An accident jolted Justin Garner’s dreams of becoming an electrical engineer into a drilling pursuit to become a dentist.
“As you can imagine, being a 14-year-old having to going to school with broken front teeth caused me to develop a low degree of depression and self consciousness,” Justin Garner, D.D.S., said.
“Fortunately, my parents had dental insurance so I was able to have my teeth restored; however, such procedures take time. I spent half of that time going around with fractured front teeth, which was a blow to my ego, but added another layer of growth in the end.”
His dental restoration took three months, with many dental office visits. He used his time wisely in the waiting area.
“At every appointment I would read the brochures about various dental treatments and oral diseases,” he explained.
“Once my treatment was completed, I felt revived and back to my old self with a new outlook on things in life. In conjunction with obtaining information within the dental brochures, undergoing the treatment and personally experiencing the joy that dentistry can do for a patient, I developed the desire to pursue a career in dentistry.”
Garner graduated from Ritenour High School and then Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn. as a chemistry major and physics minor.
“I am truly grateful for being led down a path to the field of chemistry and physics because I really enjoyed it despite the long nights of studying,” he said.
“Luckily, I had faculty that cared about all of the pre-professional students because I wouldn’t have known how to get in contact with certain key individuals or had access to preparatory programs.”
He also completed a Dental Admission Testing prep program at East Tennessee State University, passed the DAT exam and began applying for admittance into dental schools.
With a personal recommendation from an alumnus, Dr. Oswald Thomas, he was accepted into University of Missouri-Kansas City.
“At my interview I met Mrs. Diane Beard, who realized my desire to serve those who are considered underprivileged,” Garner said.
“Therefore, she informed me of the Area Health Education Center organization (AHEC) and PRIMO scholarship.”
Recipients of the Primary Care Resource Initiative for Missouri (PRIMO) scholarships can receive funding for school in exchange for working in an area of designated need here in Missouri.
“Thank God that there are individuals that look out for those other than themselves because without her sharing such information, I wouldn’t be in the standing that I’m in today,” Garner said.
The Eastern Central Missouri AHEC celebrated Garner’s success and those of current students who, with its support, are pursuing degrees and careers in medicine, dentistry and allied health and who plan to stay in the state to serve health needs in Missouri.
Home to keynote
Garner returned to St. Louis August 1 as the keynote speaker for the 5th Annual ACES and ACES+ Recommitment and Awards Ceremony at Saint Louis University and its first professional graduate. He talked about becoming a dentist, including dental school experiences, staying self-motivated and not comparing yourself to others.
“Not everybody in medical school or dental school got in on the first try,” Garner explained. “Once you get in, you must stay intrinsically motivated, not extrinsically motivated. If you want it, you’ve got to grind for it.”
As a dental student, Garner participated in AHEC training where he and other dental students used chicken breasts to learn the art of suturing.
“The same type of feel that you have when you go through gingival (gum) tissue is the same feel you have when you go through chicken breast, so you can kind of get used to the feel of it,” Garner said.
The ACES program by AHEC offers career enhancement for high school students who display a strong interest in pursuing a career in primary care, including minorities, first-generation college students and students from socio-economically disadvantaged families. After high school, undergraduate college students may participate in the ACES+ to continue their career ambitions.
The medical school at Saint Louis University is a partner of AHEC training and enrichment. SLU is also the site for Camp Scrubs, a week-long AHEC training program to get high school students interested in the health care field.
For the Eastern Missouri AHEC, Garner journeyed the road paved for him and many other students to follow.
“Justin represents the best that we could ever hope for in our young people who have a vision for their life early on and with the right support, encouragement and enrichment programs like AHEC, he is capable of realizing his career dreams,” said Alfreda Brown, executive director of the Eastern Missouri AHEC.
“And we know there are many young people out in the community like Justin that, with the same type of support, can become valuable health care providers in underserved communities in Missouri.”
His Student National Dental Association (SNDA) chapter also adopted a school and conducted dental screenings and oral hygiene education.
“During my clinical portion of dental school, we were sent out on several rural/public health-based rotations where we gained outside dental experience and exposure. Some students hated it, but I enjoyed working in public health clinics,” Garner said, which is why he began working at Swope Health Services in Kansas City early July.
As dental school came to an end last year, Garner said he realized that “dental school doesn’t teach the X-Y-Zs of dentistry, which are often needed in order to treat the complex patient,” and applied for a one-year residency program.
“I decided to attend the University of Michigan’s Advance Education in General Dentistry program to take advantage of the opportunities and exposure to different dental philosophies, procedural techniques, and allow for further development of my own philosophies and abilities,” Garner said.
“After completing this graduate program I am more confident, wiser and ready for the complex patient, which I’m sure that I will have my fair share.”
Garner said his long-term career goal is to open up private practice back home in St. Louis and to continue serving the type of patients he is treating in Kansas City.
“Not all patients can afford the high-end dentistry, but they can have excellent dental care,” he said. “The main focus is on prevention and disease control.”
As he did several years ago when he was inspired by brochures in his dental office, Garner also wants other students to consider dental careers.
“I feel it is an obligation of mine to educate and influence others about the dental profession and help people realize the serious need to incorporate dental care into their overall healthcare regimen,” Garner said.