I received my BS in Biology in 1976, worked as a Research Assistant for 2 years at Pitt Medical School, Department of Microbiology, and graduated with a DMD from Pitt Dental School in 1982 before joining the US Air Force.
I completed a General Practice Residency at Barksdale AFB, LA in 1983, graduating with distinction, served at Williams AFB, AZ till 1985, then went on to become the first AF dentist to be assigned to NATO AB Geilenkirchen, Germany until I separated from Active Duty in 1989. I was Chief of Dental Services at 106th ANG base New York (5 years), IMA to Pease AFB (1 year), and Chief of Dental Services Youngstown Air Reserve Base (9 years). The next 2 years, I was selected to be Youngstown AFB’s Medical Squadron Commander and was the only dental officer serving as a Medical Squadron Commander in the Air Force Reserve at the time, having responsibility for 136 squadron members. My final Reserve assignment was to the Air Staff to Office of the Surgeon General in Washington, DC to a 2-star General. There I served as liaison and facilitator between AF Active Duty, Air Guard, and Air Force Reserve Dental Corps, worked with the different components and federal agencies on matters of readiness, force development, modernization, dental insurance, education, Digital Dental, Electronic Dental Record, etc. I was proud to enjoy a 30-year career in the AF Dental Corps with 7 years Active Duty and 23 years in the AF Guard and Reserve.
In my civilian life, I was in private practice in Boston, MA (2 years), clinical instructor at Tufts Dental School in Boston, MA (2 years) and have been a Clinical Assistant Professor at University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine for 33 years.