{"id":2005,"date":"2020-12-01T08:10:29","date_gmt":"2020-12-01T08:10:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/schools\/?p=2005"},"modified":"2020-12-01T16:47:53","modified_gmt":"2020-12-01T16:47:53","slug":"sharing-experiences-50-years-apart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazines.uthscsa.edu\/schools\/2020\/12\/01\/sharing-experiences-50-years-apart\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduates Share Experiences 50 Years Apart"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Catherine Duncan<\/p>\n

\"\"
Martin James \u201cJim\u201d Clark, D.D.S. Class of 1974<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While completing his undergraduate degree at The University of Texas at Austin in 1970, Martin James \u201cJim\u201d Clark, D.D.S. Class of 1974, applied to dental schools with the plan of going out of state. That all changed when he heard about the new dental school opening in San Antonio.<\/p>\n

Dr. Clark applied to and was accepted to The University of Texas Dental School at San Antonio. He was one of 16 who began dental school in September 1970 in borrowed space from the medical school, which had opened in September of 1968, under the now-named Holly Auditorium. Four years later, 14 would graduate.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were trying to create the curriculum as we were starting classes. We were definitely the guinea pigs,\u201d he said. \u201cWe went to school 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It was a grueling first two years. We did the first year of basic science courses with the medical students. That was tough.\u201d<\/p>\n

By the third and fourth years, dental school became easier, he said. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t trade the experience for the world. We had the opportunity to be part of the first graduating class. It was a special time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Clark said, as he looks back 50 years, \u201cDentistry has been a great career for me.\u201d After graduating, he joined the U.S. Air Force and completed a general practice residency. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to the School of Dentistry for his formal training in oral and maxillofacial surgery. He went into private practice in oral surgery in 1981. The Woodlands, Texas, resident retired in 2018.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Felix P. Majul, D.D.S. Class of 1974, retired in 2019 after having his own general practice near downtown San Antonio for 45 years.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Felix Perez Majul, D.D.S. Class of 1974, recalls being the oldest student in the first dental class. At 32 years old, he was married and had two children. His wife, Ana Maria Majul, worked while he went to dental school.<\/p>\n

Dr. Majul, who had already earned a pharmacy degree from UT Austin, said he remembers there were 600 applicants and only 16 selected to attend the fledgling dental school. He retired in 2019 after having his own general practice, located west of downtown San Antonio, for 45 years.<\/p>\n

Michael \u201cMike\u201d Boland, D.D.S. Class of 1974, said when his class began dental school, the war was raging in Vietnam, and the U.S. military was drafting young men into active service. \u201cWe worried a lot that some of our faculty, who were recently retired military members, would get called back.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Boland, who had already earned his bachelor\u2019s degree from UT Austin, and several of his classmates had joined the military when they applied to dental school. When he graduated, he was a captain and a dentist in the U.S. Army. After dental school, he completed the military\u2019s hospital dentistry residency and ended up treating warriors with the 82nd Airborne who were injured in Japan. When badly burned bodies were brought in, he would be asked to identify them since he had provided dental care to the young men.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Michael \u201cMike\u201d Boland, D.D.S. Class of 1974<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After three years of active duty, he left the military and moved his family to Alice, Texas, near the coast. He had a private general dentistry practice until retiring in 2000 due to debilitating arthritis in his neck. Dr. Boland advises young dentists to contribute monthly to a savings account plus invest in the stock market. \u201cDon\u2019t depend solely on your practice for your retirement. Have the foresight to put money away,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Paul E. McLerran, D.D.S. Class of 1974, said while attending Baylor University in Waco, Texas, for his undergraduate degree, he worked as a surgical orderly in a hospital after his sophomore year. \u201cI had started off in college as pre-med\/pre-dentistry. I didn\u2019t know what I wanted to do. During that summer, I decided medicine wasn\u2019t for me.<\/p>\n

