOCUS | ISSUE 6 | 2010

WINTER SESSION AFFORDABLE RELEVANT CONVENIENT W

e hope you’ve saved the date and are planning to join us at the annual MDA Winter Session in

January. But, perhaps you haven’t decided yet on what courses you want to attend? The MDA Education Committee selects speakers it knows will provide a great course, no matter your choice, but in an eff ort to help you get to know them better, we’re providing this “Meet the Speakers” forum. Work Smart by attending MDA Winter Session! It’s aff ordable, relevant and convenient, and it’s happening soon, so don’t delay. Reserve your room and register today! See the pull-out registration brochure for complete event details.

Karen Baker

Treating the New Millennium Dental Patient: Medicated and Complicated & Drug

Interactions and Reactions Important in Clinical Dentistry

What is the crux of your presentation? I’m presenting strategies for identifying and avoiding medication-related problems in clinical dental practice.

What is unique about your presentation/style? I have a fast-paced and maybe even humorous lecture style and strive to make the dreaded “P” word (pharmacology) practical and patient- specifi c.

How will hearing your message change the way the attendees work and practice? Many lecture participants over the past 30 years have let me know that my handouts are a daily source of practical information in their practices. That means the world to me, because I want the lecture time spent to pay off in a very tangible way.

What led you to choose a career in what you will be presenting on? After completing my graduate de- gree, I was in- terviewed by the Col-

lege of Dentistry for a newly created faculty posi- tion doing clinical work as well as teaching mul- tiple lecture courses. It was a perfect fi t, and I’ve been on the faculty ever since. I have always been drawn to therapies for infectious disease, pain control and central nervous system conditions, so dental practice was defi nitely in my “zone.”

What was a major turning point in your career? I was the only clinical pharmacist at the college for the fi rst 10 years of my career. We were able to hire a second full-time clinical pharmacist col- league which enabled me to concentrate much more on teaching and research. That change was so important in making me the teacher that I am today.

What do you believe is absolutely crucial to suc- cess in one’s profession? I guess I would borrow the phrase from Lexus and say “The relentless pursuit of excellence” is absolutely crucial to be successful. Whether it’s 10 graduate students or 800 experienced clinicians, I prepare and present with the same level of eff ort.

Who is someone you admire and why, as it relates to the dental profession or the topic that you are speaking on? I had the honor of working with Gilbert Lilly, DDS for many years until his untimely death. He was a gifted diagnostician and clinician who really cared about his patients and always worked harder as a department chair than any of his faculty. I miss him every day and will always try to emulate his devotion to patient care and innovation in therapeutics.

As a speaker, what question(s) are you asked most often, and how do you answer it? I’ve never been asked this question! I love talking with clinicians during breaks and at lunch. We usually discuss an especially diffi cult case of head and neck pain, oral mucositis or just a very complex patient on 25 medications!

What are you reading right now? American As- sassin by Vince Flynn and The Talbot Odyssey by Nelson DeMille.

With your busy schedule, how do you relax? I enjoy reading high-concept suspense novels and detailed historical fi ction. Weight lifting and watching action movies also are high on my list but are not done simultaneously.

Brian Blasko

Crusin; through Life at 35 MPH & Positioning Your Positive Pit Crew

What is the crux of your presentation? This program takes you on a motivational journey into the world of self discovery! Our lives and careers are like vehicles, and we are the engines that keep them running smoothly. I will show you how to keep your self-esteem “gas tank!” Leader- ship and personal development will be examined in positive ways.

What is unique about your presentation/style? I use the “car” analogy to help keep the message fun and memorable. I use a lot of props, and the audience is always engaged. I am a high-energy speaker who likes to talk with his audience one- on-one. I use no PowerPoint! It’s a “hands-on” presentation that I guarantee you’ll enjoy.

How will hearing your message change the way the attendees work and practice? You will defi nitely have more pep in your step and will be able to look at leadership and personal develop- ment in a new light. This session will allow you the opportunity to set the pace in your practice and to become the type of leader people want to follow … not have to.

What led you to choose a career in what you will be presenting on? My original goal was to get a PhD and become a college professor. After graduate school, I taught for a year and a half at the University of Akron and was preparing to go back to school to start working on the doctorate. It was during that time that one of my professors/ mentors sat me down and said: “Listen, we love having you here. You can make a career in this fi eld and life would be good … but I suggest you Get Out! Take your show on the road and become a trainer/speaker.” I took that advice and started creating communication workshops. I began delivering these programs to companies and as- sociations, and then the snow ball started to roll. I also decided I wanted to write a book to help spread my message. Once the book came out, people were starting to request for me to deliver more “motivational” speeches, and the rest, as they say, is history!

What was a major turning point in your career? The year was 1998: After my fl ight landed in Fort Myers Beach, Fla., I was driving my rental car toward Marco Island. It was around 12:30 a.m.

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meet the speakers