Dr. David Cochran answers questions about his experiences...

2006 Student Event: Ride the Wave to Success
Getting Started in Teaching

Dr. David Cochran answers questions about his experiences.
Photo Dr. Cochran teaches in San Antonio, Texas. He completed his periodontal residency at Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1985.

What was your ideal plan after graduation?

My ideal plan was to obtain an academic position that would provide me the best opportunity to gain tenure. I knew that goal would require me to be successful scientifically so I continued collaboration with people involved during my perio training, I started collaborations with basic science faculty and I set up my own experiments in my own laboratory.

How long have you been a periodontist? Educator?

Since 1985 for both. I have been an educator since I finished my perio program (21 years).

What appealed to you about teaching periodontics?

The flexibility to teach, practice and do research. My father taught me to keep my options open as long as possible. This career choice allowed this. For this reason, I never get bored. I teach, practice and do research every week and I can put emphasis on any one of those any time I would like. This career choice also allows me to travel worldwide and have experiences that I could not achieve in any other way.

What expectations did you have?

I had observed that in the past, prominent periodontists were either great clinicians or great scientists. This seemed to me an opportunity to combine both areas and try to excel in both translating the science to the clinics resulting in improved care for our patients, which, to me, is the ultimate goal.

Did you have a mentor? If so, how did you find him/her and how did this relationship influence your decision to become an educator?

I have had many people who have helped me and who I have greatly admired and tried to emulate. My PhD advisor, Dr. Keith Shelton, was a great mentor. In Periodontics, Dr. Ray C. Williams, has been a mentor; he was my perio program graduate director and also chair of the department. I was one of Ray’s first graduate students when he became chair of his department. I was already thinking of being an educator and Ray helped reinforce this choice because it was clear Ray greatly enjoyed his life.

How did you begin the process of choosing the institution at which you are currently an educator? Did location influence your decision?

My choice to come to San Antonio was based on a career opportunity. I was Associate Professor with tenure and graduate director at the Medical College of Virginia but San Antonio offered me Chairman and full Professor at one of the most respected perio departments in the country. Location certainly influenced my decision, as did the opportunity itself. Dr. Dick Raney told me early on that in academics, you needed to move usually three times to get a desirable position.

How much time do you spend preparing and planning your curriculum? What resources do you use to plan your curriculum?

As Chair, I work with an outstanding group of faculty/educators. As such, these individuals plan our curriculum. This allows me to focus more on my research and other activities.

What strategies do you use to balance the many demands on your time?

I am very blessed to work with many great people. I have learned that you need to surround yourself with excellent, self-motivated people and then you delegate and let them do their work and help you. Also, I work a lot on nights and weekends usually doing something such as answering these questions!

What was your biggest mistake when you started out as an educator?

My biggest mistake starting out was that I should have been a little bit more patient going for my board certification. I feel if I had followed my cases an additional year and gained another year clinical experience, then passing the boards would have been easier.

Given what you know now, what might you do differently?

Nothing in my actions. I would, however, try not to be as excitable early on and be more accepting of all going on around me in academics as a young faculty member.

If you had to teach a new educator the “tricks of the trade” what do YOU do special that would be of value to know as a new educator?

You need to work hard and get involved in multiple opportunities with multiple collaborators.

What is your situation now?

I am having as much fun in my job as I ever have. I am Professor and Chair of a great group of faculty and staff and I am involved in exciting opportunities nationally and internationally.

What do you like most about teaching periodontics?

I enjoy academics because it allows me to love what I do. I can do clinical Periodontics and help patients. I can learn new things in my research and teach those findings to my peers and students and translate scientific findings to improved patient care. At the same time, I enjoy a great lifestyle, travel the world and work, and meet with wonderful people from around the globe.

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