Membership Issue
PETER BULLOCK, DMD
2014 graduate from the
Temple University Kornberg
School of Dentistry
Practices in Quakertown
1. How many years have you been in practice? How would you
describe your current practice setting? I have been practicing
since 2014. I am currently practicing as an associate in a private
practice that focuses on the development of relationships with
our patients.
2. Have your membership needs evolved with your career?
If so, how have your needs changed? I think all members’
needs evolve as their dental careers progress. The consistency
of legislative advocacy, updates on state regulations, and access
to CE that the PDA provides are always welcome resources that
I find myself using on a regular basis. Personally, my own needs
have evolved and changed as I have grown as a dentist. The
next phase for me will be looking to practice transitions, and the
PDA has the information and resources that will help guide me
through the process.
3. What has PDA done in the past five to 10 years that you
have found most beneficial personally or for the profession?
I enjoy the eNews and breaking news e-mails. These allow me
to stay up-to-date in a timely fashion. I have also heard rumors
of a potential PDA app coming out, which would really allow
an abundance of information and connections to be at the
fingertips of those who need it. I think that this would be hugely
beneficial to me personally as I would have instant access to the
information that I find myself seeking out.
4. What do you think will be the biggest challenge to the
profession in the next five to 10 years and how do you think
PDA can support you with addressing it? I think there are
a variety of challenges that will arise over the next five to ten
years. The main challenges, off the top of my head, are student
loans, insurance reimbursement, and lack of business acumen
upon graduating dental school. I think the biggest advantage
of the PDA is strength in numbers and working towards taking
on these issues together as a unified front. Another issue that I
believe will arise is the lack of collegiality in the profession. Ten
to fifteen years ago people would network at dental meetings.
It was much easier to ask a mentor about a big case or to get to
know the new dentist who practices down the street from you.
These face-to-face meetings allowed dental professionals
to make real-life connections that altered their view of the
dentists in the area. The meetings allowed dentists to learn
about colleagues who may be able to help with on-call,
discover a new brain to pick when planning a difficult case, or
finding a friend who can relate to the day-to-day stresses we all
encounter. However, in today’s world where online dental forums
and virtual CE courses are the norms, we lose the sense of
community that we once had. The PDA’s role in supporting this
obstacle would be setting up networking events that interested
dentists can attend. The PDA also has live meetings that offer a
unique opportunity to meet and connect with new people face
to face.
5. What would you say to a non-member as to why they should
join PDA? The top things that come to mind are legislative
advocacy, keeping members informed of the latest regulations
and continuing education. While all of these are important,
I believe that the networking aspect that the PDA provides is
by far the most important opportunity. This is especially true for
younger dentists who are just starting out in their careers. Often,
younger dental professionals are hesitant to involve themselves
in a new community. While it is understandable that these
young dentists would feel anxious about joining an already
established group of their peers and mentors, the collegial
and welcoming nature of the PDA allows all members to feel
as though they are an important part of a larger community.
What I have learned as a young dentist is that online continuing
education programs are great, but there is no substitute for the
personal connections I have made that allow me to continue
to grow. From a broader perspective, the relationships and
friendships made through the PDA help all of us strengthen
our profession as a whole. I would strongly encourage all recent
dental graduates to set the goal of coming to at least one PDA
event this year.
6. Do you believe you have a responsibility to the profession
to join PDA? Why? It was instilled in me by my late father that
being part of the PDA went hand in hand with becoming a
dentist. It is the organization that looks out for our profession
and allows dentists to connect with their peers. My membership
to the PDA is an important responsibility because it helps
the other dentists in the community and also improves our
profession in the long term. Everyone has their own value
system of what is important to them, but I think being a
member of the PDA should be towards the top.
7. If you weren’t a dentist what would you be? Honestly, if it
wasn’t for dentistry - most likely quarterback of the Philadelphia
Eagles or maybe a male model.
MARCH/AP RIL 2019 | P EN N SYLVAN IA DEN TAL JOURNAL
17