Robert R. Olson

Dr. Olson tells his story of practicing dentistry for 48 years and enjoying it and almost didn’t retire at age 74. He practiced dentistry as a profession and not as just a business. And, he said the personal rewards were phenomenal and he and his family lived very comfortably. He never had to purchase a dental practice or advertise. His patients heartily supported his practice. Maybe it was partly his payment plan-pay at your convenience. It worked. Quite a bit of his practice was before dental insurance. He had over 4,000 patients! He often needed one or two associate dentists to help him. Patients also respected his service in community projects such as treating all the children in a local children’s home for twenty-five years, established nation’s first in-house full dental clinic in a senior center, set-up a county after hours emergency program, he and his friend formed one of the best dental study clubs in Michigan. He practiced part-time in a dangerous area of Detroit and saw things most dentists never see. So, Dr. Olson said that he didn’t have just a lot of patients, he had a lot of friends. Dr. Olson and his wife, Marcia, two days after graduation where he took over a practice for three months while the dentist went to Florida. No masks. No gloves: 1959!