{ association insights }
Dr. Vincent Rapini installed as 149th MDA President
T
he MDA congratulates Dr. Vincent (Vince) Rapini who was installed as the 149th MDA president at the MDA House of Delegates on November 4 in Jefferson City by Dr. Roy Thompson, ADA Sixth District Trustee. Dr. Rapini received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City in 1980. He maintained a private dental practice
in Webster Groves, Mo., until the summer of 2017, when he became a full-time assistant clinical profes- sor at the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville School of Dental Medicine, a position he began on a part-time basis in 2008. Leading up to his presidency, Dr. Rapini served his local, state and national dental organizations in a variety of manners, including: American Dental Association Delegate; MDA Legislative and Regulatory Committee Chair, Trustee and Delegate; and, Greater St. Louis Dental Society President and Mid-Continent Dental Congress Chair, among other posts. He is distinguished as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists, American College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy, and in 2006 received the Greater St. Louis Dental Society Distinguished Service Award. He is involved with his church, the Evangelical Full Gospel Assembly, and currently serves as its Superintendent of Religious Education. Dr. Rapini has answered the following questions so that you can get to know your MDA president better.
Please give us a quick biographical sketch. I was born and raised in St. Louis, attended college at UMSL, and other than spending four years in Kansas City to attend UMKC, have lived there all my life. I married my wife, Patti, who passed away last year, and have two children and one daughter-in-law, all of whom I am very proud. Jennifer, my oldest, is a dentist in Oklahoma City, a member of the ODA, and is working on her Fellowship in the AGD. My son, Vincent, is a junior high/ high school band teacher in Jefferson County, while my daughter-in-law, Laura, teaches high school English in St. Charles County.
Of what achievement are you most proud? Raising two children, with Patti, and seeing them grow to be caring, productive and responsible adults.
Outside of being MDA President, what current activity are you most excited about being part of? Helping mold dental students into not only clinically competent, but ethi- cal and caring practitioners of the future.
What motivated you to decide on a career in dentistry? Once I decided to start study-
10 focus | NOV/DEC 2017 | ISSUE 6
ing seriously, I did well in science/math, and I enjoyed constructing and making things. Dentistry seemed like a good fit.
Did you have an ‘a ha’ moment in dental school? What was it? I am still waiting for one to hit … I think.
What was your favorite class in dental school? The clinical rotation at Truman-East.
What do you enjoy most and least about being a dentist? Most: Being around an extremely competent, caring and productive group of employees, which I have always had, that help me take care of our patients the way we would want to be taken care of. Least: Dealing with city bureaucrats, federal and state government edicts, and the increasing intrusion of third party dental benefit provid- ers intentionally interdicting themselves into the dentist/patient relationship for their own profit and at the patient’s expense.
What is the best advice anyone has ever given you about your career? Right out of UMKC, I was an associate for Dr. Eugene Brezany, a well-known, respected and very fine dentist who practiced in St. Louis for
60+ years and counted among his patient many former Cardinal ballplayers from the ’50s and ’60s. He said, and I’m cleaning it up, “Don’t get overconfident just because you’ve had a bunch of big cases go well. The next one may very well bite you in the rear. You have to do your homework.” That’s a univer- sal truth, in plain English.
How do you keep your staff motivated and energized? By treating them with respect, being a good listener, delegating without hesitating, supporting their decisions and giving recognition for jobs well done.
What event in your career has been the most humbling? Shortly after graduating dental school, I realized that I really didn’t know everything there was to know about dentistry.
In your opinion, what is the state of our Association and the profession of dentistry? The dental profession in Missouri and our Association are sound, but not bulletproof. We need to actively pursue increasing our sources of non-dues revenue. Additionally, we must make sure we remain relevant to
