Max Butler, D.D.S., is a dentist in the U.S. Navy, currently stationed with his family in Okinawa, Japan. He grew up in western Montana and graduated from Creighton University School of Dentistry in 2024. He enjoys motorcycles, airplanes, 3D printing, Dairy Queen blizzards and raising his three feral children with his wife.
“Become a dentist? Boring, I would rather be an astronaut. They’re way cooler.”
That was my reaction as a 12-year-old when my dad suggested I shadow a local dentist. I had no family in the profession and barely knew what dentistry really was. But over the years, I discovered it was a great, if not perfect, path for me.
As a kid, I enjoyed math and science, which led me to pursue an engineering degree in college. Before finishing my degree, I left on a two-year mission for my church where I learned to love people and to love helping them, despite my introverted personality.
When I returned to school, I began seriously exploring health care. I wanted a career that blended technical knowledge, hands-on skill, meaningful one-on-one service and the freedom to build something of my own. The more I learned, the more dentistry stood out. Ultimately choosing dentistry felt so final and scary, like stepping through one door was closing all the others. Gratefully, I was accepted to Creighton University School of Dentistry.
From the beginning of dental school, several experiences reassured me that I was in the right place. I could deliver a set of dentures to an elderly woman who cried with gratitude, wrestle through the puzzle of endodontic diagnoses and nerd out over the material science behind composite. The blend of science, art, problem-solving and service to people was exactly what I had been searching for. In many ways, dentistry feels like applied engineering with a human touch. I find fulfillment, satisfaction and joy in this field.
I graduated from Creighton in 2024. If I could go back and talk to my 12-year-old self, here’s what I would say:
“Hey Max, take it easy on dentistry. You already love working with your hands, learning about science and helping people. This might be the perfect combination. And don’t bad-mouth those dentists too much; you might just be one someday.”
If you are a dental student, keep going. School is hard, and it’s supposed to be. But you’re already on the team. In between the endless exams, lab work, difficult professors, frustrating school rules and the feeling of never having enough time, try to notice the gems buried beneath your feet. You’ve got this.
If you’re a new dentist, same here. We are figuring it out together. It’s OK to still be learning and growing. I still feel imposter syndrome sometimes. Skill, speed and stability will come with more time and focused effort.
Dentistry is one of the best careers out there, and you get to shape what it becomes for you. Don’t waste one minute questioning or regretting this decision. It’s up to you to make this the right path. You can choose to be happy in almost any situation. Your happiness won’t come from circumstances; it will come from what you focus on. Choose to focus on learning, developing your craft and helping people. That’s where the joy is.
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