lum. It’s been incredibly fulfi lling to engage with students and shape how they approach orthodontic care within general dentistry. Seeing their curiosity and growth keeps me inspired.
Beyond my professional life, I fi nd deep joy in my volunteer roles — serving as a Mercy Hospice volunteer, Mercy Eucharistic Minister and staying active in local and international outreach through the Washington Rotary Club and the Washington Overseas Mission. These things keep me centered and remind me why I do the work I do.
Tell us about yourself outside of dentistry … family, hobbies, favorite way to spend free time, what recharges you outside of dental related work? Outside of dentistry, my greatest joy is my family. I’ve been married to my wonderful husband Tim since 1991, and we have fi ve amazing children, two nieces and extended family who keep our lives full and joyful. We also share our home with two lovable Bernese Mountain Dogs who are always ready for a hike or a snuggle. My faith and community are central to my life. I love singing and serve as a can- tor at church, and I volunteer as a Mercy Hospice companion, which is a deeply humbling and meaningful experience. I recharge through simple pleasures — spending time outdoors, connecting with friends, hiking new trails, traveling to new places and enjoying quiet moments with my loved ones. These moments recharge me and keep me bal- anced and grateful.
Outstanding New
Dental Leader Dr. Brett Durbin
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
Network/Donated Dental Services, in which he is also a member of its Missouri Leadership Council.
In 2020, he was honored to have taken over the established practice of Dr. Charles Ryen on Springfi eld’s underserved northside and deeply enjoys growing that practice and taking care of his patients there. Prior to private practice, Dr. Durbin worked for six years in public health clinics and is proud of his experience in community health dentistry, where he mentored dental students on rotation and new dentists while being privileged to provide services to patients in healthcare shortage areas.
“Being a member of our wonderful profession and giving back to it in every way possible — whether through leadership, advocacy, outreach, education or participation in our rich community — is a sincere passion for me and I am thankful to be part of organized dentistry,” he said.
Dr. Durbin is a native of the Springfi eld area; he attended K-12 in Ozark and got his undergraduate degree at Drury University. His practice, Greater Springfi eld Dentistry, is located at 2235 East Kearney Street in Springfi eld.
You’ve been very active in organized dentistry as a new dentist. Is there a particular volunteer experience that pushed you to stretch yourself, or something you’ve enjoyed more than any other role; something for- mative? I think I can give you an answer to both parts of that question.
The most challenging experience for me as a new dentist was attend- ing Legislative Day in Jeff erson City. I’m fairly introverted and had never done anything quite like speaking to legislators on high-stakes issues — it was honestly intimidating. But I had wonderful mentors in my local component who helped me get comfortable. I’ll always re- member Dr. Cheryl Haley, our Greater Springfi eld Trustee at the time — she was amazing at connecting with legislators. Watching her in action during my fi rst two years made advocacy feel fun and approach- able. This spring, I went to Washington, D.C. as a dental advocate for the third time and handled three one-on-one meetings myself — something I never imagined doing when I started, so it’s been an absolutely formative experience!
r. Brett Durbin, Springfi eld, has been a notable new den- tist leader since his graduation from the UMKC School of Dentistry in 2014. He has served numerous roles at the state level, including trustee to the MDA Board, delegate to the MDA House, MDA Legislative and Regulatory Committee member, MDA Education Committee member, and Action Team Leader for the an- nual ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day. He is a past president of the Greater Springfi eld Dental Society and currently serves as its CE & Events Committee co-chair. He is a past member of the Missouri Academy of General Dentistry Board and the Academy of General Dentistry New Dentist Committee. He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the Interna- tional College of Dentists.
In the Springfi eld community, he has been a volunteer and former board member with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks Mobile Dental Unit, is a volunteer dentist for Springfi eld Public Schools dental health fair screenings and provides care to vulner- able populations as a volunteer dentist through the Dental Lifeline
On the other side, the most rewarding experience has been working with Dental Lifeline Network. The program connects dentists with elderly, disabled or at-risk veterans who need care — patients are pre-screened, lab costs are covered and the dentist just gets to focus on providing meaningful care. Every experience I’ve had through DLN has been incredibly fulfi lling, and I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a meaningful way to give back.
What are a few pieces of advice you would give to new dentists, now that you have 10 years of practice experience? Three things that have helped me build a healthier work-life balance and fi nd more satisfac- tion in my career:
Invest in community. In our increasingly isolated culture, it’s easy to go it alone. Don’t. Build connections — join Facebook groups, start text threads with colleagues, invite a friend to a dental meeting now and then. Dentistry has an incredible community, and I’d urge anyone not to make the mistake of missing out!
Learn fi nancial literacy. We all trade time for resources in this life — so take ownership of that and make it work for you. Attend transitions and personal fi nance seminars, subscribe to resources like The McGill
28 focus | SUMMER 2025 | ISSUE 2
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32
