2009 winter wmdds bulletin:layout2005

Bulletin

WINTER ISSUE 2009VOL. 41, NO. 3

WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | WINTER ISSUE 2009 1

Contents

President’s Message ...................................................................................................... 2

2009 Silent Bell Recipient William Avery ................................................................... 4

2009 Silent Bell Recipient William Rocker ................................................................. 8

Silent Bell Past Recipients ............................................................................................12

WMDDS Honors Life Members .................................................................................14

Employee Performance Reviews..................................................................................15

Project Homeless Connect...........................................................................................16

Trustee Report ..............................................................................................................18

Program Review ...........................................................................................................20

Classified Ads................................................................................................................22

Advertiser Index ...........................................................................................................23

GRCC Dental Auxiliary Program Honored with 2008 Steel Water Award ..............24

Mission StatementThe Bulletin is the newsletter of the WMDDS and its mission is to inform the membership of

upcoming and recent events, state & local issues related to dentistry, and as a forum for its officers,

representatives, and members to discuss appropriate topics of interest to the membership.

Communication & Advertising PolicyThe Bulletin will publish submitted articles from members and others that relate to the practice of

dentistry, small business, social, or political issues affecting dentists, or other subjects of interest to

the membership. All published items are subject to space restrictions and the community standards

of the WMDDS. The editors reserve the right to reject any article or advertisement deemed

inappropriate and to edit submissions as they see fit.

Submission & Publication Policy:Articles and advertisements must be submitted no later than the 1st of the month preceding

publication date. The Bulletin has six publications: the directory issue, fall issue, holiday

issue, winter issue, spring issue, and summer issue. Direct submissions or correspondences to:

Dr. Bruce Weny • 255 Washington SE • Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Phone: 616.451.2336 FAX 616.222.1345 • Email: [email protected]

Include “Newsletter” in the subject line.

Editor Bruce Weny

Associate Editors Jeff SmithTara MeachumSeth VrugginkJames Papp

Advertising Editor Elaine FlemingExecutive SecretaryWMDDS511-F Waters BuildingGrand Rapids, MI 49503(616) [email protected]

West Michigan District Dental SocietyExecutive Board 2008-2009President Doug KillianPresident-Elect Douglas KleinVice President Seth VrugginkSecretary-Treasurer Ryan LebsterEditor Bruce WenyImmediate Past

PresidentAmy De Young

Directors Larissa BishopTylor WolfChristopher Morgan

Area RepresentativesKent County Brant ErbentrautIonia-Montcalm

Kathleen EllsworthCountyMecosta County Margaret GingrichOttawa County Thomas Phares

MDA IV District Connie VerhagenTrustees Norman Palm

Big Rapids Dental Study Club Officers, 2008-2009President Erick PerroudVice President Erick PerroudSecretary Christa SternTreasurer Erick Perroud

Holland-Zeeland Dental Society Officers, 2008-2009President Ryan LebsterTreasurer Robert AnkermanSecretaryImmediate Past

President

Ionia-Montcalm Dental Study Club Officers, 2008-2009President-Secretary Lowell SwartzVice President-

TreasurerKirkwood Faber

Kent County Dental Society Officers, 2008-2009President Paul O’GradyVice President Brant ErbentrautSecretary David ArmbrechtTreasurer Lathe Miller

West Michigan Dental Foundation OfficersPresident Thomas HarmonVice President Donald Vander LindeSecretary Matthew GietzenTreasurer Carl Kruyswyk

The Bulletin of the West Michigan Dental Societyis published six times a year (Directory issue,Sept./Oct., Nov./Dec., Jan./Feb., Mar./Apr., andMay/June). The opinions expressed in The Bulletinare not necessarily the opinions of the WestMichigan District Dental Society.

Contributions to The Bulletin are welcome andshould be addressed to The Bulletin Editor, 255Washington SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Requestsfor purchase of advertising space should be direct-ed to the Advertising Editor, Elaine Fleming, (616)234-5605. The deadline is the 1st of the monthprior to publication.

© 2008-2009 West Michigan District DentalSociety Bulletin

About the Cover

2009 Silent Bell Recipients Dr. William Avery and Dr. William Rocker.

WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | WINTER ISSUE 2009

he economic forecast for Michigan and our country

is showing few signs of improvement in the near

future. What impacts can we expect in dentistry?

Many of us are already “slowing down” and are well aware

of changes in the attitudes and concerns of our patients.

Employers and insurance companies are drastically changing

and even eliminating policies for many people who are used

to being well covered. Many patients are beginning to delay

necessary treatment until their jobs or incomes stabilize, and

some are not coming in altogether. This obviously creates

some stress and anxiety for our practices as well as our own

employees. Dentistry in our area has not experienced such a

recession in many years, and in fact, has probably had steady

growth with more emphasis towards esthetics and elective

procedures. If dentistry is experiencing some decline, are

other areas of the healthcare field experiencing the same? This

raises concerns for the overall health of our patients. Perhaps

our chair or our office is the only health-related attention

some people are receiving. I would think that an economic

recession also increases the access to care issue. It definitely is

increasing public awareness of access to care, with many more

people out of work. This is an area where we, in dentistry, have

an opportunity to take initiative and make an attempt to

address the need as exemplified with the recent Project

Homeless Connect held at Van Andel Arena in January.

Approximately 203 patients were seen and helped. Another

way to take initiative with access to care is the upcoming Oral

Health Coalition Day. Our MDA trustees highly recommend

all of us becoming involved by meeting our local legislators

to push for increased funding of Healthy Kids Dental. If you

are interested, call and we will get you some information

to attend.

The economic changes may also have some of us rethink-

ing our ways. This may, for some of us, be useful. It is a good

time to review systems and protocols within our offices.

Improved efficiency and patient care will most likely result.

Finding the time for continuing education or volunteerism

may be more attainable. More dentists are venturing into

marketing with the hopes of attracting new patients.

Marketing can be done well and tastefully, thereby maintaining

public perception of the profession and accomplishing the

goal. However, I have recently seen and heard some advertis-

ing that makes me question whether or not it was for used cars

or dentistry. This alarms me, that when times are tough,

we may potentially resort to retail-style marketing to attract

patients. It takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, and

strategy to create the proper image of our profession to the

public. It really is a matter of maintaining professionalism and

ethics which helped us climb to where we are. When we resort

to using retail tactics, we are training our patients and the

public that all we offer is a product you can buy anywhere as

opposed to a genuine specialized healthcare service. There are

so many ways to attract new patients to our offices without

compromising our integrity. Taking good care of the patients

we have is a time-tested proven strategy that will build your

office without spending a dime! I challenge all of you to use

the “slower” times productively, give a little back, and take care

of the profession we have spent so much time to build.

2

P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E

Reaching Our GoalsBy Dr. Doug Killian, WMDDS President

T


hen Patricia Whetzel first met William Avery

during an open house at her Ohio State sorority,

Delta Delta Delta, Bill was in dental school and

Pat was in her third year of undergraduate studies on her way

to becoming a secondary education teacher, and later, an

elementary education instructor. The tri-Delts were known to

attract more than just a few boys like Bill, a member of the

dental fraternity, Psi Omega, on the OSU campus, so it wasn’t

unusual that Bill and a half a dozen of his dental school

buddies would have been found there amongst the throng.

One thing led to another, and, before you know it, Bill is

showing his romantic and considerate side by insisting that

the lovely Patty Whetzel accept a pair of ski gloves that he

purchased just for her for a ski outing he had planned. She was

duly impressed because this was just their third date together!

Fast forward through some 35mm slides and, several years

later, a marriage and two children – Brian born in 1970 and

Laura born in 1973 – follow. In 1967, Bill and Pat were

married in Cincinnati, Pat’s hometown, before Bill entered his

final year at OSU. She readily cites Bill’s compassion, atten-

tiveness, entertaining personality, sweetness, and his “family

man” dependability that all quickly come to mind when asked

to list his many attributes. Bill jokingly states that Pat demurely

rejects his attempts to shower her with jewelry; however, she

reserves the right to change her mind about that. Bill adores

Pat’s past and present ability to selflessly serve as a great advo-

cate for her husband and her children. But before we get too

far along on the life that these two have chosen to share, let’s

snap an old carousel of slides onto the projector and look even

further back into the life and times of one Bill Avery.

Bill is the oldest of three children born to Allen Avery,

M.D., and Ruth (Munn) Avery. The senior Dr. Avery completed

his undergraduate studies at Denison and received his medical

degree from Western Reserve, now known as Case Western.

