Rutgers dental school graduate and her trailblazing mom share a practice in a field where men still dominate
In 1978, out of 6,000 members of the New Jersey Dental Association, only 56 were women. Today, about 20 percent of the nation’s dentists are female, a figure that’s expected to grow with the increasing number of women enrolled in dental school.
It wasn’t easy being a woman dentist in 1978. Some prospective patients brought their children in for appointments but insisted on male dentists for themselves. Out of 6,000 members of the New Jersey Dental Association, only 56 were women.
Linda Stone knows this because 37 years ago, she saw it in a May 7, 1978, New York Times’ article titled: “Women Dentists -- a Rarity.’’
That same year, she tacked the story up on her wall for inspiration.
“I read it and thought, 'this is what I want to do.’ And look at how different dentistry is today. Look how different the world is. It’s fascinating,’’ says Stone, one of only a handful of women to graduate from New Jersey Dental School in 1982.
Today, the dental school, once part of University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), is called Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) and about half the graduates in the class of 2014 are women.
One of them was Stone’s daughter, Vanna.
After graduating from RSDM in May, she joined her mother’s thriving Livingston practice, where both are known by patients as “Dr. Stone.’’
Vanna spent her teen years helping out around the office. During childhood, she spent hours playing with tools of the trade: molding material, carving wax and pouring stone models. “It was like arts and crafts,’’ Vanna recalls.
Unlike her daughter, Linda Stone never planned on becoming a dentist. She expected to be a dental hygienist, enrolling in UMDNJ’s School of Health Related Professions, which is now part of Rutgers. But one day, her professor called her aside.
“He said, 'I’ve given your class the same exam I give the dental students. You’ve done better than anyone,’ ” remembers Stone. “He looked and me and said, ‘I want you to go to dental school. Don’t stop here; continue.’ ”
Today, about 20 percent of the nation’s dentists are female, a figure that’s expected to grow with the increasing number of women enrolled in dental school.
Since she received her degree in dental medicine, Linda Stone has built a successful practice, using a business model that advertises “gentle, caring dentistry.’’ She offers “the wand,’’ a syringe-free anesthetic and patients can book appointments for Botox and other filler procedures.
“My office is elegant and soothing. It’s a place where we want the nervous patient to relax,’’ she says.
Stone believes that a good dentist can change lives. “I had one patient, a female CEO, who wasn’t perceived as a warm person because she didn’t smile. And no one new she didn’t smile because of the condition of her teeth,’’ she recalls. “She was afraid to go to the dentist, so she just avoided it. We helped her and she was able to smile again. She became a different person.’’
Growing up with a mom who so clearly enjoyed her job inspired Vanna’s career choice. “When you see someone who enjoys what they do, it’s infectious,’’ she says.
From an early age, Vanna Stone was an unofficial member of her mother’s staff. ”She’d just throw me into a room and say, ‘entertain the patient, make sure they’re ok,’’’ recalls Vanna.
Although their relationship is different now, it’s been surprisingly easy to work with her mom. “She has a wealth of knowledge and I’ve learned so much from her,’’ says Vanna.
Adds Linda, “Vanna knows you can go way beyond the basics. There’s so much more than what you learn in school.’’
For media inquiries, contact Carrie Stetler, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, at cjs281@sdm.rutgers.edu or 973-972-3157