{ outreach in action } by Paul Roberts • Foundation & Outreach Director Take a Ride On the Scream Machine I


n the summer of 1975, a rite of passage awaited me in Atlanta, Georgia. I was 14 years old, and it was time to face my


fears. Ever since the Great American Scream Machine roller coaster opened in March 1973 at Six Flags Over Georgia, the tales of thrilling risk and reward poured in over the Peachtree High gossip line. At the time it was the tallest, fastest and longest roller coaster in the world, and it was taunting me from across town. Would I pay the price to ride? Could I wait through the uncomfort- able Georgia heat and humidity for my chance at something memorable? Would my innards hold up long enough to earn a coveted Red Badge of Courage button?


My memory stretches to recall it all. Skinny legs in cut off blue jean shorts. A stylish Keep on Trucking T-shirt. A mop of unruly hair. And a racing heartbeat. My friends and I chatted nervously through the long line and contemplated if we would prefer a front seat with unimpaired views or the last seat with legendary whiplash. We listened for the high pitch screams as the rail car dipped over the first large incline. We watched carefully as the train cars pulled back into the load- ing area. First, we counted to see if any had been lost and then more rational thought took over and we scanned faces for signs of terror and elation. All the while kids not much older than me wearing fanciful outfits oversaw the entire operation, owners of the coolest job in the world.


When it was my time to board, reluctant Converse heel marks skidded over the plat- form. I plopped into place and wondered if the lowered bar would actually contain my wiry skeleton. (Where was my shapely middle age body when I needed it?) I scarcely had time to ponder my fate when the car surged


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forward and the slow, loud clicking of the cable accompanied the latest round of fools as we crept upward toward the unknown. At the highest point, it seemed as though time stood still. I marveled at the Atlanta skyline, a small reward for making it this far. Then with a fury, my life and future whipped downhill at dizzying speed forcing my face backward at what I was sure was Mach 1 force. After that I only recall rattling and screams and ferocious curves. There was another climb that offered just a minute of repose but before you could check your seatmate’s pulse, you were hurdled down and around again until finally you arrived back at the station where yet to be riders scanned our faces for confirmation of survival. After the final lurch brought us to a stop and the bar raised, I swear I exited three inches taller. My friends and I nearly floated down the exit ramp as we vocalized in unison, “Let’s do it again!” We had earned our Red Badge of Courage and we were certain we could handle any challenge the world brought our way.


Now it’s 50 years later, and there’s a new roller coaster in town. It’s called dentistry


and it’s taunting us to take a scary ride. Dentists may be used to screams but what about their own? Change is happening so fast on so many fronts. Gone are the days and seasons of routine. The landscape is unfamiliar. Every project and priority requires time and expense and courageous leaders. Workforce, Medicaid, MLR, Re-Envisioning, EFDA, Insurance Re- form, governance changes, inflation … you get the idea.


The questions you face are not too different than the ones I faced at Six Flags. Will you pay the price to ride? Membership and strength go hand in hand. Outcomes may be uncer- tain, but survival is more likely when you band together like a good set of


braces. And paying the price goes beyond dollars. Will you commit to participate, voice your ideas, join the advocacy battles, support the offerings? The MDA is not a club. It’s the one entity dedicated to protecting your chosen profession.


Can you wait through the uncomfortable for a chance at something memorable? Building a roller coaster takes more time and effort than the two-minute ride it provides. Change comes at you fast but also requires patience and faith if you are to see something greater emerge. You Cardinal fans understand both the nostalgia of memories from old Busch Stadium and the convenience and awe that younger people enjoy at new Busch Stadium. It’s time for the MDA to build some new stadiums to serve the next generation of champions.


And finally, will your innards hold up long enough to earn you a Red Badge of Courage? Change is always about courage. Nothing is gained when nothing is risked. Those who merely watched the Scream Machine from a distance don’t get the same thrill and sense


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