conviction that individuals are extremely important, that every life matters. They get excited over one smile ….” That mentality is exactly how I want to approach each patient. I do my best to give exceptional care in whatever form required to the patient right in front of me in that moment. Certainly, I am not perfect, but I strive to give that type of care consistently. Recently, I relied on several key lessons from The Fred Factor. It is a quick read with lots of practical advice but with the same underlying theme—do whatever you are doing with excellence. These two books really are foundational for my practice and my life and a constant reminder of how fortunate I am to practice orthodontics.


You’ve collaborated with a lot of community groups and professional allies in your various volunteer roles. What do you feel is the biggest opportunity for dentists to make headways in their local area, however large or small, to affect positive change for the oral health of their community? There are endless opportunities to create positive change in our community. It starts with focusing on being PATIENT CARE PROVIDERS. We are not just dentists, speech therapists, lactation consultants, teachers or parents, but we are the team that people look to for advice and expertise on their health. When you focus on patient care, then you focus on what people need and most other things really fall into place. It is extremely difficult to do because it requires stepping outside of what is comfortable and being open to new ideas and opportunities and those do not come in one just one form.


Tell us about yourself outside of dentistry … family, hobbies, favorite way to spend free time, what recharges you outside the work of your practice? Outside of work you will find me chasing my two amazing and talented children around who remind me every day that time moves quickly. My children, my three dogs, yoga and spending as much time outside all keep me grounded.


Outstanding New Dental Leader Dr. Lisa Bosch


This award recognizes an MDA member in practice 10 years or fewer who has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities, professional and ethical conduct, and volunteer activities in their community and organized dentistry.


D


r. Bosch has been dedicated to orga- nized dentistry since dental school,


having served in various leadership roles on campus and as part of the American Student Dental Association. Since graduation, she has continued leadership within organized dentistry while also navigating the path of practice ownership as a new dentist in a rural community. She just completed her term as New Dentist Representative on the MDA Board of Trustees and has transi- tioned to Trustee for her local Northeast Dental Society. She has been a delegate to the MDA House of Delegates and this year was named one of the ADA 10 Under 10 Award Winners.


Dr. Bosch serves her community as a member of the Knox County Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and 4H. She is the current president of both Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce. She is


a University of Missouri Extension Council Board Member and Knox County Community Representative. She also serves as part of Still Car- ing Health Connection through which she provides discounted services for Drug Court participants and is a supervising dentist for student dentists in clinical volunteer activities. This past year, she combined community action with her dental knowledge to promote the need for water fluoridation in the Clarence Cannon Water District. She dedicated many hours of her personal time to educate members of the area’s water district boards on benefits of fluoridation.


She received her Doctor of Medical Dentistry and Masters in Pub- lic Health degrees from the A.T. Still University-Missouri School of Dentistry and Oral Health in 2019. She received her Bachelor of Sci- ence degree in dental hygiene from Marquette University in 2004. Dr. Bosch resides with her husband and two daughters in Knox City, Mo. and owns Knox County Dental in Edina, Mo.


You’ve been extremely active within organized dentistry—ASDA in dental school and since then as an active member. Is there a particular volunteer experience that really pushed you to stretch yourself or something you have enjoyed more than any other role? What has meant the most to me during my leadership roles within organized dentistry is the relationships I have formed. My colleagues have become my good friends and they are only a phone call or text away. They are happy to help any way they can, but they also give me a voice too. They care about what I have to say and give my perspective value and that really means the world to me.


You received your dental hygiene degree, and then your dental and MPH degrees. You were an associate for a short time and then purchased your practice just a few years after dental school. And, as we stated, you’ve been really involved in leadership in the tripartite ever since dental school. Is there a specific achievement in your dental career that stands out in your mind of which you are most proud—or perhaps was most formative? Purchasing my practice, especially during the pandemic, was definitely a triumph I am proud of. My previous dental experience really helped to catapult my career as a dentist, and I am so grateful for the perspective it has provided. It has given me the confidence to talk with patients, staff and colleagues with more honesty and empathy.


The ADA Practice Transitions program, among others, has spent a lot of effort encouraging new grads to “go rural”, noting many young dentists tend to flock to urban or suburban areas after graduation because of the perception of being able to command higher salaries. But as you likely know, a rural practice can offer several advantages. You’re from the rural area you returned to, so it may have seemed an easier choice, but can you tell us how you would persuade today’s new and early career dentists to really give rural practices a chance— especially when we continue to see so many close their doors, leaving communities without access to oral health care. The choice to go to a rural community came because I could not only see the need, but also, I could see the benefit of a lower cost of living with no difference in salary. The usual and customary fees for my area are the same as much larger surrounding communities, but I have the benefit of lower overhead. In addition, there is the benefit of less competition. I don’t have to compete for the most Google reviews or the best website. I don’t have far to drive to work and on a regular basis my patients actually thank me for coming to this community. They are invested in me as much as I am them and that is so humbling. That took a lot of pressure off me as a small business owner. My staff and patients are my


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