Confessions of a Modern Dentist: True Stories from Above and Beyond the Chair

In this book, his story described love, happiness, and determination. He discussed personal experiences that scarred him for life, but serendipity played a role and helped him find his loving wife and discover his career as a dentist. He discussed his life as he struggled through dental school with his wife and two children. There were stories about working as the staff dentist at a community clinic and proceeding on to open his own practice. He discussed the transition and made it clear that it isn't easy to just start your own practice. Dr. Shinn spent some time substituting at the Seattle/King County Jail as a dentist. His practice started slow, he split up the day to incorporate a variety of patients. He was able to see children, patients in need of general dentistry, and oral surgery. He also offered inducements to people to come into his practice. Later on, Dr. Shinn discussed how he was able to find his happiness by providing healthcare, supplies and disease prevention education to remote areas of the world where there is little or no access to it, such as orphanages and refugee camps. I found this book to be inspirational. I'm in the process of applying to dental school in order to hopefully be able to help community in the future. However, after reading this book my eyes have been opened to possibility of being able to help others who are less fortunate outside of community yet still practice dentistry and not be limited to the local office.