\u201cA friend suggested I look into dentistry. I had always liked doing things with my hands and fixing things,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Although Dr. McLerran was accepted into the established dental school in Houston, his parents lived in San Antonio, and he was excited about starting at a dental school where everything was new.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had a lot of faculty compared to the number of students. We had almost one-on-one attention. We really got to know our faculty and build close relationships with them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The small class size also meant each student received a lot of clinical experience. \u201cOur clinical operatories were under the auditorium. We each had our own operatory at that time,\u201d Dr. McLerran said. \u201cWhen we graduated from dental school, we all felt very confident about our clinical ability.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Paul E. McLerran, D.D.S. Class of 1974<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After graduating, he worked with an older dentist for four years before having his own practice for five years. \u201cI developed a neurological disease that caused muscle weakness, and I eventually didn\u2019t feel comfortable practicing. I sold my practice to a classmate in 1983.\u201d<\/p>\n

Like Dr. Boland, he said he had disability insurance that helped him while he decided what to do next. Not wanting to leaving San Antonio, he partnered with a friend in commercial real estate development in the 1980s. He took business and real estate courses around the country. His business experience led him to opening in 1987 McLerran & Associates, which provides practice appraisals, sales and transition consulting services to dentists throughout Texas. He worked full time in the brokerage of dental practices until 2010, when his son and a partner took over.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was lucky to be able to retrain myself, go into a new business, and retire early. When I think back, I always remember what a great experience I had at the dental school.\u201d<\/p>\n

TODAY’S D.D.S. CLASS<\/h3>\n
\"\"
Hevony Rodriguez, D.D.S. Class of 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although the first classmates began school during the divisive Vietnam War, those graduating from the School of Dentistry in 2020 had no idea when the spring semester began that they would be experiencing an unprecedented, challenging final chapter of their education. In March, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world, including the school and all clinical activities. School leaders and faculty transitioned to virtual education to allow students to complete their studies and later scheduled clinical experience. A virtual graduation and delayed boards rounded out their completion of dental school.<\/p>\n

Hevony Rodriguez, D.D.S. Class of 2020, said while dental school was very challenging, she made lifelong friends. \u201cI also was so fortunate to have some great mentors and professors who helped me along the way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Rodriguez said her experience at the School of Dentistry changed her opinion about the type of dentistry to practice. The Laredo native was first introduced to dentistry in high school through a magnet program for health and sciences. \u201cI shadowed a dentist and fell in love with helping patients and making them feel better and gain confidence,\u201d said Dr. Rodriguez, who went on to earn her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M International University in Laredo.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I started dental school, I really thought I wanted to go into private practice and own my own business,\u201d she said. \u201cHowever, since middle school, I had been volunteering in my community. I continued doing volunteer service but through summer rotations with the dental school. In community clinics, I was able to help populations that can\u2019t afford dental care. During my final year of school, I decided I wanted to start off in community health dentistry.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Zeki Abdulaali, D.D.S. Class of 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr. Rodriguez, who earned scholarships throughout her undergraduate and dental education, applied for the loan repayment program through the Health Resources and Services Administration. She was accepted and now works in community dentistry and receives assistance in paying off her student loans. Since Aug. 31, she has been working in general dentistry for adults and children at Gateway Community Health Center, Inc., in Laredo.<\/p>\n

Zeki Abdulaali, D.D.S. Class of 2020, said although he always wanted to be a dentist, he didn\u2019t have the courage to pursue his dream. He earned his undergraduate degree and became an engineer. Although he was accepted to graduate school at Purdue University, he realized he wouldn\u2019t be happy in engineering. He joined the U.S. Army and was deployed to his homeland of Iraq. A conversation with a dentist in the Army revealed to him all the rewards of becoming a dentist. \u201cI decided to volunteer at Fort Polk in Louisiana as a dental assistant. I really enjoyed caring for patients and teaching them about oral care.\u201d<\/p>\n

After leaving the Army in 2013, Dr. Abdulaali moved to Texas to earn his bachelor\u2019s degree in immunology and microbiology at UT San Antonio so he would have the prerequisites needed for dental school. \u201cI was thrilled to be accepted into dental school at UT Health San Antonio. I was very fortunate to be in the Class of 2020.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no class as great as my class. We all cared about each other. I will never forget how supportive the faculty was to all of us. The administrative staff is great too,\u201d he said. \u201cDrs. Glass, Segura, Dodge, Loomer and Jennifer Sandlin were all so supportive. The level of our clinical faculty is astounding. They are each elite in their specialty.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Samantha J. Whitten, D.D.S. Class of 2020<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr. Abdulaali moved to California after graduation and is now waiting to receive his license there. \u201cI want to open up my own practice here. I would like to settle down and have a family. I can finally put down roots.\u201d<\/p>\n

