Name: Will Owen IV.

School: College of Dental Medicine (CDM).

What did you want to be when you were little: Both of my parents were dentists, so I sure didn’t want to be a dentist. ... But that’s what I ended up becoming; and I am very glad about it.

What was your first job: I was a lifeguard in high school and college (Clemson), but after college I worked as an operations manager for Sonoco Products in Atlanta.

Who influenced you: Both of my parents finished MUSC dental school. My mom was the first female dental school graduate from MUSC. I had always planned on practicing dentistry with my parents in Camden, but my dad got cancer in the beginning of my final year and died soon afterward. I decided that this is the toughest thing I’ll ever experience, and if that's the worst thing I've had to handle, then everything else should be pretty easy. While I will miss Charleston, I’m glad to be going to Camden to practice with my mom.

Something you collect: Student loan debt.

Favorite possession: My boat.

Favorite room in your house: Sun porch, which has a hot tub on it.

Mentor whom you most admire: Tariq Javed, DMD, the CDM dean of academic and student affairs. I would not have made it through dental school without his guidance and support.

How do you spend your free time: At the beach, in my boat or fishing. Anything having to do with water.

Personal accomplishment at MUSC: We had the best intramural football team in the four years I’ve been at MUSC. We pretty much dominated all the other colleges the past four years.

Biggest moment: May 15, graduation day.

An experience you have cherished: My mom and I went on a dental mission to Quito, Ecuador. I performed more procedures during that week than I ever had during a month at the dental school clinics.

Something you do that is silly but really fun: I performed a Jennifer Beals’ Flash Dance act for an American Student Dental Association senior awards banquet video that ended up on YouTube.

View http://www.musc.edu/pr/will/



 

Friday, May 15, 2009