Ronald Inge, D.D.S.

What inspired you to become part of the dental profession?
When I was a young man I was heavily recruited for athletics. At age 16, I needed to decide where I wanted to go to college and what I wanted to study. I looked at my parents' friends -- one of whom was a dentist. My mom was a nurse, so I always had some influence in my life to pursue a health care career. Dentistry seemed like a good opportunity for me. Because I excelled in athletics, several universities offered me the opportunity to visit dental school at an early age. So in my junior year of high school, I knew what my future would hold.

What is your specialty, and how did you get there?
I became involved with the corporate side of dentistry eight years ago. Although I had a successful practice in San Jose, California, my wife and I decided to sell the practice and relocate. I worked for Foundation Health and managed four of its dental offices in Northern California. Then I went to work in its corporate offices as vice president of Provider Relations.

Transitioning from private practice to the corporate environment was difficult. But I was still able to keep the same ideas and foundation in dentistry and apply those ideas to a broader canvas.

I have been at Aetna for just over one year. This move was a big transition, both culturally and geographically, relocating from the West Coast to East Coast. However, it has been a great opportunity. My role is to enable our members to access quality care. I do this by reviewing clinical policies, interacting with network providers and providing plan designs with appropriate care.

One of the things that I have been able to bring to Aetna is the dental value proposition, which looks at the integration of dental health with general health. We have been able, through study, to identify what impact dental benefits can have on the overall cost to a member. By comparing dental and medical data, we now have the ability to demonstrate just how powerful the impact of proper and regular oral health care can be on good health and reducing overall health care costs. But there is still much work to do. Historically, general medicine and dentistry have functioned somewhat independently of one another.

It's been particularly rewarding for me to leverage Aetna's unique data and technology resources in ways that can help dentists make a significant difference not only in people's smiles, but their overall health and, ultimately, their lives.

What do you like best about working in the field?
I like helping people through dentistry. That's why I have stayed in the field. I do miss the day-to-day patient interaction because dealing with patients can be the most rewarding time in your life, especially with the impact that you make on people. Some come in so fearful and when they leave they actually thank you for the visit.

What, if any, barriers or challenges have you personally had to overcome?
From the very beginning there have been barriers. I had to overcome the stigma of being a "dumb jock" (played football running back for four years at Stanford University), and also the barrier of race and discrimination in the '70s.

What are the greatest challenges within the profession?
There needs to be recognition of the profession, with the same level of respect given to other health care professions. Dentists have been second tier for a long time. In general, the public doesn't equate dental health to overall health. As professionals, we need to help make that connection.

We need to continue to develop qualified individuals to represent the profession. Dental schools have lost federal funding and several have had to close. By 2010, forecasts predict that there will be more dentists retiring or dying than graduating. This will cause a shortage of dentists if something doesn't change.

Dentists also need to become more involved outside the office. They need to create a role-model setting. Dentists have to feel comfortable in encouraging more dentists to pursue practicing in certain areas. As a profession, we have been more solitary and too concerned about competition as opposed to advancing the profession.

What are your proudest accomplishments in your profession? In your life?
In work, the admiration and appreciation that I received from my patients when I was in practice. I worked with one woman who was an agoraphobic. She was afraid of the dentist. She came into my office with a toothache, and I sat with her from 6 p.m. to midnight talking her through the procedure of removing the tooth. I used every one of my techniques on her, but she didn't let me take out the tooth. A few days later she came back. She held my hand while I removed the tooth. It's moments like these that make it such an important profession for me.

I also dealt with a 7-year-old child from the Philippines whose teeth were rotted from baby-bottle syndrome. He was afraid of needles and dentists. I was able to hypnotize the child and remove his teeth without any anesthetic. I have always been very interested in patient management. That's what makes successful practices. As dentists we have to move away from being mechanics or repairmen and realize that we are health care givers. It's not just about teeth. Many dentists fail in this respect. I try to do as much as I can to manage the patient psychologically.

How is this applied to the corporate environment?
I assess the dentists and I assess the plans. In one of the departments that I oversee, claims review, I have the opportunity to determine if the procedure completed was necessary. Only one dentist talking with another dentist can come to that assessment. I use my experience and empathy to understand what the dentists get involved with. I want our dentists to use their experience and knowledge and understanding of the profession to make their determinations. Every patient is different. And every procedure is different because it's being done on a different patient. There are parameters, but there is also variability.

What are your plans for the future?
I see myself always involved in dentistry, whether I am the chief dental officer at Aetna or a CEO of a dental plan. Given my personality and how I view what I do, I need to be in the position to make decisions and influence decisions. I have something to contribute. And I have a passion for what I do. To help people, that was my core driving force to participate on the corporate side. I have to walk a thin line of profitability to deliver access to quality care for our members. I compare it to oil and water. You have to keep the mix going. You have to provide balance in the drive to the bottom line, while taking care of the needs of our members.

What words of wisdom do you have for students just graduating?
If you get the offer to work in an existing practice, take the opportunity because you will still be able to learn for the rest of your professional life. It's always good to have a mentor. In dentistry, you can do great things in a short time for a lot of people. There is immediate gratification. Many professions don't offer that. If you treat patients well, the financial success will come. Don't be concerned with financial success first.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I still love sports. I play basketball as often as possible and run every day. I also like to do outdoor things: hiking, snow skiing, work around the house -- outdoor projects.