Samantha J. Whitten, D.D.S. Class of 2020, said while she was always interested in science, she started off as an undergraduate student in pre-med but was never 100 percent certain about a career in medicine. After her sophomore year at Texas A&M University in College Station, Dr. Whitten\u2019s hometown dentist in Bastrop, Texas, asked about her career plans and suggested she shadow dentists for a week that summer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved it. I liked helping patients through a dental procedure that could be painful or stressful for them,\u201d she said. \u201cOut of my acceptances, I decided to go to the dental school where I felt the best. The School of Dentistry has the friendliest people, a great availability of selectives, and a focus on community service. I also saw that the faculty and students seemed to have a great relationship. Plus, the Center for Oral Health Care and Research is a new high-tech facility for patient care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Whitten said the dental school was ideal for her because she was able to be involved in and lead student organizations and serve on the school\u2019s curriculum committee. She also tutored through the school and on her own time.<\/p>\n

Since graduating, Dr. Whitten began a one-year internship in oral and maxillofacial surgery with the School of Dentistry. She said since early July, the OMS team has stayed busy because of emergency procedures allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic. \u201cWe\u2019ve had to adapt and respond. We saw a lot of patients delay getting care because of COVID-19. We are now doing a lot of infection control,\u201d said Dr. Whitten, who is applying for a four- to six-year residency in OMS.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Dental Hygiene Class of 1978 members gathered for a 40th reunion in 2018. Those in attendance are (from left) Leonor Perez, Debbie Driffill, Shelly Clark, Cheryl Loney, Laura Lopez, Krystal Krischke, Cindy Doyle, Brenda Neitsch and Annette Poplin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

DENTAL HYGIENE FIRST GRADS<\/h3>\n

While the dental\u2019s school first class began in 1970 and graduated in 1974, the university\u2019s dental hygiene program began in 1976 and celebrated its first graduates of the then-two-year certificate program in 1978. These first students experienced some of the same advantages and disadvantages of the first dental students.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Linda Roberts, D.H. Class of 1978, RDH<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Linda Roberts (Snow), D.H. Class of 1978, RDH, said she had no idea what she wanted to do when she graduated from Judson High School in San Antonio in 1975. A personality test in high school recommended careers in either nursing or dental hygiene. \u201cAt that time, I felt like I could never give an injection so I didn\u2019t pursue nursing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roberts heard about the new dental hygiene program being offered through the then-named School of Allied Health Sciences at UT Health San Antonio. She applied and was accepted in 1975 but had to wait until classes began in 1976. During that time, Roberts worked as a dental assistant which gave her the opportunity to see if she wanted a career in dentistry.<\/p>\n

She was one of 48 students who began class in the fall of 1976. \u201cThere were those of us who were basically straight out of high school. You had women who had raised their kids and were ready to start a profession. And, we had those who had been in the military and were looking for a new career,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the fact that we were so diverse, and we were the first class made us a really close group,\u201d she said. \u201cWe were a family. We struggled through everything together. It really was a great experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

After becoming a certified dental hygienist, Roberts went back to work briefly for Dr. T. Hulan Yarbrough in Universal City where she had first worked as a dental assistant. \u201cWe soon moved to Houston where I worked for a dentist in Kingwood, Texas, for nine years before moving to Oregon and working there for 25 years. I have been in Rochester, Minnesota, practicing for the last seven years.\u201d
\nRoberts, who still works four days a week, plans to retire on Feb. 1, 2022, with 42 years of total service as a dental hygienist. \u201cI\u2019m a people person. I enjoy making people feel better. In one hour, I feel like I can make a difference in their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n

Debbie Driffill, D.H. Class of 1978, RDH, fondly recalls her all-female class. \u201cWe had a great group of girls. We worked hard, and we played hard.\u201d She remembers tuition for her first semester was \u201ca whopping $99.\u201d<\/p>\n