The family settled in Granville, Ohio, and Dr. Avery quickly

established himself as the town’s preeminent general physi-

cian and, with a year of training in obstetrics cut short by the

Depression, Dr. Avery quickly became the “go-to guy” when

the nearby Ob/Gyn wasn’t available. Although the heightened

activity this mix of Dr. Avery’s medical practice caused, Bill

has fond memories of his father and greatly appreciates the

sacrifices his father and mother made for the family. Hard

work was promoted and accepted by all as good therapy for

the heart and the soul. At a very early age, Bill learned to fill

in for his father at home and quickly became his mother’s

Mr. Fix-it.

Bill’s father passed along his fondness for trains and was

fortunate to be able to shower the boy with Lionel models

from time-to-time. Unfortunately, that first generation of “O”

gauge trains caused, as Bill puts it, “one hour of play for every

two hours of work to get the things to run.” Thus, a firm foun-

dation was formed for the necessary hand-to-eye coordination

needed for his ultimate vocation, dentistry. Bill always

remembers being good with his hands. In fact, Bill remembers

becoming quite the curiosity to the numerous Denison

University psych students who would invade the Granville

school system with its rich supply of human lab rats. Bill

became famous for mastering exercises that required tactile

agility, a superior spatial relations acuity, and the necessary

application of abstract logic. His scores were off the charts on

these tests. Little did he know it way back in the sixth grade,

but Avery child number one was well on his way to becoming

a dentist.

When Dr. and Mrs. Avery could carve out the precious

little time the medical practice would allow, Bill, Bill’s brother,

Chris, and his sister, Leslie, often found themselves crammed

into the big family auto with mom and dad for the numerous

family outings. Bill recalls his father’s propensity for cram-

ming just about everything they owned into a couple of old

Hartman steamer trunks and off the Averys would go – the

4

2 0 0 9 S I L E N T B E L L R E C I P I E N T

William Avery, DDSBy Dr. Hank Milanowski

W


best dressed and best equipped family on the road at any given

time. The need for plenty of clothes was due to the fact that

Dr. Avery was considered to be a haberdasher’s dream-come-

true: the man had a penchant for only the best for himself and

his family. But don’t be mistaken. Bill wasn’t any “Little Lord

Fauntleroy” by any stretch of the imagination, although he

willingly admits to being the best-dressed kid on the block any

day of the week. Suits were worn on more than just Sundays,

as it turns out. This was of no concern to Bill, however. He was

big and tough enough to play center on the school’s basketball

team and took no flak for his groomed looks. Unfortunately,

that hand-to-eye coordination he learned early on didn’t lend

itself well to the game of basketball because his coaches

constantly accused him of watching the ball too much as he

attempted to dribble it. As it turns

out, his best sports by far were track

and football. Bill did well for himself

as a youngster. Like any kid, Bill

thought he had it tough at the time

but soon came to understand that his

upbringing was ideal in many ways.

Curiously, Bill’s father was born in

Columbus, Ohio, and his mother in

Ann Arbor, Michigan, a fact that adds

intrigue to the Avery-Munn connec-

tion to the two states. Bill’s maternal

grandfather built a log home on Lake

Bellaire, up north in Michigan’s Antrim

County. The Avery-Munn roots run

deeper in Ohio than Michigan;

however, his great-grandfather Munn

ran a mill in Flowerfield, Michigan, located just south of

Schoolcraft. The mill served as the monetary and skill basis

for that log home built in 1935 which is still standing in

Bellaire. Although the senior Dr. Avery didn’t completely

embrace the thought of leaving his extremely busy medical

practice for extended stays in northern Michigan, he obliged

willingly. Quite honestly, he’d much rather have hauled the

family down to the Greenbrier which he did quite often. If you

are unfamiliar with the Greenbrier nestled in the mountains

in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, near the New River

Gorge, think: “Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel on a giant

scale.” Although Bill’s father enjoyed the golf offered at those

turn-of-the-century courses at the Greenbrier in the ‘40s and

‘50s, Bill never caught that bug. Riding horses at the resort?

Yes. Chasing a dimpled white ball? Not so much.

When he had his own children, Bill got wise to the fact that

riding horses is a lot cheaper than actually owning and feed-

ing them. He and Patty never pushed that love onto their son

or daughter. They caught bugs of an academic nature instead.

Pat and Bill were always very supportive of their children’s

inclination towards higher – and higher and higher – education.

Maybe even a bit too supportive given the fact that Brian has

an electrical engineering degree and a computer engineering

degree from Michigan State, an M.B.A., and a law degree from

Case Western. He practices patent law in Cleveland and

reports to his parents that he enjoys

it immensely. Laura completed her

undergraduate studies at Michigan

and received her M.D. from Wayne

State. She presently is an academic

physician at Harvard University

teaching radiology there and at Mass

General in the emergency depart-

ment. Laura and her husband, Jake

Remley, an analyst and portfolio

manager for a bond fund firm in

Boston, have the only two Avery

grandchildren: William, born in

2006, and Jonathon, born in January

of this year. Even though they live out

east, both grandparents have had

numerous chances to spoil these two

little darlings. Laura has been back in Michigan with the little

ones quite often as it turns out – once to teach a radiology

class at MSU’s med school and a few other times to visit up

north and attend a wedding of someone in the extended Avery

clan. Pat has been fortunate enough to enjoy extended stays in

the Boston area after the birth of both babies. The Remleys

and the Averys are destined to keep the airlines financially

healthy for some time to come.

Bill’s interests vary widely and wildly. Beyond his love of

model railroading, which has been put on a significant hiatus

as of late, Bill could tinker ‘til dawn, Pat insists, in his three car

5



garage in a home they built in 1985 on Lake Bellaire. His

immediate goal is to finish restoring an old ’52 Penn Yan wood

boat plus a perfectly-mated 25HP Merc motor for the grand-

kids to use someday, although brother, Chris, and he are

beginning to believe that a safer alternative may be in the

grandkids’ better interest. Other hobbies include photog -

raphy, a smattering of waterskiing, and servicing a ’69 red

Volkswagen Beetle that Pat and he purchased in Germany for

a six week jaunt around Europe. They completed that trip a

summer or two after they were married. They had it shipped

back after the European vacation and can’t find the heart to let

it go. Bill insists that he’ll teach the grandkids how to use a

stick shift someday on it. A ’69 Beetle, Bill? Maybe he may

want to rethink that like he did with the Penn Yan.

Bill’s first “hobby of choice” would probably trend towards

photography. He actually supported himself quite well through

his undergrad and grad days by working as a photographer’s

assistant and later on as a very successful photographer, thus

the affinity for all things photographic. Continuing education

lectures in days gone by would

find “A/V Avery” popping up

during a course and fiddle with

the speaker’s projector set-up. He

couldn’t resist; however, he could

always be depended upon to bail

out a speaker with the correct

replacement for a burned out

projector bulb or coax the obsti-

nate slide carousel into working

properly. Although he reports being on his fifth generation of

a digital camera, he still maintains a darkroom in his base-

ment. Dr. Avery concedes that digital is the way to go but

laments the fact that his old film-based SLR lenses may never

be able to be mated to the new technologies presently avail-

able. Bill also has quite an impressive collection of old maps,

too. Curiosities like those old lenses he has laying around the

two houses the Averys own.

Needless to say, they are plenty of activities that will keep

Bill busy if and when he ever retires. He’s mulling a transition

of his practice located on Parchment Drive, his fourth loca-

tion since leaving Columbus where, upon graduation, he

worked for a year in a federal program designed to treat the

underserved in the core of the city while Pat landed an ele-

mentary position in the Columbus ‘burbs. Without a doubt,

Bill would certainly be a wonderful mentor. Some lucky man

or woman is going to be very fortunate to end up under Bill’s

steadfast guidance.

Bill’s first Grand Rapids location was next to the old Treet’s

Pharmacy on the northwest corner of Michigan and Ball. In

light of the fact that his maternal grandfather ended up

becoming the chairman of the Ransom & Randolph board of

directors, Bill set up that first office with Mitch Sedam, a sales-

man for Litton Dental, the R&R successor. Bill worked a

summer at the Detroit branch of the old R&R and gained an

immense knowledge of how to assemble, disassemble, and

maintain dental equipment. More of that tinkering ability

quickly comes to mind. His second practice location was in a

building near the old Riley’s Pharmacy near Forest Hill and

Cascade Road. Another spot he chose was behind the present

7-Eleven on Forest Hill, north of Cascade Road. His present

locale was built in 1980. Bill points out that this practice

location has left him fortunate

enough to share space with some

outstanding medical and dental

professionals over the years and

he has no intention of leaving that

type of environment.

