I had the privilege of teaching alongside my partner and close friend Rich Rosenblatt at our Inaugural CEREC BootCamp last July and the Dentsply Sirona Academy in Charlotte, NC.   With 25 or so Imagen doctors present, these 3 days in Charlotte were the perfect combination of clinical education, leveraging technology, and community.   That is no coincidence however, as the DNA of Imagen Dental Partners is comprised of these 3 pillars.  

Today, I would like to highlight the community aspect of Clinical Education @ Imagen.  We have all either stated ourselves or heard the familiar reference that dentistry is like being on an island.  My personal journey in dentistry began with 3 years of active-duty service in the United States Navy.  In those early years I was surrounded by other Navy dentists in my residency program and both civilian and active-duty dentists at the Branch Dental Clinic at Naval Base Ventura County in California where I spent the next 2 years.  Community was a part of life in the military.  My subsequent journey into private practice was much different.  I set off to a rural practice in West-Central Minnesota where I practiced on my own from 2011-2016.   Although I found success on my own, I did not find the enjoyment I desired deep down because I was isolated.

Practice opportunity #2 came to me in 2014, when my father retired from dentistry.  With my younger brother a recent dental school grad, I jumped on the opportunity to help my dad into retirement and my brother into private practice.  Having just recently built a new office at practice #1, I made an early attempt to scale 2 practices with the same DPMS, digital imaging, HR, etc.  Most importantly, I was going to be less isolated than I was before.  In just 2 short years, opportunity #3 came to me via invitation from my dear friend Dr. Laura Menser.  The opportunity meant one main thing for me—practicing alone was no longer an option!  This was truly the beginning of my journey in building my own community of likeminded doctors, practicing together, helping each other, and supporting 3 practices and teams.  Although busier than ever, I was happier than ever to be building a community of my own.

I knew then I was meant to be in a thriving community.  I was starting to see and experience the benefits of practicing with other dentists before Imagen came to be.  Having dentist friends, joining groups and study clubs, and having professional memberships are all great, but to me they pale in comparison to the community we now have in Imagen.  Having had the privilege of being present when Imagen was in formation, I am truly amazed and grateful to see that the vision the founders had has become our reality.  Our group is an actual community.  We like each other.  We’re excited to help each other.  We want to grow ourselves and help others grow.  We want to have fun together, enjoy our work, and be better than we would have been had it not been for these relationships.

The BootCamp in July 2024 was just that.  From that course we all gained knowledge and experience on the CEREC, but we also connected with each other.  I’m sure I don’t know the half of it, as so many connections were certainly made among the attendees.  Personally, I was able to connect in particular with Jim Kerr from Hastings Dental in Minnesota and we now share frequent text messages about CEREC as he knows I’m a resource for him when he needs it.  I also made a friend in Dr. Terry Dingbaum, who practiced in Wisconsin.  When a life change brought him to the Twin Cities to be closer to his kids and grandkids, the connection that began at Summit and BootCamp led to an associateship in one of my offices.  These are just 2 examples, and I’m sure there are and will be many other such stories as we all build and participate in this revolutionary community together.

My path crossed with Rich’s and Michael Snider’s paths at the infamous Envisioning Session of January 2020.   These relationships and many others made through the Imagen community have given me more enjoyment, success, and satisfaction than I would have ever thought possible.  It has turned friends into partners and partners into friends.   I’m so grateful for you all, and here’s to the future and making one another better through the Imagen community.