GDAMEMBERPROFILE This column highlights GDA members talking about their path to dentistry and the value they find in GDA membership. This month we hear from Dr. Kara C. Kramer. What or who inspired you to become a dentist? When I was young, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I googled “Top businesses least likely to fail.” The first business was chicken farming, and I didn’t think I could do that. The second profession was a dentist and I thought to myself, yeah I could do that. As I learned about the specialties, periodontics really appealed to me because I loved the surgical aspect and being able to see whole-body health changes in patients. Over time I also began to appreciate the immense positive impact we have on patients’ lives. That is what I find most rewarding today. What surprised you in your first years practicing? The biggest surprise I had in my first few years practicing was that I could be myself and talk to patients like they were friends. As a younger woman, I always felt like I needed to have a very professional image and needed to be very formal. I learned, over time, that patients appreciate authenticity. I read that Cone-beam computed tomography and AI are among your favorite dental technologies. Have these tools been game changers for you and your patients? I use a cone beam every day and could not imagine practicing without it. The imaging is incredible and it really helps. AI is interesting because I use it often for business practices like marketing and analyzing numbers but I do not use it in clinical practice. AI can’t do a patient exam and is only as good as the information it has been fed. For now, it’s best used as a tool for saving time so I can get back to what really matters - interfacing with patients. What does GDA membership mean to you? What I’ve learned is that if you don’t have a seat at the table, you are on the menu. We are in a time where there are a lot of attacks on dentists legislatively. Advocacy is more important than ever and the GDA is our only defense. I have decades left to practice and I still want dentistry to be a good profession in 20 years! Besides the important advocacy arm, I love meeting like-minded dentists. It’s really a wonderful group of people who are there to help. I am fortunate to have made great friends through organized dentistry who have mentored me. I like giving back and mentoring others early in their career as well. Dr. Kara C. Kramer’s Journey KARA C. KRAMER, D.M.D President-Elect, NDDS 40 | Nov 2024
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