One of his favorite affiliations,

the Vedder Society, has benefited

from Dr. Avery’s long term

membership, along with countless

other organizations. He proudly proclaims to continue his

contributions as a chief examiner for the North East Regional

Board of Dental Examiners in that organization’s quest to

protect the public and elevate the status of the profession by

insuring that only the truly competent receive an initial

license to practice. Suffice it to say, a lengthy perusal of Bill’s

prodigious curriculum vitae will undoubtedly give the reader

a true sense of this man’s extensive and wide-ranging involve-

ment in dental and non-dental organizations.

Truly, Bill serves as a man that possesses the quintessential

body of work worthy for receiving our Society’s highest honor,

the Silent Bell. Well done, good servant, and thank you for

your selfless service to our profession and your community.



William Avery, D.D.S.

Education

Denison University, Bachelor of Science degree, 1963

Ohio State University, College of Dentistry, D.D.S. degree, 1968

General Practitioner, October 1969–present

Civic Activities

Wolverine Educational Television, President 1974

Friends of Channel 35 Television, President 1975

Channel 52 (Kalamazoo) Activation, Chairperson 1976

Civic Ballet, Board Member, 1977-1980

West Michigan Dental Foundation Incorporator, 1981

Grand Rapids East Rotary Club

Member since 1983

Club Historian since 1998

Youth Foreign Exchange, Chairperson, 1997

Social Committee 1985–present

Chairperson 1986-1994

Three Lakes Association, Board Member, 1973-1976

Lake Bellaire Railroad Purchase Association, President, 1984-1988

Donated Land to Grass River Nature Preserve, 1988

Professional Activities

American Dental Association

Student Member, 1964-1969

Member since 1969

Michigan Dental Association, Member since 1969

MDA Annual Sessions Committee

Member, 1985-1996

Chairperson, Annual Sessions, 1994

MDA Scientific Program Committee, 1994

MDA Committee on Dental Education, 1998

MDA Peer Review Committee

Member 1979-1990

Chairperson, 1985-1987

MDA “Ongoing Assessment of the Quality of Dental Care”

Validation Committee, 1979-1981

MDA House of Delegates

Delegate or Alternate 1972-1986; 2000-2004

House Communications Committee chairperson, 1992

West Michigan District Dental Society

Member since 1969

Secretary/Treasurer, 1977-1980

President, 1982-1983

Francis B. Vedder Society of Crown and Bridge Prosthodontics

Member since 1972

Membership chairperson, 1974-1977

Board member since 1974

Secretary, 1977-1979

President, 1981

Awarded Honorary Life Member 2007 (only one of five

in 49 year history)

Western Michigan Steering Committee

Founding Member, 1981

Chairperson, 1986

Pierre Fauchard Academy, Member since 1988

American College of Dentists

Member since 1990

Michigan Section American College of Dentists chairperson, 1996-1997

North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners (NERB)

Member since 1990

Nominating Committee, 1998-2001

American Dental Association

Commission on Dental Accreditation, 1998-2002

Pre-Doctoral Review Committee, 1998-1999

Dental Lab Tech Review Committee, 1999-2000

Dental Hygiene Review Committee, 2000-2001

Ad-Hoc Committee on General Anesthesia and IV Sedation, 2001-2002

7



r. William Rocker was born in Plymouth,

Michigan, on July 2, 1942, the second of three

children of Claude and Charlotte (Roediger)

Rocker. Charlotte was a school teacher, and Claude studied

mechanical engineering at Lawrence Tech and worked at tool

and die shops in the Detroit area.

He spent the majority of his career,

over thirty years, at the Ford Motor

Company. The family also had an

eighty-acre farm in Plymouth,

including twenty acres of orchard.

They raised their own garden vegeta-

bles as well as dairy and beef cattle.

As a side project, the family cared for

donkeys that were used by schools

and other groups for “Donkey

Basketball,” pitting the faculty against

parents as a fundraising event.

Claude could “fix anything” and

tried to teach Bill the same skills.

Teaching the value of hard work, his

dad insisted on excellent work at all

times, nothing could be “halfway.”

Charlotte, a pianist, and Claude, a

violin and piccolo player, stimulated a love for music in Bill

that has enriched his life. He has sung in his church choir and

served for nine years on the board of the Fontana Chamber

Music Society in Kalamazoo. His parents instilled in their

young children a strong work ethic, a love of music, and a

desire for education which prepared them well for college.

One of the most significant influences in Bill’s life centered

on Camp Presque Isle, a seventeen-acre camp on Lake May

near Rogers City, Michigan, purchased by his parents, aunts,

and uncles in 1954. Bill was twelve at the time and spent his

summers there with his extended family. “Camp” was an

adventure – fishing, boating, canoeing, outdoor games, and a

strong sense of family unity. Bill and his wife, Sharon, still go

there with their children and grandchildren, continuing the

family tradition and love of the out-of-doors.

Bill’s early years were marked by his involvement in

Scouting. His scoutmaster, Edward T. Miller Jr., had a signifi-

cant influence on him, and, eventually, led to his earning the

Eagle Scout rank and learning the values of honor, leadership,

and caring for others. Church was also important to the

Rocker household, and Bill credits his first pastor, Dr. Henry

Walsh, with having a marked influence on his life.

Bill graduated from Plymouth High School in 1960

and attended Western Michigan

University from 1960-63, majoring in

chemistry with an eye on veterinary

medicine or medical school. However,

he was greatly influenced by his

uncle, Dr. “Woody” Anderson who

practiced dentistry in California and

later had an orthodontic practice in

Plymouth. Dentistry became Bill’s

choice of study, and he entered the

University of Michigan School of

Dentistry in 1963.

Let’s backtrack a little, though, to

highlight a significant phase of Bill’s

life that was sparked by the chance

meeting of a female student while

waiting in line to register for classes

at WMU. They wound up in the same

history class. Her name was Sharon

Lee Root from Royal Oak, Michigan. Eventually, they were

married on June 26, 1965.

They have two children, William Fredric Rocker Jr. born in

1968 and Bethany Christine in 1970. Bill Jr. has two children,

8


William Rocker, DDSBy Dr. Reggie Vander Veen

D


Ella, age eleven, and Martha,

age eight. Bethany (Rocker)

Else has one daughter, Anne,

age nine.

Sharon has a Masters degree

in English from WMU. After

taking out twelve years from

teaching while her children

were young, she taught Advanced Placement English and

American literature at Holland High School for twenty-three

years before retiring in 2002. She then taught at Hope College

for two years and is now tutoring at Davenport University.

Currently working part time for the First United Methodist

as their Visitation Minister, Sharon has also been involved

with the American Association of University Women, various

church activities, and helped organize the Community Action

House in Holland, which is designed to aid immigrant workers

with legal, food, and

housing issues. A high-

light of Bill and Sharon’s

life together was guiding

student trips in the

1990s to England, Italy,

Greece, and Turkey,

exposing students to

different cultures, lan-

guages, and literature.

Bill graduated from the U of M School of Dentistry in 1967

and moved to Holland, Michigan, taking with him all the

positive influences of significant people in his life:

• Parents – strong, healthy, and honest work ethic, love of

music, giving to others,

• Aunts and uncles – Camp Presque Isle, love of family,

sharing healthy activities,

• Scoutmaster – love for Scouting and its values,

• Pastor – love of God and care for others,

• Uncle Woodrow C. Anderson – inspiration for dentistry,

• Judge James Townsend – mentor for leadership in Scouting

and church,

• Sharon (Root) Rocker – love of family.

In Holland, Bill purchased Dr. Ed Fuder’s general dental

practice in 1967. After four years, he associated for nineteen

years with Drs. Landis Zylman and Bob Renzema. Bill has

been in a solo practice for the past eighteen years.

Incorporating his values in his dental practice has earned him

wide-ranging respect from dental colleagues and, of course,

his patients. He was greatly influenced by his colleagues Ron

Boven and Ed Fuder from Holland, and Bill Creason and Dave

Seibold, both from Grand Haven. This led to his professional

involvement with the Holland/Zeeland Dental Society,

WMDDS board member, legislative teams of MDA and ADA,

volunteer for Miles of Smiles Dental Van for ten years, and

an MDA Public Service Award for a Scouting Merit Badge

revision.

