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Dr. David Ciesla has found joy in responding to the Lord’s call into academic dentistry, and the fruit has stretched all the way to Uganda! As a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma, he created a pediatric dental residency program at OU School of Dentistry and is working to duplicate his efforts in Kampala, Uganda. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmdadental/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576106769605

Dr. Bill Claytor, recipient of the American Dental Association’s 2025 Distinguished Service Award, speaks on the critical topics of perfectionism, isolation and burnout in dentistry. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cmdadental/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576106769605

Longtime CMDA members Dr. William Kane and Dr. T. Bob Davis  were recently honored by the two most prominent US dental organizations, the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry with their respective humanitarian awards in 2025. Out of over 200,000 active dentists in the US, it’s truly amazing that both of these award winners are a part of our CDA membership.  Their common goal is to honor Christ through the dental profession, and the Lord has greatly blessed their efforts in multiple areas of personal and professional ministry.

Dr. Mark Topazian joins host Dr. Bill Griffin and co-host Dr. Mike Chupp for a conversation on finding joy, faith, and fulfillment in medicine. A world-class gastroenterologist who has taught and practiced at Yale University and the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Topazian now serves with his wife, Janet, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as missionaries with SIM. Drawing from his new book, Healing Purpose: Finding Satisfaction in a Healthcare Career, Dr. Topazian explores what happens when our calling to help others meets the realities of exhaustion and spiritual fatigue, and how God’s presence transforms even the hardest days of clinical work. Through stories from academic medicine and mission service, he reveals how faith and science form one unified story of healing, and how practicing whole-person care renews both the patient and the provider. Whether you’re a student, a practitioner, or a weary soul in need of renewal, this episode will remind you that your daily work is sacred and filled with purpose.

Dr. Andre Mickel joins Dr. Mike Chupp and Dr. Bill Griffin for a conversation about what it means to boldly follow Jesus in one of the most secular corners of healthcare: academia.

What inspires Christian dental professionals to see dentistry as a means to the greater end of proclaiming Christ, and how can this be accomplished faithfully and powerfully? Hear from four dental professionals who recognize the transformative power of the Gospel, both for themselves and for those they serve.

Dr. Warren Rich reluctantly answered the call to dental missionary service in Kenya, and the Lord rewarded him with 25 years of joy-filled memories.  Enjoy this recording of our first plenary session from the 2025 Great Commission Dental Conference, including the introduction given by his daughter, Elise.

Dr. Herb Gorin and dental student, Nick Greene, had a blast learning from each other and serving the dentally needy in Rwanda on a recent Global Health Outreach mission trip. The nineteen-person team treated over 2,100 patients during the five days of treatment.  It was a tremendous week on several levels – clinically, spiritually, and interpersonally.  Their story illustrates how God can use healthcare professionals at any stage of their careers.

It’s never too late to pursue your dreams as illustrated by Dr. Amber Thomas’ recent graduation from dental school.  She had about 10 years on her classmates along with a husband and three children, yet she still found time to be an active member and officer in her CMDA student group.  What she discovered was that her dream was God’s calling, and His grace was sufficient to see her through.

Few of us in dentistry would have seen dental anatomy as our favorite course in dental school, but Dr. Samer Zaky has discovered an inherent fascination with the wonders of God’s dental creativity.  God’s exquisite design of teeth cannot be matched by even our best restorative materials and techniques.  For this reason, preservation of natural tooth structure should be our highest clinical goal as dental professionals.

Dr. Katie Musser, a 2019 graduate of CMDA’s Dental Residency [+] program, is now highly committed to giving other graduates the same opportunity to treat patients with both clinical and spiritual excellence in the U.S. and abroad.

Dr. Bill Griffin and Dr. Mike Chupp sit down to have a conversation with well-known financial advisor and author David Bahnsen to talk about his new book, Full-Time: Work and the Meaning of Life.

Dr. Robert Zimmerman’s five decades in dentistry have been driven by a profound zeal to address dental needs through the skills that God has given him.  Whether treating missionaries in his practice, starting a local clinic for the underserved, or providing care and teaching internationally, his efforts were fueled by the love of Christ.

Dr. Kevin Aduddell strives to provide top-notch dentistry for his patients in Plano, TX.  But he doesn’t stop there.  His ultimate desire is to communicate the love of Christ through the care he provides.  His zeal for the Gospel also inspires him to care for the dentally underserved at a local Christian clinic. Be challenged and encouraged by Dr. Aduddell’s efforts to integrate spiritual care in his private practice.

The Lord has used Dr. Van Haywood to spark a tooth-whitening revolution in the dental profession, and for three decades he has been pouring into the lives of dentists and dental students.  Van’s story goes well beyond the world of academia, which has become his platform to communicate the glory of Christ.  This podcast was previously released throughout CMDA as a CMDA Matters episode.