Career in dentistry bonds father and son

For Brian Petras, following in his father's footsteps meant more than going to dental school. Before joining his father's dental practice, he joined the Navy as a dental officer.

'My dad advised me to go into the service first, like he had done,' Petras said, adding that someone he respected at the dental school also encouraged him to take this route. 'The military experience was great. Gradually, I picked up speed and efficiency in the military. I wouldn't have wanted to come right into this practice.'

Both father and son graduated with doctor of dental surgery degrees from the University of Pittsburgh Dental School. After graduation, the younger Petras chose the Navy. His father, Michael Petras, 58, had chosen the Army.

Michael Petras was in school during the draft for the Vietnam War. Though the draft was deferred during his schooling, he was obligated to volunteer after graduation and he served for two years. He was stationed in Texas. Neither gained any financial aid from the decision to join, though Michael Petras said that it is now offered to dental students.

After three years in the Navy, based in California, Brian Petras returned to Indiana and has worked as a dentist with his father, who also lives in Indiana, for the 1 &*#189;years.

'I'm in the town I grew up in. But I'm a different person, so the town appears different,' said Brian Petras, 31. 'Now, I'm more of a contributor to the community.'

GROWING UP
Brian Petras said dentistry was his first choice for a profession while he was growing up. He did well in science courses in high school and continued to pursue that career path.

His father sometimes joked about his son becoming a dentist and working with him.

'With so many children leaving the area, I was overjoyed when he decided to come back,' said Michael Petras, who had worried the Navy would entice his son to reenlist by offering him duty in Hawaii.

Michael Petras had watched a few years earlier when Scott Dills, the son of his good friend, Fred Dills, returned to Indiana to work with his father as a dentist. Like Fred Dills, Michael Petras didn't push his son into the field but thought they would make a good team.

'It's like the American dream to have your son follow in your footsteps, but we (he and Fred Dills) were realistic. If you force someone, the results won't be good.' Michael Petras said.

GOOD COMBINATION
'A lot of professionals start partnerships and split up because they can't work together,' he said. 'For us, it's working out great.'

He said his son brought some new techniques to the office, while he provided the administrative knowledge that his son didn't have. For example, the office staff deals with 20 to 25 different insurance companies, each with three or four different plans, he said.

Working with his son has freed the elder Petras to take more time off.

'As you get older, you can't work at the pace you did 25 years ago,' Michael Petras said. 'I can't afford to run this practice part time because of the expenses, but with him here, I can work three to four days a week. It's helped me immensely. I can do some yard work and other things. I don't want to quit. I enjoy this very much, but I don't want to go at that pace.'

Michael Petras had his son take most of his younger patients and new patients, while he kept those who had come to him in their younger years and had grown with him over his 34 years in the profession.

'We're seeing a third generation in many cases,' Michael Petras said.

Patients often comment on how alike the two dentists are, though father and son don't always see what seem like obvious similarities to their patients.

UNDERSTANDING
When Brian Petras was in dental school, his father could understand his work load as only someone who had experienced it could.

'It's brutal. These students don't even get off for the summer,' Michael Petras said. 'He's done a great job. I'm really happy with him. There's a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to his level.'

His son felt the challenges of dental school were less threatening because he knew his father and other dentists who had faced the same challenges and gotten through them.

Along with sharing an understanding of dental school - and life as a military dental officer - the father-son team share a growing understanding of each other.

For Brian Petras, the time spent together in the office has made him look at his father differently.

'I get a chance to interact with him on different levels as a person,' he said. 'It gives you more intimate knowledge of each other as individuals. You see how they interact with other people. You are how you really are - not how you want to appear to be.'

Brian Petras said working together has brought him closer to his father. Sometimes it's as simple as talking to his dad about what's in the news for a minute at the beginning or end of the workday.

'It's a lot of quality time,' Brian Petras said. 'There are a lot of fathers and sons who don't get to have that.'