Denturist Profile: Joe Vise |
Oregon’s
most recently licensed denturist could very well be the youngest. Not
only in the state, but in the country as well.
Twenty-four year old Joe Vize passed his Oregon boards in July of last year. He is the fourth generation of dental professionals in his family, one that includes his denturist father, who was at one time president of the Nevada Denturist Association and later built a successful practice in Pasco (First Choice Denture Service) and an uncle and grandfather, both of whom were dentists in the Midwest.
Joe’s professional history began in 1991,when, at the age of 12, he began working in the family business doing office clean up and helping in the lab. He enjoyed the business, and began doing clinical work five years ago.
He intended on going to college to become an engineer, but fate had other plans. His father, Randall Vize, was diagnosed with cancer in 1998, and urged his son to take over the business. He promised he would. “It would have broken his heart if I would not have honored my dad’s request to keep the practice open”, Joe says. Randall died in 2000. “Because of my dad’s death it was a struggle for me to make it through. But now that I am comfortable with the work, I enjoy it and have no regrets about becoming a denturist. I owe a lot to many, including Ken Holden, Tad Burzynski, and Todd Young, who all went out of their way to assist me."
This turn of events put things on a fast track. Joe enrolled in the distance-learning program offered by George Brown College. With the help of Oregon Denturist Ken Holden, who ran the practice while Joe finished his education and got the practical experience necessary to take the Washington examination. As it turned out, however, the Oregon examination was going to be given sooner. Since Washington recognizes and licenses denturists who are licensed in Oregon, Joe took that exam instead.
Although Ken still goes to Pasco occasionally to help with implant cases, Joe now runs the practice with the assistance of his wife Stephanie, who handles the front office, his mother Janet, who serves as office manager and his brother John, who is the lab technician. As one of five denturists practicing in the Tri-Citiy area, they see an average of 16 patients a day, most of whom are seniors in need of full plate dentures. “Most of my patients are really appreciative and grateful to have a denturist who can meet their needs”, Joe says. “They bring me cookies, flowers and things from their garden. They take good care of me”.
Joe has big ambitions for the future. In the short term, he is considering hiring a dentist for the implant work and open another practice in Pendleton or perhaps elsewhere in the Northeastern corner of the state within the next year. His long term, plans have more far reaching goals. “My dad was president of the Nevada Denturist Association in the 1980’s. He lost everything when the profession was killed there by dentists and the legislature. He was a pioneer, and as is usually the case, pioneers take a lot of arrows. To honor my dad’s efforts in Nevada, my ultimate goal is to do what I can to make denturism a licensed profession there.” And Joe understands what it takes to bring this about. “I recognize the value of a strong denturist association. That is what is needed to protect the profession. It’s unfortunate that some don’t see the value that an association provides."