(political action committee) board and as a delegate to the MDA House. She is past chair of the MDA Articles of Agreement Commit- tee and served on the MDA Medicaid Ad Hoc Committee. Dr. Stiens is a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, an international dental honor organization that recognizes leaders and future leaders in the profession.
In addition to her service to the dental profession, Dr. Stiens equally gives back to her community. She provides free exams and fluoride application to seven area schools and local Head Starts yearly and is a speaker for the Tri-County Health Department, local elementary schools and the Parents as Teachers program. Dr. Stiens is a board member of both Parnell United Methodist Church and Northwest Missouri State University Wesley Board. She is involved with the Northwest Missouri AHEC (Area Health Education Center), a program she participated in from high school through dental school. She also serves as a mentor to future dentists by being a dental workshop site for AHEC high school students pursuing dental careers. In 2023, she received the AHEC Alumni/Advocate of the Year award.
“As a very charismatic and confident individual, Dr. Stiens easily estab- lishes rapport with patients and colleagues,” said Dr. Emily Mattingly, a peer of Dr. Stiens who also practices in Northwest Missouri. “Dr. Stiens is caring, insightful and supportive during dental meetings. She is passionate about legislative affairs and makes sure the needs of our dentists and communities are not only heard but acted upon by our lawmakers. Her passion for ethical dentistry and her desire to continue her dental knowledge as she excels as an oral health leader is an example to all.”
Dr. Stiens lives on their family farm in Parnell, Mo., with her husband and their two young daughters. When not focused on providing exceptional dental care for her patients, she enjoys being active in her community and her daughter’s school.
You’ve been extremely active within organized dentistry in your early career. Is there a particular volunteer experience that really pushed you to stretch yourself or something you have enjoyed more than any other role — something formative? I had a lot of encouragement to be involved from the start of my career by my fellow NW Dental Society members. I was personally called and invited to come to the first meeting, and I immediately felt welcomed by the members who literally got out of their seats to introduce themselves. I was encouraged to get involved by attending MDA events, being involved in the MODentPAC and even nominated for an office in our dental society only a few years into being a new dentist. I remember being so nervous to put myself out there because I didn’t know all the clinical parts, let alone the workings of organized dentistry. I became the NW Dental Society MODentPAC representative and learned what the committee was for, why we needed to support it and how it affected me as a dentist. There was support from all directions — people who had been in my shoes and could guide and teach me with their experiences. It never felt like competition, but more like collaboration. If not for those members who took me under their wings and empowered me to be involved and learn about my profession, it would have been easy to stay in my own bubble flying under the radar, but I’m so glad I didn’t.
You were quite active with the MDA New Dentist Committee and you have now been out of dental school for 10 years. What do you see as a challenge facing new grads now, that is different, and what advice would you give them? What’s the key to getting involved right after graduation? I see new grad challenges of increasing costs of dental school and living expenses, as well as the ever-present social media pressure to keep up with the Jones’. I will pass on the advice I was given as a new grad: live like a dental student for two years after you graduate, and you’ll have made a significant dent in your student debt. Drive your old beat-up car, live in a modest house and save those overpriced dinners for special occasions. Better yet, find an experienced dentist mentor and let them take you out for that dinner! I think the key to getting involved right after graduation is to push yourself out of your comfort zone and go to your local meeting, Legislative Day or ADA conference even if you don’t know anyone there. Put your phone down, introduce yourself, and have a real authentic conversation with someone you don’t know, you might be surprised at the fun people you’ll meet.
You’re from a rural area and returned to practice there. We know recruitment of dentists to a rural area has been difficult. What would you say to dental students to encourage them to consider living and practicing in rural Missouri. What myths would you dispel? I think a common misconception of living and practicing in a rural area is you are disconnected from the rest of the world. While I do practice 30 minutes from the nearest dental office, I can be in a major city in about an hour where the amenities of restaurants, shopping and an international airport exist. I enjoy practicing in a small town where I personally know my patients and their families, am a highly regarded professional who patients trust I have their best interest in mind, and I feel the same care and concern reciprocated from my community. In my rural area, I feel anything but disconnected as the providers of all healthcare fields offer support and work together to provide the best care for our patients.
In high school you participated in a Missouri Area Health Education Center program. You received the AHEC Alumni/Advocate of the Year in 2023 and today serve as a NWMO AHEC board member and dental workshop site for AHEC students. Tell us more about this program — both from when you were a student and now as a dentist. How did it help you prepare for a career in dentistry and how is it helping students today? I was involved in AHEC ACES (AHEC Career Enhancement Scholars) during high school and my undergraduate career, which is a program that exposes students to different healthcare careers. Through this program, I developed relationships with local dentists and UMKC School of Dentistry where I was able to shadow and learn about interviewing, coping with the expectations of professional school and grow the personal skills necessary for a career in dentistry. I made presentations and took them to elementary schools to teach students about oral health and the different career options in dentistry. Once I graduated from UMKC SOD, I started hosting workshops at my office in Stanberry for high school students to get hands-on experience just like I had in my earlier years. I joined the AHEC board and was thrilled with the honor of receiving the AHEC Alumni Award last year. I am so passionate about AHEC because I truly believe in its mission: “We strive to improve the health of Missourians in rural and underserved areas through education and workforce development.” I want to bring caring, compassionate and excellent healthcare to our rural areas, and hope through these AHEC programs, we can gain
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