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DR . THAKKAR ’ S PERSONAL STORY — CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
I am faculty in the restorative department at University of Pennsylvania ’ s School of Dentistry , and have recently been asked to serve on the ADA Council on Membership . I paint in my free time and have recently remodeled my basement into a gym and have rededicated myself to working out .
Name some fun / interesting things about yourself that others would be surprised to learn .
I was an art teacher before going to dental school .
I live in a 200-year-old converted stone bank barn with a history deeply rooted Pennsylvania ’ s underground railroad .
I play the flute and harmonium .
Who was your greatest role model ?
I have had many amazing role models , so it would be difficult to pick just one . My father has been the most consistent example of dedication and commitment for me in my life . He has taught me the value of balancing working diligently and living freely . My father came to this country in 1984 with $ 75 and no English-speaking ability . He was a respected and successful dentist in India , but he left it all and came to the U . S . for a better life for his children . He worked wherever he could find a job to save enough for dental school in the U . S . He finally graduated from his foreigntraining program in 1989 . Since that time , he has built four dental offices from the ground up , put his children through school , and traveled the world . And even though it was hard sometimes – harder than he will ever tell us it has been – he has always been a beacon of light and my biggest fan . He has shown me how much success and joy one can achieve in a lifetime , and there is no better way to be a role model than by living your best life for the world to see .
What famous person would you most like to spend a day with ?
The famous person I would like to spend a day with is Dr . L . D . Pankey . I have spent most of my dental career so far trying to create a practice that embodies Dr . Pankey ’ s philosophy on patient-centered and relationship-focused care . Many of my mentors knew Dr . Pankey personally , and I can see how his presence in their lives has affected them . I wish I could have a day to understand more fully how Dr . Pankey came upon the principles that make dentistry as comprehensively gratifying as it has become for me since I have had the honor of learning about him .
Nancy Rosenthal , DDS SECOND DISTRICT
Did you always know you wanted to be a dentist when you were younger ? If not , what did you want to be when you grew up ? I decided to be a dentist at age 12 and I am very fortunate to achieve my goal .
What motivated you to pursue a career in organized dentistry ? I was looking for a mentor and it was the next logical step after graduation .
When and where did you attend dental school ? Temple University School of Dentistry , graduating in 1983 .
Where do you currently practice ? Jenkintown .
What do you believe is the most challenging issue facing dentistry as a profession ? The challenge of educating legislators on the scope of dentistry and its importance from grassroots to national level .
What do you believe is the most challenging issue facing organized dentistry ? Membership recruitment and retention and the message of the many values of membership .
DR . ROSENTHAL ’ S PERSONAL STORY Dr . Rosenthal grew up in Pittsburgh . She has a sister named Ellen . Dr . Rosenthal enjoys tennis , cooking , baking , zumba , reading and travel .
Name some fun / interesting things about yourself that others would be surprised to learn . I worked as a Sunday School teacher ; great grandfather was an officer in the Pa Regiment in the Civil War . His name was Charles Barclay ; sewed my own clothes in high school
Who was your greatest role model ? Golda Meir .
What famous person would you most like to spend a day with ? Ben Franklin .
14 JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2021 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL