Newsletter: A July to Remember

Temple City Dental Care Friends and Family,

Have a great summer! Here’s a piece Dr. V wrote for Arcadia Patch; we thought you might enjoy it

A July to Remember

Don’t know about you but, unlike everyone else on the Temple City Dental Care squad, I’m old enough to remember July 20, 1969. On that summer day, San Francisco Giants’ Hall of Fame pitcher, Gaylord Perry, hit his first major league home run versus the Los Angeles Dodgers at Candlestick Park by the bay. Vin Skully, calling the game, quoted Perry’s former manager; he shared, “He (Alvin Dark) once said; mark my words, a man will land on the moon before Gaylord Perry hits a home run.”

At 1:17 PM (PT), the eagle touched down on the lunar Sea of Tranquility. About 30-minutes later, Perry hit his first major league home run. And I saw both events live from my living room, hanging out with my dad. I can still remember legendary Walter Cronkite’s excited little kid commentary, “Oh boy!” Cronkite wasn’t alone.

For the past two Fridays, courtesy of Impact Internships, I’ve enjoyed the chance to speak to high school students interested in a health sciences or services career. And I relished the chance to return home to my undergrad alma mater, Cal State, LA. On the 50th anniversary of “One small step for man; one giant step for mankind,” I celebrated an anniversary of my own. Turns out, we’d also land a man on the moon before young Von Bulow would ever earn a bachelor’s degree and be accepted into dental school.

And both 50th anniversaries seemed significant and both played a part in my presentation (that was more like a conversation.) For one, remembering JFK’s choosing that we go to the moon within the decade and “…do other things, not because they’re easy but because they are hard” always underscores the power of having a vision…as a student, as the owner of a small business, or as someone who wants to help 20,000 people become healthy and be their own best complete health advocates.

And looking back some 50-years, it was good to have a conversation with the kid who started out with a 2.13 GPA and managed to focus and be committed to honoring his part of his father’s promise of 100% support in return for 100% effort. That kid worked full-time as a warehouseman, studied, slept, studied some more and was accepted by all five dental schools to which he applied.

When it came time for an interview at USC and the Dean of Admissions being disrespectful of my dad’s labor union career (as in, unions were good back in their day) 21-year old me asked the dean about his thoughts on slavery. On being stared down, the kid just stared back.

To share, mentor, or teach is to learn. I did my best to share mistakes, humanize a clinical service, and encourage some very cool, smart teenagers to be open, remain curious, and create a vision; and you might be seeing some of those students shadowing our team during one of your visits. We also addressed core values; our Temple City Dental Care’s being Family, Fun, Empathy, Accountability, Represent, Love, Enthusiasm, Service, and Support. And yeah, the values spell out Fearless; something I was when I was twenty-one and sitting in a Cal State, LA classroom.

My dad passed away before my eyes three months into opening our Temple City dental practice…and I think a little bit of the 21-year old was lost in the wind. The 50-year visit to the campus and the kid was long overdue. And the trip proved to be one giant step.

Can’t thank Impact Internships and some special San Gabriel valley students enough. I’ll be waiting with my phone in hand for another opportunity.