Bill’s involvement in his community through Scouting,

Lions Club, and church stand out because of his years of

service and leadership positions within these organizations:

Scouting – He has been involved for over fifty years locally,

regionally, and nationally, holding leadership positions at all

levels. His service to Scouting continues to this day. Countless

young men and women have been influenced by Bill and are

changing the world around them. Numerous awards have

come his way for his leadership skills, including the Silver

Beaver and Silver Antelope awards.

Lions Club – His forty years of service have been rewarded

with at least four awards – 100% President Award, the Melvin

Jones Fellowship Award, the International President’s

Leadership Award, and the International President’s

Leadership Medal – while serving at all levels of this great

organization. He has been club president, officer and board

member, and zone chairman, raising money for the blind.

Holland First United Methodist Church – Bill has served

the church for forty years, chairing numerous committees.

Sharon and Bill were also a lead couple for the Holland

Marriage Encounter program with over 300 couples experi-

encing marriage enrichment through their leadership.

Bill Rocker has been a quiet “mover and shaker” in his

world. His C.V. attests to this fact, and he still has an enthusi-

astic zest for life and helping others. One of his regrets is that

there are not enough hours in a day. No rest for this guy! His

only other regret is that he didn’t secure a B.S. degree from

WMU (not required for admission to dental school in those

days). How about graduating with one of your grandchildren,

Bill, maybe from WMU and finally nailing down that degree?

9



In the meantime, we might find Bill engaging in the game

of Trivial Pursuit where his wide range of knowledge and

experiences usually lead to a winning score. He has experi-

ences as an amateur radio operator, a photographer, hunter,

and fisherman. Bill writes poetry, reads history, especially

about the Civil War, and he even published an article in

Persuasions, the Jane Austen journal, entitled “Regarding Mr.

Spence” about dentistry in London in the 1800s. We also

might find him writing a manual on “How to Pack a Car.” He

is a fanatic about organizing every cubic inch of space prior to

leaving for a trip.

Getting to know Bill leads one to discover a quiet man with

an engaging smile, a sturdy, assured self-confidence, enthusi-

astic about dentistry, the world around him, and still engaging

in activities of service to others. Sharon’s description of him as

a model of integrity, unbounded dedication, and caring shines

through the discussion of the events and accomplishments of

his life.

Congratulations, Bill! You are a most worthy recipient of

the Silent Bell Award.

William F. Rocker, D.D.S.Native of Plymouth, Michigan and graduated from Plymouth High

School in 1960 Western Michigan University, Pre-dental Curriculum, 1960-1963 Employment: Private camp staff, summers of 1961-1963Employed junior year as dormitory Staff AssistantUniversity of Michigan Dental School, Fall of 1963Married Sharon Lee Root, June 26, 1965Graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, 1967Private Practice, General Dentistry, Holland, July 1967

Scouting BackgroundCub ScoutBoy Scout Troop 6, ExplorerEagle Scout 1958, Order of the Arrow Attended National Jamboree in 1957 as a Patrol LeaderCamp Staff D-A Scout Ranch, 1958-1959

Adult Scouting Volunteer ServiceStarted a Boy Scout Troop in Willow Run, MichiganDistrict Adult Volunteer (began in 1967)O-A Chapter Advisor (Holland, Michigan)Training Committee (Holland, Michigan)District Commissioner (Holland, Michigan)District Chairman (Holland, Michigan)Cub Pack Committee (Holland, Michigan)Wood Badge Region Seven Canoe Base, 1969Wood Badge Staff Region Seven Canoe Base, 1972Scoutmaster Troop 10 (Holland), 1979-1986

Council Service (Grand Rapids BSA Council 266)Council Executive Board, 1969 to presentVice President of Scouting, 1974-1977Vice President of Operations, 1977-1979Council Commissioner, 1979-1991Chair Council Strategic Plan, 1990Scouting for Food Chair, 1992Boy Scout Activities Chair, 1993Vice President of Operations, 1998-2003Vice President of Program, 2003 to presentStrategic Plan Program Chair, 2002-2003National Council Representative (various years)Mackinaw Rendezvous Committee (various years)Staff on many training eventsPhilmont Incentive Program Committee, 2002Council Endowment Committee, 2003-2006

Central Region Service BSA–1998 to presentMember-at-large, Regional Board (currently)Committee Member of Regional Endowment Committee

10



National Council ServiceRepresented the council at many National Council Annual MeetingsStaff Key Three Training, Philmont Training Center Regional Medical Staff at 1985 National JamboreeHelped rewrite new Dentistry Merit Badge booklet

Awards in ScoutingDistrict Award of Merit, 1970Scouters KeyScouters Training AwardCouncil Valued Eagle AwardSilver Beaver 1973 Council AwardOrder of the Arrow BrotherhoodArrowman of the Year 1983 Grand Rapids CouncilJames E. West 50 Year Veteran AwardSilver Antelope 2006 Regional Award

Community ServiceCity of Holland Strategic Planning Committee in the 1970’s and

early 1990’sUnited Way Board, 1990-1991United Way Professional Campaign ChairFontana Concert Society (Kalamazoo), 1990’s Board member

and officer

Holland Marriage Encounter–Lead CoupleNearly 300 couples had a weekend marriage enrichment

experience through this program.

Holland First United Methodist ChurchAdult Leader of Methodist Youth FellowshipBoard of Trustees Finance Committee (currently)Council on Ministries ChairAdministrative BoardStewardship Committee ChairStewardship Campaign ChairMember Strategic Planning Committee 1990Communications CommitteeBuilding Committee (after fire destroyed church in 1979)Co-Chair of Building Fund DriveStaff-Parish Committee Member and Chair Sunday School TeacherChancel Choir MemberWitness Team Leader, 2004-2006

West Michigan Conference United Methodist ChurchBoard of Discipleship, 1970’sChairperson of Marriage Enrichment CommitteeEdited National Methodist Workbook on Human Sexuality

for Cokesbury Publishing

University of Michigan Alumni Club of HollandBoard MemberVice PresidentChairperson of Scholarship Committee

Lions ClubBoard Member Holland Lions ClubCurrently Vice President Past President (twice)Zone Chairman, 2001-2003100% Presidents AwardMelvin Jones FellowInternational Presidents Leadership AwardInternational President Leadership Medal – 40 years of membership

HobbiesAmateur Radio, K8NFTPhotographyHunting and FishingTravelHistory WritingLeading student groups to Europe and England

Holland High School, 1991-1999

Professional ServiceMember of Holland-Zeeland Dental SocietyPast Board member of the West Michigan District

Dental Society (Ottawa County Representative)Member Local and ADA Grass Roots Legislative TeamMember American Dental AssociationMember Michigan Dental AssociationMDA Public Service Award for Merit Badge RevisionMDA Life Membership, 2007Volunteer on Miles of Smiles Dental Van

FamilyWife: Sharon Lee (Root) Rocker

Retired Holland High School English TeacherHolland First United Methodist Church, Minister of VisitationTutor, Davenport University (Holland)

Son: William F. Rocker, Jr.Daughter: Bethany C. Rocker

11


WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | HOLIDAY ISSUE 200812

Otto Lee Ricker, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1981

Willard B. Ver Meulen, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1981

Clifford T. Nelson, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1982

William M. Creason, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1983

Vernor H. Eman, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1984

Julius Franks, Jr., D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1985

Henry L. Homan, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1986

Ray E. Stevens, Jr., D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1987

Orren A. Bolt, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1988

Robert F. Streelman, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1989

Gerald L. Vander Wall, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1990

David H. Seibold, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1991

Donald G. Hallas, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1992

Robert E. Reagan, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1993

John R. Cook, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1994

Eugene L. Bonofiglo, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1995

Lawrence R. Marcotte, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1996

Laurence J. Jensen, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1997

Harry H. Luton, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1997

Robert W. Browne, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1998

Harold O. Steele II, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1998

Lawrence J. Manning, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1999

Arnold Baker, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000

Robert D. Mitus, Jr., D.D.S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000

Robert W. Klinesteker, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2001

Timothy H. Gietzen, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2002

James L. Wieland, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2003

Charles R. Caldwell, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2004

Henry J. Milanowski, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2005

John J. Stepanovich, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2006

Lonny E. Zietz, D.D.S., M.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2007

Michael H. (Reggie) VanderVeen, D.D.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2008

S I L E N T B E L L P A S T R E C I P I E N T S

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

West Michigan Dental FoundationAnnual Golf Outing

FRIDAY, June 5, 2009 Returning to

beautiful Egypt Valley Country Club

Registration begins at 10:30 amLunch 11:30 am • Golf 12:30 pm

$200 per golferFee includes golf, lunch, on-course

beverages, and dinner


Skilled human resources

experts helping your practice hire,

align, measure, develop and

retain the right employees.

