When I learned of Dr. Pete Dawson’s recent passing, it caused me to pause and reflect on the whole of my life and practice of dentistry. The depth of his understanding and confidence in a better way in dentistry, paired with humility and a love of others, would cause those that encountered him to ask big questions. At the same time, he was a skilled clinician, teacher, and philosopher.
His passion was teaching and was committed to developing and leading thousands of dentists through a curriculum that elevated their dental care by encouraging them to pay attention to the whole of the person and the complete chewing system.
When my own father (a dentist 40 years in practice) suggested 10 years ago that I should pursue continuing education with Dr. Pete Dawson, I knew that I could trust his advice. My father had also been taught by Dr. Dawson in the 1980s.
When I began classes with Dr. Dawson and his colleagues at The Dawson Academy in 2011, I committed myself to a path of professional growth and development. Over the course of five years and more than 100 hours of instruction, we learned and implemented systems that improved every aspect of how we provide dental care at Monroe Street Family Dental. However, I didn’t yet understand how learning his approach would transform the way I approached the care of each of our patients.
The professional lessons are too many to list here, but I’ll list a few:
- When a patient tells us “that was the most thorough exam I have ever had,” I thank Dr. Dawson.
- When we find the best and most conservative option for a patient with complex problems, I thank Dr. Dawson.
- When we routinely ask ourselves “Would I Do It On Myself?” (WIDIOM), I thank Dr. Dawson.
- When I remind myself that the best practice of dentistry depends on finding balance in life, I thank Dr. Dawson.
A few times in your life you have an opportunity to learn from one of the best. So many of us are better dentists and people on account of your life and example. Thank you, Dr. Dawson.
If you would like to learn more about Dr. Dawson and his legacy, you can read more here.