As of now, I have been appointed to three ADA task forces, and I am currently running for a spot on the Board of Directors of Delta Dental of Missouri. I did have to make the decision to not run for the position of president elect of the ADA, which was the hardest decision I have ever made in organized dentistry. I was under a lot of pressure from my peers to run, but ultimately, I chose not to run because I was not willing to dedicate three years of my life totally to the ADA. In a word I wanted a “life.”
We’re awarding an outstanding new dental leader award at the House. Have you been involved since being a new dentist, or did your involve- ment come later? In either case, what encouraged you to participate in more leadership roles and what would you say to mentor others aspiring to a similar commitment as yourself? I was still a “new dentist” when I got involved. A friend of mine, Dr. Paul Mace invited me to attend a local meeting; I was hooked, and the rest is history. I immediately had a sense of belonging—I had found my place, what I wanted to do. Sev- eral years ago Heather Rechtin, a St. Louis dentist, came up to me and said “you probably don’t remember me, but we were at a CE course together years ago and you told me that dentistry is the greatest pro- fession. I have never forgotten that day, how it inspired me.” All we re- ally need to do to impress our new dentist members is show them how much we love this profession. Just take one of them to a local meeting, show them you care, show them that they belong, too.
This year MDIS is celebrating its 25th anniversary serving members. You were co-chair of the committee that studied and formed the agency, and have since served on the board and as vice president and president. While a good number of members use MDIS for their insurance needs, many still do not. What would you say, beyond a typical sales pitch, to encourage doctors to seriously look at the benefits and savings MDIS can provide that might convince them to switch? All that a member needs to do is to give MDIS a chance to give them a quote. Isn’t it great to have an agency that we, the members of the MDA own, to serve our insurance needs? MDIS exists to serve our members; it is the only thing they do. I still remember the day that the MDA House took the vote to appropriate $250,000 to form the agency. It was a contentious issue; it was a high price tag. Dr. John Hume and I made the “pitch” to the House. The Speaker of the House, knowing how significant the vote would be, called for a standing vote. John and I had our eyes fill with tears as every member of the House stood! My role in forming MDIS is one of the most significant achievements of my career.
What’s your favorite (all time or current) hobby/past time, food, travel destination, book, movie? I love to fly; we have combined flying at times with dental meetings. Our executive director, Vicki Wilbers, has taken advantage of “Zust Air” on several occasions to attend the Sixth District Caucus and other meetings with us. Phyllis and I love to travel together. We have had the opportunity to combine overseas travel with dental meetings. Our destinations have included Germany, England, Thailand and Hawaii. This year we attended the FDI in Poland as part of the ADA delegation. We have found that dentistry is loved as a profession around the world. We have met and made friends with dental leaders from several countries from every continent. Well, most continents … I don’t think we’ve met anyone from Antarctica! I enjoy reading spy novels and watching action and suspense movies. I am a fan of the original Star Trek. I also like comedies. My all-time favorite movie is “My Cousin Vinny.” I love to fix things. I remember my first day in practice, I was an associate at an office in St. Louis. I had one patient
that day and when I was finished, I had noticed that the back door’s doorknob was loose. I went into the business office and asked the of- fice manager if she had a screw driver. In amazement she turned to me and exclaimed “you mean you fix things?” I have often said that when I am done doing things for organized dentistry that I will build and fly an experimental airplane. Phyllis has said more than once, for that reason alone, she hopes I never quit!
Presidential Citation DR. ERIC WILSON
Dr. Eric Wilson, a general dentist from Cole Camp, Mo., was honored with a 2016 MDA Presidential Citation Award.
Dr. Wilson was recognized by MDA president, Dr. Jody Vance, for his commit- ment to the Missouri Emergency Response and Identification Team (MERIT), a statewide forensic dental team. MERIT was born out of the Great Flood of 1993, during which a small- town Missouri cemetery was washed away and required that scores of bodies be identified for re-interment. A cadre of forensic dentists was called in to perform forensic identification, mostly from outside the state. To provide a local resource for such disasters in the future, a state dental forensic team was formed. Each year MERIT team members meet for an annual meeting at which continuing education is provided to give information and updates on forensic dentistry.
Dr. Wilson has been a Forensic Odontologist on the federal region VII DMORT (disaster mortuary operational response team) since 1998, and as such has been deployed to New York after 9/11, to the Ameri- can Airlines crash in Kirksville in 2003, to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, to Hurricane Ike in 2008, and to the tornado in Joplin in 2011. He will be installed as the President of the American Society of Forensic Odontol- ogy at its annual meeting next February in New Orleans.
He received his DDS from UMKC in 1991 and established his private practice, Westwood Family Dental, in Cole Camp, where he has lived since. Dr. Wilson has a satellite practice in Sedalia. He enjoys the out- doors and traveling with his wife.
You’re being recognized with a presidential citation award for your work with the Missouri Emergency Response Team (MERIT). How did you first get involved in MERIT? A small group of dentist within the MDA had an interest in forming a state dental identification team in 1995, after the flooding of the Hardin cemetery in 1993. The MERIT group first met in February 1996.
MERIT annually hosts a meeting, this year it is in March. Why would you encourage someone to come, even if they think they are not inter- ested in forensic dentistry? The meeting has evolved over time into a CE course which provides the participant with different topics every year. This is not your average course. We enjoy the day, we eat good and we learn some interesting information, thanks to the MDA staff who help facilitate the meeting (especially Mandy for all her hard work associated with MERIT).
ISSUE 6 | NOV/DEC 2016 | focus 37
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