For more information, contact

[email protected]

or call 616.915.9880


On December 11, 2008, nine West Michigan District Dental

Society members were honored with life membership at the

annual WMDDS Holiday Dinner and Awards Night at Kent

Country Club. To be an ADA life member, one must be 65

years old with 30 continuous years of membership. A pin is

awarded for this achievement. To be an MDA life member, one

must be 65 years old with 35 total years of membership. All

recipients were recognized, and those in attendance were

introduced by WMDDS President, Dr. Doug Killian, who

highlighted their accomplishments. Congratulations to all on

this achievement!

MDA Life MemberDr. George Cripps

Dr. Birney Hoyt

ADA Life MembersDr. Robert Renzema

Dr. Clare VanWieren

N E W L I F E M E M B E R S

Life Members (left to right): Dr. Lonny Zietz, Dr. George Cripps,

Dr. Robert VanGemert, Dr. John Duiven, Dr. Clare VanWieren

West Michigan District Dental SocietyHonors Life Members

The legislation requiring dentists to install amalgam

separators is now law. The law does the following:

・Requires a dentist, by December 31, 2013, to install or

have installed and use a dental amalgam separator on

each wastewater drain in the dentist’s office that is used

to discharge dental amalgam.

・Allows a municipality to create an ordinance consistent

with this law that requires dentists to install an amalgam

separator before 2013.

・Requires a separator to have an efficiency of at least 95%.

・Preempts local units of government form requiring

dentists to install any equipment other than a separator

to reduce amalgam discharge.

・This law does not apply to: oral and maxillofacial sur-

geons, oral and maxillofacial radiologists, oral patholo-

gists, orthodontists, periodontists, or dentists providing

services in a dental school or hospital or through a local

health department.

This law does not change ordinances already in place.

Dentists in West Michigan who have purchased the G&S

Mercury system will still be in compliance. Dentists will

still be subject to having their water tested. Local munici-

palities still have to show a reduction of mercury.

The department of community health and department of

environmental quality will begin creating rules regarding

best management practices for dental amalgam collection,

disposal, recycling, and the retention and inspection of

related dental records.

This spring the MDA Journal will feature an article

providing dentists with the facts about the new law and

requirements. Also included will be an ADA professional

product review of amalgam separators. In addition, there

will be a class at MDA Annual Session for dentists and

waster water treatment supervisors for local municipalities

about the new law and ways to reduce amalgam discharge.

New Law Requires Dentists to Install Amalgam Separators

ADA and MDA Life MembersDr. John Duiven

Dr. Ronald Lambert

Dr. Howard Norlin

Dr. Robert VanGemert

Dr. Lonny Zietz


Dear Org Doctor:I have to start the “employee eval-uation process” this year. I alwayshate this process – it seems artifi-cial and contrived – plus I don’tfeel like it adds value. Do you haveany tips to make this a less stressful and more productiveexperience?

— “Struggling withEvaluations” in Kent County

Dear “Struggling with Evaluations”:I’m not surprised you find employee evaluations difficult. Thesurvey we distributed at the January WMDDS ContinuingEducation Seminar shows you are not alone. Many of yourcolleagues also identified that “managing employee perform-ance” is an issue for them.

If a once-a-year performance evaluation is all that you do, you are right in feeling the process is artificial and discon-nected from daily office life. The process is valuable when theevaluation is part of a greater whole which includes:1. Setting Expectations – goals, objectives, desired behaviors2. Providing Feedback – year round feedback including

employee evaluation3. Providing Resources – tools, information, authority4. Obtaining Training & Knowledge – skills and abilities to do

the job5. Addressing Motivation – reinforcement and reward systems

Only when done as a part of an ongoing, integrated systemcan the performance evaluation be truly effective.

Having said that, let’s look at making the performanceevaluation more enjoyable and effective. Strangely, the mostimportant part is not even the evaluation itself but, instead,the expectations communicated earlier in the year and thediscussion resulting from the written evaluation. Every evalu-ation process can be viewed as three components:

Pre-Evaluation: Evaluation feedback is no good if the staffmember doesn’t know what you expect. Each staff membershould have specific goals, a thorough understanding ofacceptable/desired behavior, and knowledge of how they willbe measured.

The Written Evaluation: Yes, you need to document theevaluation in written form. Whether you use a “number rating

system,” a series of statements such as “meets expectations,” ora free-form conversational system is your call. However, in theU.S., people are used to being rated – A, B, C, D, F in school, a GPA in college, scores in sporting events, etc. They will mentally translate your system into these “relative ranking”frameworks. Some basic tips for the written evaluation:

• Keep an ongoing file. Have a file of staff behaviors, commentsabout the staff member from officemates or patients, andaccomplishments. The evaluation is then just putting theseyear-long comments together.

• Focus on behavior. Saying the employee needs “a better atti-tude” has little meaning. Should the employee greetpatients more quickly, smile more often, volunteer to coverteammates shifts? Be specific.

• Avoid rating errors– Halo Effect: The employee did one good thing early on

and, in your mind, they can do no wrong. – Horns Effect: The employee did one big “wrong thing”

early on and now they can do no right.– Recency Effect: Events, good or bad, in the last few

months skews your perceptions of the entire year.– Guilt-by-Association Effect: The employee is friends

with those other employees, making them all alike.

The Discussion: A sit-down, dedicated discussion with theemployee is a must. Schedule a specific time, in a location freeof distractions, to have the performance conversation.Minimize the chit-chat and keep on message. Get right to thepoint by saying “Susan, as you know we have a yearly perform-ance evaluation. This meeting is to discuss your performanceover the last year.”

If you think the discussion could escalate, don’t hesitate tobring a third person – someone who is senior to the employee.You’ll outnumber the employee and protect yourself againstpossible violence or later outrageous accusations.

Following the advice above, performance evaluations canbe a fun, productive, and collaborative event where you andthe employee discuss their contributions and make plans forthe coming year. They are an invaluable tool to creating a successful dental practice.

The “OrgDoctor” is written by ClearTalent, an HR companyhelping organizations to hire, measure, align, and developemployees for business results. You can contact ClearTalent [email protected].

Employee Performance EvaluationsBy J. Devereaux Butler, Ph.D., Managing Partner, ClearTalent, LLC

H U M A N R E S O U R C E S N E W S


n Tuesday, January 27th, Project Homeless Connect

was held at Van Andel Arena. An estimated 820

people came to the third annual event sponsored

by the Grand Rapids Area Coalition to End Homelessness.

More than 50 social service

groups and hundreds of

volunteers helped home-

less visitors receive assis-

tance ranging from blood

pressure checks, foot care,

legal guidance, a hot meal,

and clothing repair. Dr.

John VanderKolk partici-

pated in this event last year

along with Jennie Mills,

AmeriCorps coordinator

at Cherry Street Health

Services, doing dental

screenings and saw the

need for dental treatment.

This year, he recruited

Dr. Scott Hodges, Deborah

DeWit (Patterson Dental), Holly Sturges (Director of

Program Management, Grand Rapids Housing Commission),

Jennie Mills, and Dr. Doug Klein to spearhead this year’s

dental clinic.

Early on the morning of the event, Dr. Scott Hodges, who was

instrumental in organizing this year’s effort, was busy setting

up an 8-chair clinic with

Dr. Dick Nieusma in the

second level concourse

area of the arena. When

10 am arrived, the dental

clinic area quickly devel-

oped a waiting line that

lasted throughout the day.

Visitors received dental

hygiene instruction, a

goody bag, an oral exam,

and if needed, x-rays and

treatment. Over 203 people

visited the dental area, and

59 visitors received treat-

ment. Over 120 teeth were

extracted to relieve imme-

diate pain. Some visitors

also received a “ticket” to go to Cherry Street Health Services

on the Friday following the event for treatment. The people

were very grateful for the care they received.

Dentists volunteering included: Dr. Scott Hodges, Dr. Dick

Nieusma, Dr. Norm Palm, Dr. David Dalrymple, Dr. James

Brennan, Dr. Jerry Mulder, Dr. Bruce Weny, Dr. Brant

Erbentraut, Dr. Jerry Clore, Dr. Margaret Gingrich, Dr. Derek

Draft, and Dr. Gina Biersack. Joining them were many dental

assistants, hygienists, and office staff and dental hygiene students

from Ferris State University along with their instructor

Sandra Burns. Everyone deserves much appreciation for the

compassionate dental care they provided.

