Introducing Joshua Austin, DDS, Dental Economics' new "Pearls for Your Practice" columnist

The editors of Dental Economics and DentistryIQ are proud to introduce Dr. Joshua Austin, a general practicing dentist from San Antonio, Texas. In September, Dr. Austin will begin authoring "Pearls for Your Practice," the monthly DE column made popular by Dr. Joseph Blaes. Here, Dr. Austin tells a little bit about himself … and how some good advice helped him land the opportunity to write "Pearls."

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Last week I was invited to speak to the incoming first-year dental students at the University of Texas Health Science Center Dental School in San Antonio. This is something I do almost every year and the speech is almost always the same. Get involved. Contribute to dentistry. Be passionate about what you do. Join the appropriate associations. All pretty standard advice, but necessary, none the less. These are all things that I took to heart when I was in dental school, and all things that have paid dividends throughout my career.

Of all the suggestions I made, joining the appropriate associations has been huge in my career. I told the students that the reason to join associations is be a part of something bigger than yourself. In an association, you can network with colleagues from all over the world. And you never know who you might meet that could change your life. For me, it was the 2007 ADA New Dentist Conference in Portland, Oregon. I met a fast-talking, wise-cracking, well-dressed New Yorker named Chris Salierno. Chris and I became fast friends and have stayed in close contact since. He called me early in the summer to tell me about his great opportunity as chief editor of Dental Economics. There couldn’t be anyone who deserves this opportunity more than Dr. Salierno. He’s as driven, motivated, and hard-working as anyone I know. He asked if I would be interested in contributing to the magazine. I told him I would help him in any way possible.

When he asked me to take over the “Pearls for Practice” column, I was floored. What an honor! Dr. Blaes has done such great work with this column over the years. I know I have my work cut out for me to achieve the success my predecessor had with this column. I am really and honestly a very average, everyday, practicing general dentist. I see patients four and a half days a week. I do everyday restorative dentistry. I see adults. I see kids. I do resin composites. I work in the same trenches all of you do every single day. I practice in a suburban area of San Antonio, Texas. My practice is probably exactly like most of yours. When you read my review of a product, you can trust that it was used the same way you would use it ... directly, in real patient care.

I am in my ninth year of private practice after graduating from the University of Texas Health Science Center Dental School in San Antonio. I opened my own solo general practice in October of 2009 after associating for several years. I am involved in all levels of organized dentistry and hope to help keep this profession great for generations of dentists to come.

My hope is that this column can continue to be a reliable, interesting source of information for dentists looking for help making decisions about dental equipment and supplies. I am always open to comments and questions from the readers of this column. I look forward to many years of continued professional service to you, the readers of Dental Economics and DentistryIQ.