Dr . Samantha Abod , THIRD 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 ?
Yes ! When I was younger , I had a wonderful pediatric dentist in Kingston , Pa . He had a toy train that ran along the walls in his office ; I loved to watch that train ! When I was about 6 , I was at his office with my father for an appointment . I told my dad how much I loved the train and his response was , if you become a dentist , you could have a train just like that one ! What was once a passing joke , grew into a love of dentistry as my parents encouraged every science project with a dental focus that I had from that point forward . If dentistry did not work out , I wanted to be one of the water acrobats / trick skiers in the Sea World shows .
What motivated you to pursue a career in organized dentistry ?
While spending 10 years at the University of Pittsburgh , from undergrad to Orthodontic residency , I was always surrounded by colleagues , exchanging ideas and treatment advice . When I returned to my hometown of Harvey ’ s Lake , Pa ., I felt like I had very little connection to my dental community so organized dentistry seemed like a perfect way to connect with my peers . I am so grateful every day that I made that choice . I feel very lucky to practice with and be surrounded by amazing dental professionals in my community . I truly enjoy sharing ideas , struggles and successes personally and professionally with my friends at local meetings . Because of those interactions , my practice easily takes on a multidisciplinary approach to care that benefits my patients and my team ! I am so glad I went to my first dental meeting in 2008 and I would never give up my membership now !
Where do you currently practice ?
Our practice name is Quinn , Mariotti & Abod and we see wonderful patients in Clarks Summit , Carbondale , Honesdale , Dingman ’ s Ferry and Kingston . Currently , I practice in all five of my orthodontic practices in Pennsylvania .
What do you believe is the most challenging issue facing dentistry as a profession ?
I think a huge challenge in dentistry is promoting , inspiring and training the dental team . I think giving purpose to young professionals helps them to develop love for the profession that inspires greatness . Not only does a team require the highest quality training to provide the gold standard of dental care , but each member of the team must understand their impact and purpose to elevate the patient experience from adequate to outstanding . Our new dental professionals must understand the same feelings so they can build their own teams to provide amazing dental care ; our patients deserve it !
What do you believe is the most challenging issue facing organized dentistry ?
We all know that the only constant in life is change . Organized dentistry needs to change its mindset to be inclusive of the entire dental team and all dental practice modalities . All dental professionals deserve high quality continuing education , networking opportunities and an ability to have an impact on the profession beyond his / her singular voice . It should not matter if one practices alone or in a group with others , we are all members of the same dental community . At the end of the day , we all want the best for our teams , our patients and our profession ; together we are stronger !
When and where did you attend dental school ?
I attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine from 2001-2005 for my DMD then 2005-2008 for my Certificate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics .
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 33