Thank you to Deborah DeWitt and Gail Howarth from

Patterson, Brett Garvin from SciCan, Alvareo Estivis and

AmeriCorps members from Cherry Street Health Services,

and Henry Schein for providing a Nomad handheld x-ray head.

16

P R O J E C T H O M E L E S S C O N N E C T

O

Van Andel Arena Provides Home forProject Homeless Connect

Some of the participating dentists included: Dr. Jerry Clore, Dr. Norm

Palm, Dr. Doug Klein, Dr. Brant Erbentraut, and Dr. David Dalrymple.

JoAnne Hodder, RDH, BS, Dr. Margaret Gingrich, and FSU dental hygiene students

assess visitors’ needs.


GRDAS Spring Seminar

“Sleep Apnea and Oral Appliances”Presented by Laura Sheppard, CDT of Davis Lab

When: Saturday, March 14th from 9am – 12pm, Registration at 8:30am

Where: The ATC building at GRCC, Room 120, 151 Fountain Street NE

Parking under the ATC is free, but it’s limited.

Three Credit Hours and breakfast will be provided.

The cost for everyone is $45.00

All members who bring & show their membership cards will receive a $10 discount and pay only $35.00,

but you must have card present for discount. Please pay by cash or make check or money orders out to GRDAS.

Email Kristi at [email protected] by March 4th, 2009 to pre-register, or after March 4th to register.

Note: Even though GRCC offers a greater capacity, there is still a limited amount of seating so please, reserve your seat early.

Membership in GRDASWho can join the GRDAS?

Any dental assistant can join the GRDAS

How do I join?

Come to the next GRDAS or MDAA meeting and request a membership application or

visit the ADAA’s website at www.dentalassistant.org.

By joining, you automatically become a member of all three organizations; local, state & national:

The Grand Rapids Dental Assisting Society, The Michigan Dental Assistants Association,

The American Dental Assistants Association

P R O J E C T H O M E L E S S C O N N E C T

Dr. Derek Draft prepares instrument trays. Dr. Norm Palm treats patient, assisted by Amber Shaw Rogers, Anissa

Rangel, and Lashawanda Sweet.


ello and best regards to you. I hope by the time you

read this we’re no longer under gray skies and a

blanket of snow! This report will briefly update

you on the December 2008 Board of Trustees meeting and the

MDA’s Strategic Planning Process.

The Board and the MDA staff began the Strategic Planning

Process in June of 2008. The results I am presenting will be

forwarded to the MDA House of Delegates in April for

approval. A nationally-recognized consultant working with

non-profit professional associations was picked. Michael

Gallery will continue to guide the MDA as it strives to meet

the objectives being set as part of our strategic plan. We

started by creating a new Mission Statement. Following the

Mission, a Vision Statement, and Guiding Principles and

Values were created with staff input. Together these words

identify the MDA’s purpose:

Mission Statement

Helping Member Dentists Succeed.

Vision Statement

The MDA will be Michigan’s oral health authority committed

to the public and the profession.

Guiding Principles and Values

We are … Guided by integrity and ethics.

Committed to the improvement of the public’s overall

health.

We believe … Oral health is integral to overall health.

In an inclusive environment that embraces diversity.

Dentistry and the oral health team must be led by dentists

to endure the safety of the public.

Life long learning is critical to excellence in patient care.

Next, the Board and staff developed specific objectives to be

met over a 24- to 36-month period of time. The areas of

finance, membership, and organizational structure were

looked at and the following goals were set:

1. Increase non-dues income to 55% of total MDA revenue.

2. Adopt and implement the mission statement.

3. Increase market share by 0.5%

4. Increase practice management services to members.

5. Revise the MDA organizational structure to achieve

operational efficiencies and compliance with the Mission

Statement.

6. Increase advocacy, education, and awareness of third party

payor issues.

Specific strategies will be applied to the objectives to produce

SMART outcomes. This means that the strategies must be

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. This

process will flow into the MDA committees and task forces,

and staff will report to the Board at each of its meetings as to

the progress to date.

At the Board’s December 5, 2008, meeting a progress report

on the new MDA headquarters was discussed. Construction

has been slowed by the hard winter weather, but the steel

superstructure is going up and the estimated completion date

is August. The Board approved a funding plan using a variety

of sources: the current $160 per year dues allocation, mort-

gage loan, line of credit or bridge loan, short-term cash

account, reserve account, and sale of the current building.

There was a discussion of the publishing of disciplinary

reports received from the Board of Dentistry. It was decided to

continue to publish the report as is currently done, adding the

disciplinary action taken on other licensed dental professionals,

RDH, and CDA, as well. The House will review a resolution to

renew the MDA Public Education Campaign in April. The

renewal will continue the current three-year special assess-

ment of $265 per member per year to conduct the Public

Education Campaign. The Board approved and also sent to

the House a proposed resolution to amend state statute apply-

ing to volunteer dentist licensure. The current applicable law

refers to “physician” only. The amendment sought would add

the term “dentist.”

At its February meeting, the Board will be looking at the

T R U S T E E R E P O R T

Highlights of December 2008 Board of TrusteesMeeting and MDA Strategic Planning ProcessBy Dr. Norm Palm, MDA Trustee

H


possibility of providing human resource assistance to mem-

bers free of charge. The MDA would contract with an outside

consultant and refer the many calls from members on topics

related to human resources to this consultant. Similarly, there

is consideration being given to endorsing legal services with a

specific law firm. Members would pay for legal services.

A special thanks to all those who participated in the Project

Homeless Connect venture in January, it was a big success.

Scott Hodges organized over 60 dentists, hygienists, and assis-

tants. Over 200 patients were screened and received treatment,

including hygiene instruction and extractions. The project

demonstrated the dentist is the leader of the oral health care

team to the community-at-large and called attention to the

needs of people that do not seek care in a traditional practice

setting for many reasons.

T R U S T E E R E P O R T

I hope you will plan on attending the MDA Annual Session

in Lansing April 22 thru April 25. My thanks to all the dele-

gates and alternate delegates from WMDDS that will be serv-

ing to represent you, the member, so ably.

As always, contact me with questions or comments about

your Michigan Dental Association at [email protected].


ant a healthy body? Start with a healthy

mouth … and some beans.” It’s a twist on

the popular adage, but according to Zonya

Foco’s philosophy it couldn’t be truer. Zonya is a Registered

Dietitian and Certified Health and Fitness Instructor from the

east side of the state and is the author of two books; her cook-

book, Lickety-Split Meals for Health Conscious People on the

Go, and her new weight loss novel Water with Lemon. She

spent Friday, January 16th at Frederik Meijer Gardens &

Sculpture Park teaching West Michigan dentists and their staff

about the F.A.T.S. (Food, Activity, Thoughts, and Sleep) of life.

Zonya started the seminar by discussing donuts. Donuts

are how we love people … it’s our culture. Need to celebrate

something? Here, have a donut. Need to have a meeting? Here,

have a donut. The circumstances go on

and on. Zonya showed the audience a

box of donuts she’d had for over a year

with absolutely no mold growing any-

where. She made the comment that

germs must be smarter than people.

She then listed the ingredients, most

of which she was barely able to pro-

nounce. The first ingredient was par-

tially hydrogenated vegetable oil fol-

lowed by sugar. Flour wasn’t listed until

the fourth ingredient. This was just one

example of what’s happening to society and the food we eat.

Trans fats were traded for saturated fats. Foods went fat free,

but the sugar was radically amplified. Then foods went sugar

free and the salt was increased. Zonya’s not recommending

that the world go on a diet, she’s just advising we change our

lifestyle. She has considered everything she’s learned and con-

densed it into eight habits that define a healthy lifestyle. The

acronym DIET FREE encompasses these habits: Drink water,

Include breakfast, Eat often, Tame your sweet tooth, Find the

fat, Replace processed, chemically enhanced foods for whole-

some close-to-the-farm foods, Eat only until you are no

longer hungry, and Exercise. Zonya recommends that we try

these habits for a year and evaluate all the positive changes

that will occur in our health. Knowing isn’t enough, we have

to do it and make these habits who we are.

Drink water and think before you drink anything else.

