Lasting Impressions | Fall 2016

NSU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE © 25 ere are only a few instances that change the course of one’s life. October 18, 2014, was one of those moments. I was in my third year at NSU’s College of Dental Medicine when I attended the continuing education program, Practice Manage- ment Essentials, which was sponsored by the CDM Alumni Society and Friends. ere were many inspiring and enlightening speakers, but none more than Christopher Phelps, D.M.D., CMCT. He spoke about the area of dentistry that o en isn’t covered in dental schools: business. His presentation, and our subsequent conversation, sparked an interest I had to explore. e following February, I attended a two-day alumni symposium where I heard Dr. Phelps speak again, in addition to his “Principles of Persuasion” workshop. I was drawn to his experience and no-nonsense way of explaining dental marketing and the Cialdini method of in uence. Dr. Phelps was gracious enough to answer many questions and mentor me as I began to implement his strategies in my parents’ practices. Of the many things I took from his workshop, none was better than a job o er. An entire year before I gradu- ated, I accepted a position in his dental practice near Charlotte, North Carolina. My experience with the alumni association provided me • exposure to new thoughts and ideas • insight into my own professional passion • networking opportunities with the best in the field • opportunities to implement new strategies on the job • a lifetime mentor is proves the importance of the CDM’s alumni society and how even new dentists bene t from being members. I am truly grateful to Dr. Phelps and to the alumni society for providing me with the opportunity to nd my passion. Fins Up! (Christopher Phelps, 2003, is the president of the CDM Alumni Society and Friends.) UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS April 21–25, 2017 CDM orthodontic alumni reception during the American Association of Orthodontists annual meeting in San Diego, California. For more information, contact Abraham Lifshitz Goldberg, D.D.S., M.S., at al674@nova.edu . May 25–28, 2017 CDM pediatric dentistry alumni reception during the 70th Annual Session of the American Aca- demy of Pediatric Dentistry in Washington, D.C. Contact Reza Ardalan, D.M.D., at info@ArdalanDental.com . June 21–24, 2017 CDM alumni reception scheduled for June 23 during the Florida Dental Conference in Orlando. For more information, contact Rosalie Marin at rm1147@nova.edu . Alumni Alumni By For This issue’s alumni message is written by guest contributor Marc J. Rasmussen , D.M.D.