Since graduating from ULSD in 2012, I have worked on the west end in a very high Medicaid practice. As such, I have learned a great deal from dealing with this population base.I have learned to be creative in my approach to treatment planning. These are people who want a great smile as much as you or me but don't have the means for large treatment plans. I have learned to find ways to give people their smiles without breaking their bank.I have learned how to deal with the stresses of the unplanned. Unfortunately, Medicaid patients have a high no show rate so my schedule can go from having 10 patients booked to only 2 showing up but 3 people showing up unscheduled with a toothache. You honestly never know what your morning or afternoon will be like and have to be willing to change things on the fly. It can lead to some chaotic moments in the office, but you learn to deal with the chaos.I have also learned to truly appreciate the power of someone's smile. With the large influx of new Medicaid patients over the last couple years, I have seen many patients who had not been to a dentist in 15 years. After a few visits and doing things as simple as fillings, many patients left with tears of joy and confidence in being able to smile again. When a patient walks out of the office that happy, there is no better feeling as a dentist knowing you have just improved that person's life.

Growing up, I quickly learned that life has a way of working itself out and not to get too stressed out about the details along the way. My laid back personality I think is very helpful in helping me succeed in dentistry. It allows my patients to feel comfortable, my staff to be happy, and not let a difficult procedure ruin my day. It has allowed me to try high anxiety patients without any form of sedation and have them return to work they had put off for years because they were scared of the dentist.My personal life consists mostly of family life. I have three young kids who get most of my free time. They push me to succeed to make their lives better. When I do get a little time to myself, it is usually spent doing sports related activities such as participating in rec league soccer or coaching youth sports. I also am a member of the East End Study Club. I try to keep myself involved and meeting new people.

During my time at the University of Louisville for undergrad, I was highly involved on campus. I was a founding father of the Phi Delta Theta to bring a chapter at the university where I held multiple offices (Treasurer, Risk Management, Community Service, Chaplain, Fundraising Chair). I was selected for the Greek Community Service Award during my last year of undergrad. I also participated in organizing U of L's Dance Marathon. Off campus I was a mentor for Big Brother Big Sister as well as helping to coach Russell High School soccer and middle school teams when time allowed.As a student at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry, I was elected as Social Chair for my 3rd and 4th year. I was a member of LASDA for 4 years.

I am have the certifications required of any active dentist (CPR, DEA, etc). I am also credentialed by Kentucky Medicaid for all of their groups (Passport, Humana Caresource, Anthem, Welcare, Aetna) and have been treating these patients since graduating from ULSD.