Driffill does remember several differences to schooling and the profession from today\u2019s dental hygiene world. \u201cWe had to wear white caps, dresses, hose and shoes similar to nursing uniforms. One of our classmates arrived for class once and had forgotten her white hose. She used white shoe polish, which we used on our white shoes, to paint her legs white so she could go to class. We all sat in class watching to see if she would get caught. We still laugh about that today.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said other changes involve practicing in dental offices. \u201cWe didn\u2019t even wear gloves to work on patients until the early 1980s after the outbreak of HIV. Now, because of COVID-19, we are working in full PPE. Technology has changed everything too. No more paper file folders. And, it was wonderful when X-rays went digital so we no longer had to develop the film in the office.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile there have been many changes in our profession, one thing never changes: The fulfillment you get from helping a patient with dental issues and teaching him or her oral health care,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Driffill is still working full time after 42 years as a dental hygienist. Since 1997, she has worked for Gary W. Shults, D.D.S. Class of 1988.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Anna Vu, B.S.D.H. Class of 2020, RDH<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

GRADUATING DURING A PANDEMIC<\/h3>\n

While this year\u2019s graduates who earned a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene benefited from an established program, they saw their last semester of school altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Everything from enjoying final classes together to experiencing clinical experiences to walking the stage in front of family and friends would not occur for this class. But, as they attest, they grew stronger and more resilient.<\/p>\n

Anna Vu, B.S.D.H. Class of 2020, RDH, said growing up in an Asian family meant she was encouraged to become a doctor. \u201cI knew in my heart that I didn\u2019t want to be a physician. Growing up in Houston, I always enjoyed going to the dental hygienist. I knew I wanted to be a dental hygienist.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although she thought she would go to dental hygiene school in Houston, her first interview in San Antonio with a faculty member changed her mind. \u201cI saw how great the dental hygiene faculty are here. I got to speak to students who had volunteered to meet with applicants. They loved it here. After that experience, I knew this was where I wanted to come,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Vu said her favorite aspect of school was the clinical work in the community. \u201cI found it very rewarding to serve populations\u2014including homeless and intellectually disabled individuals\u2014who I had never been exposed to. This really opened me up to a world where they so desperately need oral health care.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Jerry Suarez, B.S.D.H. Class of 2020, RDH<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vu said the administration and faculty made adjustments so that she and her classmates could receive delayed clinical experience and be prepared academically for their exam. She was able to get a job at a general practice after passing her boards. \u201cI started working feeling so prepared and confident. I feel like ours is one of the best programs in the nation. The faculty really care how you are doing in school. If you are having issues, they come in with a plan to help. The faculty were always there to help us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jerry Suarez, B.S.D.H. Class of 2020, RDH, said he can remember in elementary school a dental professor coming to his class and explaining the importance of oral health care. \u201cThat is why I always took care of my teeth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Suarez said he was attending college in California when a family emergency required him to withdraw his admission from a dental hygiene program there and move to San Antonio. \u201cThe admissions officer in California was so nice that she started looking into dental hygiene programs here to help me. She was so impressed to read about this program and that I could earn my bachelor\u2019s degree.\u201d
\nOnce Suarez started the dental hygiene program at UT Health, he said he was impressed by the faculty members who were dedicated to professionalism and patient care. \u201cIt was a lot more hands on than I had expected. I graduated knowing I was really prepared to treat patients,\u201d said Suarez, who is working for a general dentistry practice. \u201cI can confidently say I chose the right path. I love helping people with their oral hygiene and taking care of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Allison Aguirre, B.S.D.H. Class of 2020, RDH<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Allison Aguirre, B.S.D.H. Class of 2020, RDH, said she is proud of all the hurdles her class had to overcome to graduate and pass their licensing exam during a global pandemic. \u201cEverything was delayed because of COVID-19. As a class, we didn\u2019t take the boards until the summer. Most of us didn\u2019t get licensed until August. That was a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Aguirre had worked as a dental assistant for five years before starting dental hygiene school. \u201cI wanted to be able to do more for my patients. I wanted to expand my knowledge in this profession,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was so happy when I was accepted to the program. I have made lifelong friendships from my time there. I also will always remember the community service I was able to provide while getting my degree. I had a great time and learned so much about dental care,\u201d said Aguirre, who once again is working at Tier One Dental in Seguin but now as a registered dental hygienist.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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