I enjoy the freedom to plan my day and have numerous opportunities for recreational, travel and service activities. My days are full, from 6am onward. Susie’s grandmother, Lillian, was active all her life in many different activities. She told me once, “Tim, you want to wear out not rust out” … she lived to be 100. I am playing more golf and have established nice friendships. I have never had a bucket list but have been able to travel some over the years and am thankful for these opportunities to share these times with Susie.
You’ve participated in numerous local, state and national capacities. Is there a particular volunteer experience that really pushed you to stretch yourself or something you enjoyed more than any other role? Is there a specific achievement in your dental career that stands out in your mind of which you are most proud? The MOMOM experience was just amazing to me in how it all comes together mechanically, but also how it brings so many people together from a variety of backgrounds to accomplish a good for people they do not know. I think the one achievement for me is in the people I worked with and cared for. One of our young hygienists wrote to me in a thank you card as she was quitting to care for her first-born. She expressed how my openness to faith and loving our patients in that way was very rewarding for her. She said she knew she could interact with patients this way because her “boss” did. From a technical standpoint, I really enjoyed all of dentistry, no matter which material I was using. Dentistry is an art and a science, and I tried to achieve that with each procedure. I would confess, however, gold inlays and various types of complicated gold onlay restorations were very gratifying for me personally. I enjoyed participating in the Tucker Gold Study Club very much.
Each year the MDA acknowledges an outstanding new dental leader award winner. If there was only one piece of advice you could impart to new dentists, what would it be? The one piece of advice that I would give a new dental professional: If you take care of your patients and your staff, the money will take care of itself. Learn what “servant leadership” looks like and be that. Have policies and systems in place written and approved by your team. Be a coach of your team. Get to know the dentists in your community; there is a lot of wisdom and knowledge at your fingertips. Be a professional and act the part. Related to that, I am grateful for the personal and professional mentoring I received from Drs. Robert Bridwell, Henry Fricke, Sr. and Anthony Ingino. Their guidance and friendships influenced and sustained me both professionally and personally. They helped me realize early in my professional career that developing a truly relationship based/health-centered practice is the best way to square the circle between who we are and what we repeatedly do. Truly serving others with our whole heart is the place where happiness and fulfillment are found.
Of all your current activities—dental, civic, personal—is there something you are particularly excited about being part of? I have been a member of Rotary for 47 years. I am excited to spend time helping to organize beautification projects in St. Joseph. Rotary has some principles that have meant a great deal to me. Service above Self, Peace through Understanding and the Four Way Test to practice in our personal and business relationships: Is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, is it beneficial to all concerned, will it promote goodwill and better friendships?
Tell us about yourself outside of dentistry … family, hobbies, favorite way to spend free time; what recharges you outside of dentistry? Susie
and I have been married for 48 years and raised two daughter Beth and Laura. Beth died in 2009, and Laura and her husband Michael live in Platte City. We enjoy having them close. We have no grandchildren but have remained close to extended family and friends who we enjoy very much. We live on 7 acres in a 110-year-old farm home just a couple miles north of St. Joseph. My hobbies are caring for the property, gardening, exercise, golfing and volunteer activities for church and community. Gratitude slows time. Living with an attitude of gratitude I guess is what has always recharged me. I remember a story about Saint Francis of Assisi. The Angel of God approached Saint Francis as he was hoeing his Garden. The Angel asked if you knew you would die tonight, what would you do? Francis replied, “finish hoeing my garden.” For many years now, when I look in the mirror in the morning, I recharge by asking myself, “Tim you could die today, how will you choose to live today?”
Legislative Excellence Award
Governor Mike Parson Representative Cody Smith
The Legislative Excellence Award honors lawmakers who have been a friend to the dental profession in support of legislation that is a priority for the MDA.
Two lawmakers, Governor Mike Parson and Representative Cody Smith (R-163), were given this award for being instru- mental in the passage of the historic rate increase for Missouri Dental Medicaid providers during the 2022 legislative session. Medicaid rate improvements for providers, to encourage additional provi- sion of care for patients, has long been an MDA legislative priority.
Staff Service Recognition
The MDA thanks Vicki Wilbers for 30 years of service and Stacey Hemmel for 25 years of service to the Association.
Vicki Wilbers, Executive Director Stacey Hemmel, Membership Manager
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