Dental duo

Not many people enjoy a trip to the dentist. There’s even a common fear named for the anxiety or distrust one has for their dentist — dentophobia. That fear is a big part of why father and son dentistry duo Robert Jensen ’85 and Christian Jensen ’17 felt called to the profession.

“There is a subset of the population that is very nervous of the dentist, maybe a little distrusting of a dentist,” Christian said. “You can chip away at that and foster these relationships of trust and care.”

“[Dentistry] also gives me the opportunity to really help people,” Robert added.

That call to the profession led them to a greater calling to serve the University of Dayton community and an underserved community thousands of miles away.

Robert has been ushering UD predentistry students into his practice in ​​Washington Township, Ohio, through part-time jobs and said he is proud every one of the students he mentored has made it into dentistry school after graduating from UD. 

His advice for his son Christian, however, was different.

“My dad was telling me, ‘Maybe don’t go into dentistry,’” Christian said. He came to UD on the premedicine track, but after some reflection and conversations with his predentistry roommate, he switched lanes.

As an established dentist, Christian was searching for a way to be involved with the university that shaped his career. That is when he learned of the UD’s Global Brigade trip to Panama.

The University works with the international health nonprofit to send students to underserved communities around the world. UD sends a cohort of students and volunteers to learn and serve in these communities during academic breaks.

Christian asked his dad and step-mom Lynn, a pediatric dentist, if they wanted to join him.

“I didn’t even hesitate,” Robert said.

The dentistry team saw around 250 patients during their weeklong trip and performed 150 tooth extractions. Community members were grateful, and the Jensens said they could see the impact they were making on a individual scale. But, with so many patients lined up, they saw more work needed to be done.

“The big takeaway from the trip for me is how much need there is for basic dental services,” Robert said. “It is incredibly rewarding, but it is also disheartening because I felt like we were a drop in the ocean.”

The Jensens hope this need can be addressed with more Flyer dentists and physicians joining in on the next Global Brigade trip to serve communities and mentor UD students. 

“[The trip] gave me a lot of hope for the next generation of medical professionals that’s going to fall in behind me. I think the future is in good hands."

“[The trip] gave me a lot of hope for the next generation of medical professionals that’s going to fall in behind me. I think the future is in good hands,” Christian said. “And I think that’s a testament to the type of people who are within the medical programs at UD. … It’s a special place; it takes a special person.”

The trip will surely challenge you and push you out of your comfort zone, the duo said, but it’s worthwhile in the end, kind of like a trip to the dentist.