What’s the first thing most people drink? Coffee or juice; both

are dehydrating. For every cup of coffee consumed, 1¼ cup is

urinated. Zonya stressed that we will do our body wonders if

we can just drink water first thing in the morning every single

day and have a glass of water every time we urinate. Lack of

water is the number one cause of daytime fatigue and can

cause a 2% drop in short-term memory. Studies show that

staying sufficiently hydrated can lower our risk of breast

cancer by 79% and five glasses of water per day can lower our

risk of having a heart attack by up to 55%. Drinking water

may be even better than taking aspirin! If we can drink water

and keep non-milk beverages to less than 200 calories per day,

we can lose 10-50 pounds this year.

Include breakfast and stop eating two or three hours before

bed. Did you ever notice how if you eat breakfast in the morn-

ing, you are hungry a few hours later?

This is a great example of this habit

working. Eating breakfast will boost

your metabolism and set the tone for

your day. A good breakfast consists of a

serving of fruit or vegetables, some

whole grains, some protein, and a little

bit of good fat. For example, add a little

spinach to scrambled eggs, a piece of

toast, and a glass of milk. After a full

year of following this habit, we can be

up to 30 pounds lighter.

Eat often and include a fruit or vegetable each time we eat.

This habit will help to keep our mood level throughout the

day. Most of us do not eat near enough servings of fruits and

vegetables. These foods are full of fiber and antioxidants, are

naturally sweet, and often come in their own single serving

packages. The fiber will help fill us up longer and the natural

sweetness will help to curb our sweet cravings. A good tip is to

look at our grocery cart as a whole before we check out. If we

eat a piece of fruit with every meal or snack, that’s six pieces a

day, and 42 pieces a week per person. Does our grocery cart

reflect that? Stick with this habit and we could drop 20 pounds

this year.

Tame our sweet tooth so we will naturally eat as little sugar

as possible. Would we rather live our life craving sweets every

day and every day denying ourselves? Or would we rather

tame our sweet tooth so we don’t have those cravings at all? If

we can dial down our sweetness acuity it will be much easier.

20

P R O G R A M R E V I E W

The F.A.T.S. of Life According To Zonya FocoBy Dr. Tara Meachum

“W

Zonya signs her cookbook for Dr. Scott Pirochta.


Consuming Splenda or other artificial sweeteners will actually

heighten our sweetness acuity. It conditions us to like things

that taste sweeter and sweeter, thus increasing our cravings.

Studies show that people who drink diet soda actually con-

sume more sugar throughout the day than people who don’t.

Zonya recommends diluting juice and when baking, use half

the sugar. Eventually we may even come to like the taste

better. The four steps to decreasing our sugar intake naturally

are: 1) eat one piece of fruit and drink one glass of water every

four hours while awake; 2) lower

our sweetness acuity by choosing

to consume things less sweet;

3) look forward to one to two

small sweet treats every day; and

4) when we’re faced with a fat -

tening, full-sugar dessert “half it

and we can have it.” These simple

changes can lead to a 10-30

pound weight loss by the end of

one year.

Find the fat. Choose foods that

are as low in fat as possible and

then add back limited amounts of

good fat. There was a big move-

ment recently to take the trans fats out of food. Consider the

donuts from the aforementioned example. When we buy

those donuts today, the trans fats have been taken out but the

company nearly doubled the total fat grams and increased the

total calories by about 20%. People don’t understand that

trans fat-free junk food is still junk food. Zonya recommends

cleaning our pantry and ridding it of anything labeled

“partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated.” Then, stock our

houses with salmon, olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and seeds.

However, be sure to keep portion sizes in mind.

Replace processed, chemically-enhanced foods with whole-

some close-to-the-farm foods. Food coloring does absolutely

nothing but make us want to buy more, yet it is added into

most foods at the grocery store and could be causing ADD in

our children. Eating clean has three advantages: 1) keeps sodi-

um low; 2) limits preservatives; and 3) keeps fiber high. Eating

a diet high in fiber reduces the incidence of colon and rectal

cancer as well as heart disease. Carrots and broccoli are high

in fiber. Putting it in dental terms; eating them is like flossing

our colons. There are four steps we can follow to insure we get

the proper amount of fiber in our diets: 1) eat three servings

of fruit per day; 2) eat three servings of vegetables per day;

3) eat four servings of whole grains per day; and 4) eat beans

four times per week.

Eat only until we are no longer hungry. Our body is incred-

ibly smart; it knows exactly how many calories we need each

day. With the way portion sizes have changed in today’s society,

overweight people eat typical portions while normal-weight

people eat less. Because it takes 15

minutes for the brain to even reg-

ister that we’re full, we need to

learn to eat more slowly and give

that message a chance to reach

our brains. We’ll soon begin to

notice that we’re full before the

typical portion size has been

consumed. Following this habit

could lead to a 50 pound weight

loss over the course of a year.

Exercise. We need to exercise

every single day. Some of this can

be accomplished just by being

more active in our everyday

routines. Zonya does leg lifts when she brushes her teeth

because this is a habit she has twice a day anyway. If we can tie

small movements into our everyday routines, imagine how

this will build up over the course of a month – or a year. It all

adds up. Zonya also recommends we be curious and coura-

geous and try something new. If we keep it fresh, it won’t seem

like such a chore. Our exercise routine should encompass both

aerobic and strength training exercises. Studies show that just

two months of strength training can reverse two decades of

muscle loss! Lastly, as dentists especially, we need to “respect

the stretch.” Our body eventually limits itself to positions it

sees most often. Zona suggests we explore yoga or pilates.

So … if we follow everything Zonya says, it seems we have

the potential to lose up to 180 pounds before next February!

Zonya’s seminar was energetic and full of useful information

even for the most health-conscious person. Be sure to visit her

website, www.Zonya.com, where you can learn more and sign

up for her free newsletter.

21

P R O G R A M R E V I E W

Zonya has the audience participate in some simple exercises to help

us be more active everyday.

WEST MICHIGAN DISTRICT DENTAL SOCIETY | HOLIDAY ISSUE 200822

Grand Haven – It can be a slow startfor young dentists in private practicein this economy, but the rewards arethere if you are willing to work towardsthem. We are two general dentists inour late 50’s who are looking for afull-time associate who would buy intoour practice over a 3-5 year period. Tenops, 4 hygienists, and as nice a high-tech family practice as they come. Itwould be important to us that you livein and are an active part of our won-derful community. Please send yourresumé to Drs. Kennard Creason andWalter Weber, 333A Jackson Street,Grand Haven, MI 49417. Call 616.842.0822.

Dental Equipment Sale – Five opera-tories of dental equipment for sale. 5Dental Ez chairs, 4 Pelton Crane Tracklights, one chair mounted light, 3Forest over the patient dental units, 2assistant dental carts, 5 Telecam IntraOral Cameras & 5 wall mountedMitsubishi TV’s, photo printer, 5 assis-tant stools, 5 operator stools, 2 SSWhite x-ray machines, 2 rear deliveryunits, all other operatory cabinetry,vacuum pump, compressor, receptionroom furniture, 5 business officechairs, doctors office and businessoffice desk/bookshelf cabinetry, con-ference table, 2 large patient recordsfile cabinets, and more! Call 887.7389.

Space for Lease – Holland (greatnorth side neighborhood location).Previous tenant was a family practicedentist. High visibility sign available.Building interior is ready for equip-ment installation. Three ops and smalllab. Owner is willing to adapt buildingto needs. Call 616.245.9098 or800.669.0717.

Kentwood, Muskegon, Fowlerville –We have three practices for sale. Theseopportunities are excellent starters and satellite offices. Kentwood andFowlerville have buildings also forpurchase. Starting gross of $470,000 to$600,000. Financing and working cap-ital available. Contact Dr. Jim David,Henry Schein PPT Sales at 586.530.0800or [email protected].

Office Space for Lease – Great loca-tion! 2426 Burton St. SE, 915 sq. ft., 3 operatories, lab, private office, reception, business office, basement.Contact Dr. Sam Bander at616.949.5980 or email at [email protected]

West Michigan: Associate Wantedwith Transition to Partner – Verybusy, modern practice with elevenoperatories and three full-time hygien-ists, seeking ambitious dentist who iscommitted to serving the general den-tistry needs of our surrounding ruralcommunity. Our practice is located inan attractive lakeside village with amunicipal airport. We are looking fora general dentist with some experienceto work 2–3 days a week to start.Transition to 4–5 days per week assenior partner shifts towards retire-ment. Contact [email protected] [email protected] with resuméand contact information.

Associate/Partnership – Great oppor-tunity for a full / part time generaldentist. Profitable, fee for service office.This is a well established family prac-tice. Excellent location in Spring Lake/Grand Haven area. Call 616.842.1562or e-mail [email protected].

