How did I get here?

My father, Huntley Johnson, practiced dentistry here in Berkeley, California for 43 years.
For the first 20 plus years, he was also a clinical professor at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, which became The University of the Pacific, School of Dentistry and is now known as the UOP, Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco. Every dentist that came out of that dental school between 1954 and the early 70’s had to go through my father. Apparently he wasn’t a push over, more on that later.

In 1986, my father fired his office manager. He asked me if I could help out at the front desk for a short time while he searched for a replacement. That short time turned out to be almost 4 years. During that time I learned a lot about the business of dentistry. Prior to working in my father’s office, the thought of me being a dentist never crossed my mind.
However, while I was there, I observed my father enjoying going to work everyday.
For the most part, his patients actually seemed to enjoy seeing him as well.

My father did not practice in a rut. He constantly was seeking out new ways to give his patients the best dental care available. Continuing education was a very important component in his dental philosophy. In the early 1970s he began to introduce tooth colored fillings into his practice. By the early 1980s he had totally eliminated dental amalgam from his practice, in favor of a technique known as “bonding.” In the mid 1980s, he along with another general dentist and an oral surgeon brought dental implants to the community.
This service would greatly improve the quality of life in many edentulous (missing teeth) individuals. Over my 4 years in my father’s office I would see that dentistry can be enjoyable and rewarding, and there is no better feeling than having just changed someone’s life for the better.


Also in the mid 1980s, my father had an associate. I owe much of my decision to become a dentist to his associate. The associate moved on and is now a well known and well respected dentist. But in the mid 80s, I concluded that if this guy can be a dentist, anyone can. So began my quest for attending dental school.

In July 1990 I walked into my first dental school classroom at 2155 Webster Street, home of the University of the Pacific, School of Dentistry. I very quickly discovered that though I was there to learn all I could about the art and science of dentistry, many of my instructors approached my education differently and critical thinking was not well received. Suffice to say we both had a challenging three years together. I can say I enjoyed the entire experience.

The teaching philosophy at UOP was "do what we say and you will attain the information to become a licensed dentist in the state of California." Asking why one does what one says upsets the process. Suffice to say, I upset the process.

The tone was set early in my first year.

On this particular day, I was in my Pre-Clinical Operative Dentistry Class. This day’s topic was “Tooth Colored Bonded Fillings.” Our instructor was the chairman of the Operative Dentistry Department. He began his lecture. I was all ears. He got to the part where he was describing the need to etch a cavity preparation with 37% phosphoric acid for only 15 seconds, then rinsed vigorously off with water spray. He forcefully stated that this solution should NEVER, EVER, EVER come in contact with a part of the tooth known as dentin. Listening intently, I became perplexed. A short time earlier, I was in my Pre-Clinical Fixed Prosthedontics Class. The topic of the lecture was Zinc Phosphate Crown cement. This is the cement that we were being taught to use for luting crowns onto teeth. Now without getting too technical, we were taught that in order for a tooth to be sufficiently prepared to accept a crown, the tooth had to be ground away approximately 1.5 mm around its sides and biting surface. This procedure, if fact, guarantees that virtually 100 percent of the exposed tooth is dentin. Zinc Phosphate cement is made from zinc oxide, magnesium oxide and phosphoric acid. Once mixed and placed on a tooth it takes almost 7 days to reach a neutral pH. Another way to say this is that the tooth is exposed to an acid environment for almost a week! Something doesn’t make sense. I raised my hand.

“Excuse me, Dr Simon, I’m confused. Can you repeat what you just said?”
The chairman of the Operative Department said again, “NEVER, EVER, EVER, ETCH DENTIN WITH PHOSPHORIC ACID.”

“Uh…well, Dr Simon, I’m still confused. Earlier we were taught about using zinc phosphate cement for placing our crowns on teeth. We were told that it takes 7 days for the cement to become neutral pH. If that is true, why are you stating so emphatically not to get phosphoric acid on the small amount of exposed dentin in a cavity preparation, especially since it will be rinsed off after 15 seconds?”

The room got very silent. One hundred and forty dental students all got suddenly interested in the discourse.

Dr Simon replied, “Because that is what I am saying.”

Now I’m sure that answer was good enough for 99% of my class, but it wasn’t good enough for me. I replied, “All do respect Dr Simon, I do not pay forty thousand dollars a year to be taught “because.”

The tone was definitely set.

Until next time……

Cheers!!