Dr. Jordan McHone, DDS is one of the newest members of the Texas A&M College of Dentistry family, serving as a Clinical Assistant Professor since February 2020. Before he started his journey in academia, Dr. McHone had extensive experience and involvement in dentistry as a dental patient, dental assistant, dental resident, and dental provider in both military and corporate settings.
Although he only started his academic career with the dental school very recently, Dr. McHone’s dental journey started much earlier. His childhood dentist was one who inspired trust and taught him that the dental office wasn’t a place to fear. This foundation of trust would help prepare McHone for extensive treatment later in life, and was key to his success as a surgical orthodontic patient at Baylor College of Dentistry in the early 2000’s. During this time, he would undergo conventional treatment in braces with three different orthodontic residents. A few years later, McHone underwent a major surgery to correct a severe jaw discrepancy, including a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy and a Le Forte I osteotomy, involving the drastic process of surgically sectioning the jaws and manually repositioning them. He often jokes that he looks like a completely different person. But joking aside, McHone says the surgery was a stressful, yet worthwhile experience that not only helped him correct congenital issues, but also improved his self-confidence. The process also initiated his interest in dentistry as a career, as he had already crossed paths with many dentists and surgeons. The ones he admired the most were those that took the time to establish a genuine connection and communicate with him, not just at him. This would shape the way he would approach dentistry in his future, as both a patient and a provider.
Next, Dr. McHone would explore the dental world by working as a registered dental assistant. He started by shadowing and was later employed by a general dentist who had a mobile sedation license and specialized in extractions of wisdom teeth. They travelled from office to office extracting teeth and McHone gained experience in IV monitoring, cleaning and sterilizing instruments, and actively assisting in surgery. This experience showed him the autonomy dentistry had to offer. He realized general dentists had the freedom to learn about all the dental procedures available while focusing on procedures they enjoy and want to perform. He would go on to vary his experience by moving to work for a Medicaid practice, where he was able to connect with financially disadvantaged patients and was expected to be versatile. This versatility was sometimes stretched to areas that made him uncomfortable, forcing him to realize that not all dentists prioritize the wellbeing of their staff and patients. Dr. McHone often recalls this to his students and emphasizes the importance of knowing your dental assistant’s legally supported capabilities, to protect the integrity of your dental license and workplace.
From dental assisting, McHone was accepted to UTHSC School of Dentistry in Houston. Looking back, he has shared some valuable lessons he learned while in dental school with his own students, including:
· Dental school is only the basics, but your foundation must be strong to grow your understanding and competence. You will only learn so much as a dental student but having a strong grasp on the basics will create more opportunities and success for you.
· Strive hard to increase your workload and don’t avoid work. If a patient cancels, utilize your time by completing lab work or learning from other cases your classmates are involved in. Sit with faculty and have a conversation about complex cases or new technology.
· Speed is your greatest handicap. Practice the procedures repeatedly. Ask a dentist how long it takes him/her to do the procedure and set an obtainable goal to increase your efficiency in clinic.
· Don’t cut corners. Focus on all procedures and how to do them the right way. If you don’t know how, don’t be afraid to ask someone who does before moving on.
After dental school, Dr. McHone joined the United States Air Force where he was encouraged to first participate in an AEGD program with training in many of the dental specialties. He then joined the 18th dental squadron in Kadena, Okinawa, Japan – a tiny island with one of the largest air bases. There were more than 150 employees at the base’s dental clinic, with almost 30 dentists. Here he had to learn how to operate with a finite budget while performing dentistry with cheaper materials and limitations he could not change. He also did some work with the 35th dental squadron in Misawa, Japan – a much smaller clinic whose focus was on comprehensive exams and categorization for referral to Japanese general dentists. Both of these experiences were truly unique, and gave him, what he felt was, a more comprehensive view of the practice of dentistry.
After leaving the military, McHone joined the corporate world where he ramped up the hours he worked, the number of patients he treated daily and unfortunately, the stress. Despite the initial challenges, Dr. McHone focused on the positive aspects of the job such as being able to increase his speed, expand his experience, and learn and work with great assistants and office managers. McHone warns of the risks created by a corporate structure that operates based on strong administrative pressures versus doctor autonomy. He also reassures students not all corporate entities are bad and we, as dentists, have the greatest control over maintaining ethical corporate dentistry and dentistry as a whole. Dentistry, to him, has been a wide spectrum of practices and methodologies, and he often reminds his students that you can learn valuable lessons anywhere you find yourself.
All of these experiences led Dr. McHone to Texas A&M College of Dentistry where he now leads 3rd and 4th year dental students on a path to being well-rounded and competent dentists. He is quick to offer simple tips to put anxious patients at ease and ways to communicate honestly with the patients that build trust in their care here at the school. Dr. McHone has created a positive environment in clinic, encouraging students to ask questions and motivating them to grow as clinicians.
By Amanda Aparicio, Class of 2022