C L A S S I F I E D A D S

The classified ad rate is $10.00 up to and including 30 words; additional words 15¢ each. Space permitting, WMDDS members mayplace ads free of charge as a membership service. Ads should be submitted in writing and sent with payment to Elaine Fleming,WMDDS, 511-F Waters Building, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. Telephone numbers and hyphenations count as two words, abbrevi-ations count as one word. Ads received after the first of the month prior to publication may appear in the following issue.

Storage Space for Lease – Safe, secure,24/7 access. Ideal for records, models,or just stuff you need to store. Locatedin the basement at 1151 East Paris Ave. Contact Dr. Sam Bander at616.949.5980 or [email protected] more information.

Dental Practice For Sale – Jenison,Michigan. Established and growingdental practice on major Jenison traffic route. Great income potential.Call for details 616.245.2767 or cell616.485.1348.

Half of Building (2,424 Square Feet)for Lease. Other half is a full-servicedental laboratory. Two year old build-ing, excellent for a dental practice.Great location in Kentwood on thecorner of Breton and 32nd Street. Ifinterested please call 447.0190.

Established Dentist with an ExistingOffice in Grand Rapids Wants to Buy– in or partner with another dentist.Open to all options. Please contactP.O. Box 141661, Grand Rapids, MI,49514-1661.

Grandville: 2000+ sq. ft. office spaceavailable for lease in exclusive profes-sional office building. Other tenantsinclude endodontist, family dentist,pediatric dentist, oral surgeon andorthodontist. Building partnershipbuy-in also possible as investment.Call 616.531.6377 or 616.531.1260.

Dental Practices Wanted to Buy –Two dentists separately looking for apractice to buy in the Grand Rapidsarea. Contact Greg McGlaun ofProveer at 616.425.5523 [email protected].


The Bulletin wishes to thank our valued

advertisers who support organized

dentistry by helping to defray the cost

of printing and mailing.

Advertising in the Bulletin is seen by

over 90% of the dentists in the West

Michigan District. This includes five of

the fastest growing counties in the

state: Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Montcalm

and Mecosta.

For information on advertising rates,

call Elaine Fleming, WMDDS Executive

Secretary at 234-5605. Target your Market

– advertise in the Bulletin!

Cleartalent .........................................13

CPR Collections, Inc.........................13

Davis Dental

Laboratory................inside front cover

Founders Bank & Trust .................... 3

Henry Schein ............inside back cover

MDA IFG..................................... 3, 19

Professional

Solutions .................outside back cover

A D V E R T I S E R I N D E XC L A S S I F I E D A D S

Grand Rapids Area – I am looking topurchase a dental practice with orwith out a transition. please call Dr.Martin 616.406.9399.

For Lease – Desirable SE GrandRapids location. Some shared space(reception room, lab, etc.) with twoother general dentists. Great opportu-nity for general, specialty, or start-up.Excellent terms. Call 616.949.8990.

Dental Office Suite/Three Opera toriesfor Lease – Desirable SE Grand Rapidslocation. Some shared space (recep-tion room, lab, etc.) with two othergeneral dentists. Great opportunity forgeneral, specialty, or start-up. Excellentterms. Call 616.949.8990.

General Dentist – An excellent oppor-tunity to join a progressive, fast-pace,well-established, practice in Grant,Michigan. Immediate opening for full-time or part-time general dentist (new grads welcome). Compensationcommensurate with experience. Send resume and letter of interest to:Human Resources, Baldwin FamilyHealth Care, Inc., 1615 MichiganAvenue, Baldwin MI 49304, [email protected], orFAX 231.745.3690.

For Lease – 1,500 sq. ft. (approx.) dental office suite with three operato-ries in newer (5-year-old) building.Beautiful water views. Located onForest Hill Avenue south of Burton.Convenient, highly visible location.For more information, please call Janieat 616.942.3343.

Dental Office for Lease – Sparta, MI.2,000 sq ft with $75,000 improve-ments, includes two X-ray machines,vacuum extraction, cabinetry, lab -oratory. $1795.00/mo, plus utilities.Traffic flow/14,000 daily.616.874.4192.

Dental Vacuum Pump – 2 Hp MatrixModel Max-2000. Excellent condition.Recently appraised at $1200. Will take $800 or best offer. Contact ChaseKlinesteker at 949-8665 or [email protected].

General Dentist – Family Health Care,a federally qualified health center, hasan excellent opportunity to join a progressive, fast-pace, well-establishedpractice in northwest Michigan.Immediate openings in our Grant and White Cloud offices for full-timeor part-time general dentist (new grads welcome). Compensation commensurate with experience. Send CV and letter of interest to:Human Resources, Baldwin FamilyHealth Care, Inc., 1615 MichiganAvenue, Baldwin MI 49304. Email:[email protected]: 231.745.3690.

Spielmaker Accounting, Inc. –Specializing in medical practiceaccounting. Individually owned andoperated by Holly Oudhoff, in practiceover 20 years. Call today @ 616.897.1257or 616.885.0432. References availableon request.

RDH/RDA – Dental professional withover 5 years experience seeking full-time, part-time or subbing opportuni-ties where I will be able to utilize myprofessional experience with patients.Please contact me at 616.262.8719.

Opening a Satellite Office. Lookingfor a good used panoramic x-ray andsome other used equipment (in goodshape). Please email: [email protected] call my office at 616.774.9402 or cellphone 616.307.2213 (leave message).

For Sale – 1998 Gendex GX-Pan,$4500. Also available: 1970 MossLateral Ceph. Make offer. Call 538.5920Mon.–Thurs.


n 2007, the West Michigan District Dental Society Board

and a group of WMDDS dentists came to the realization

that there was no award to honor and recognize non-

dentists in our community for out-

standing contributions to dentistry

and oral health in the WMDDS

area. For a year-and-a-half, a

special task force worked to create

and establish this new tradition.

The task force members include: Dr.

Amy DeYoung (2007-2008), Dr.

Eugene Bonofilgo (chair), Dr.

Arnold Baker, Dr. Larissa Bishop,

Dr. Gerald Vander Wall, and Dr.

Doug Killian (2008-2009). It was

originally named the Community

Contributor Award, but has been

officially renamed the Steel Water Award. The committee

selected Grand Rapids Community College’s Dental Auxiliary

Programs to be the first recipient of this award for the out-

standing contributions they have made in the community

educating dental auxiliary since 1964. The award was presented

at the WMDDS continuing education seminar on January 16,

2009 at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

Representing Grand Rapids Community College at the

award presentation were Eve

Sidney, program director, Bunny

Bookwalter, past program director,

Maureen Munger, first program

director, and instructors Christine

Dobberstein, Jean Verwys, Deb

Schultz, and Julie Bera. Also repre-

senting the college was Paula

Sullivan, Associate Dean for the

School of Workforce Development.

Upon accepting the award, Eve

Sidney said, “The Steel Water sculp-

ture reaches thirty-three feet up into

the vast skyline of Grand Rapids, so

will our programs continue to reach new heights as we grow

in the future.”

Congratulations to Grand Rapids Community College’s

Dental Auxiliary Program!

G R C C N E W S

WMDDS Honors Grand Rapids Community College’s DentalAuxiliary Program with the 2008 Steel Water Award

I

The WMDDS recently created a new award to honor an

individual or group that has made a significant contribu-

tion to dentistry or the community in the five-county area

of the WMDDS. Nominees must be non-dentists. The first

recipient of the Steel Water Award was Grand Rapids

Community College’s Dental Auxiliary Program. The

award was presented on January 16, 2009.

If you would like nominate an individual or group for this

award, please send supporting information about your

nominee to the WMDDS Central Office by mail to West

Michigan District Dental Society, 161 Ottawa Avenue NW,

Suite 511-F, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, or by email to

[email protected] (put Steel Water Award Nomination in

the subject line).

Nominations are due by April 15, 2009.

Steel Water Award Nominations Are Being Accepted

L to R: Chris Dobberstein, Bunny Bookwalter, Eve Sidney, Deb

Schultz, Jean Verwys, Julie Bera. Seated: Maureen Munger.

WEST MICHIGAN DENTAL SOCIETY

511-F Waters Building

Grand Rapids, MI 49503

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE

PAIDGRAND RAPIDS, MI

PERMIT # 657

2009 winter wmdds bulletin:layout2005

Documents

spring issue

directory issue

summer issue

bulletinwinter issue

membership ofupcoming

tothe membership

mission statementthe

silent bell past recipients