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Family of dentists sinks teeth into Brownsville practice

By Amanda Clegg 5 min read

BROWNSVILLE – Sweeping floors and cutting grass may not be the typical apprenticeship for a medical career, but for one Brownsville family chores were exactly what the doctor ordered. Dentists Chad Rohland, 26, and Keri Izadi, 30, children of Dr. L. Kirk Rohland, a Brownsville dentist, were turned on to dentistry as teenagers while helping out at the dental practice of Ahlborn, Rohland, Patt Associates in Brownsville.

Chad, who graduated from his father’s and sister’s alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, in May, officially joined the dental practice this summer after Dr. Charles P. Ahlborn retired.

The recent graduate said he learned the basics in dental school and now continues his education working beside his father, learning new procedures and how to use new equipment.

Chad said the basics of dentistry have remained the same from when his father attended school to his schooling. The elder Rohland graduated dental school in 1975.

“The techniques are still the same, but the materials and equipment are more advanced,” Chad said, explaining that he and his father learned to do a root canal with files by hand, but today perform the procedure with files attached to a drill.

“It’s not a bad thing to learn the basics. When you get to the advanced things it makes it easier,” Kirk said. “The basic concepts are always the same, but how we treat things has changed.”

Bonding, digital radiography and laser techniques are a few of the advancements in dental technology, Kirk explained.

Another change in the field of dentistry is the number of females graduating from dental school.

Chad said his recent graduation saw a 60/40 male to female ratio, and his father said the ratio was 95/5 with four girls graduating in his class of 140 students in the 1970s.

Kirk said the field was male dominated when he was in school, but patients are not surprised to see a female dentist today.

According to the American Dental Association, in 2001 the percentage of professionally active female dentists came in at 14.1 percent, and 20 percent of all dentists under 40 are women.

Female students represent 42.6 percent of the 2001-02 first year class. The 1980-81 first-year class percentage reached only 17.

Izadi said she did not come up against any gender bias during her years in dental school, but did encounter the occasional doubter when she practiced with her father.

“You get the occasional old guy saying, ‘You’re going to pull my tooth!’ They couldn’t believe I could pull that tooth, but it’s more technique than strength,” she said, adding that her petite five-foot-two-inch frame may have added to their doubt.

“She showed them she could do it,” Chad said of his sister.

Izadi said dentistry is a great field for women because of the flexible schedule and plans to expose the field “enough to make a good decision” to her children – Bella, 2, and Luca, four months.

A stay-at-home mom, Izadi went on to receive her license as an anesthesiologist after dental school and keeps up her Pennsylvania dental license in order to assist her dad when she is home, she said.

Someday Izadi wants to return to her dentistry roots.

“I wish I could practice,” she said. “The only place I really want to practice is home.”

Izadi moved with her husband Keith, an oral and plastic surgeon, and their two children to San Diego.

“My dad was a huge influence and totally tried to not be one,” she said. “I always wanted to be just like my dad and practice with him one day.”

Izadi got the opportunity when she practiced with her father from 2001, throughout her residency, and until October 2005.

From sweeping floors and cutting grass, Chad and Keri went on to assist their father with patients.

“Whenever he needed a hand we came in and assisted,” Chad said.

Izadi started to assist her dad with wisdom teeth extractions at age 15, she said.

“My biggest exposure that young was surgery and the anesthesia and my favorite things to do in dental school were surgery and anesthesia,” she said. “I at least wanted to do what my dad was doing.”

Kirk said he finds gratification in his children following in his footsteps.

“I’m proud of them,” he said. ” I never steered either in this direction. I left the door open to them. I never wanted them to feel like ‘why did I go to dental school.'”

Kirk’s daughter Jaime, who also helped out at the office, did not pursue dentistry, but went on to become a nurse.

Kirk said he is leaving the door open for his 5-year-old grandson and a nephew who helps out around the office and has been watching and assisting like his cousins did before him.

“We talk teeth when we’re together, and we’ve all been able to help each other, too,” Kirk said of his family. “It’s nice to have two sets of eyes looking at something. As time goes by he’s (Chad) going to help me as much as I help him. It’s not all me leading him. He helps me, too.”

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