In this episode of the Prosperous Doc®, our host Shane Tenny, CFP® welcomes Dr. Carlos M. Moretta to discuss his medical missionary work, the way his worldview has changed, what inspires him to continue his work, and why he encourages others to take part in a medical mission.
Dr. Carlos Moretta’s path into dentistry rather than medicine was, quite literally, an accident. Having decided he wanted to enroll in the radiology tech program at his local community college in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Moretta went up to an information desk and found he was in the wrong wing. The receptionist, instead, gave him a few brochures about the dental hygienist program, which told Dr. Moretta how much he’d get paid and how much schooling he’d need to complete. When he saw the specs, he was sold.
While he may have initially been motivated solely by compensation, Dr. Moretta’s passion for academic medicine and helping people across the globe is what has fueled his fire for the last 20 years.
“There's a lot of things that the poorer side of the world do not have that distract us here in our Westernized culture, in our modern world. And these medical missionary experiences in those cultures help you to value what really matters in life,” explains Dr. Moretta.
Whether it’s learning your limits as a surgeon, learning better bedside manner, or simply watching how people from different parts of the world treat pain, Dr. Moretta has nothing but good things to say about his experiences abroad. It’s something he would encourage any medical professional to try out.
Tune in to hear some stories from Dr. Moretta’s most memorable missions and what he learned along the way.
Name: Dr. Carlos M. Moretta
What he does: Having been board-certified by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, Dr. Moretta has maintained a faculty position at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, where he practices in the graduate oral and maxillofacial surgical clinic.
Company: Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
Words of wisdom: “As much as we like to identify ourselves as having unique heritages or cultures, I have found that quite the contrary exists. We're all human. We're all part of the human family. And the more I travel, the more I see it. After all, everyone has a version of the Empanada.”
Connect: Website
Top takeaways from this episode
[02:32] An odd start: Sometimes, the biggest mistakes yield the greatest outcomes. This is exactly how Dr. Moretta ended up enrolled in a dental hygienist program.
[05:15] The rest is history: At the end of his first year of dental school, Dr. Moretta went on a global medical mission trip to the Amazon in Brazil. It was after that experience that he thought: “I could do this medical mission work the rest of my life.”
[08:44] Enriching: These medical missions not only add value to your CV but add to your quality of life as well. They enrich your career and your life.
[16:38] Pure gratitude: When working in remote villages across the world, Dr. Moretta is always appreciative of the pure, genuine gratitude his patients express. Without medical missions, many of his patients would never receive the type of care he provides.
[24:00] Big realizations: Throughout his travels around the world, Dr. Moretta is constantly reminded of one major thing: we are all more alike than we are different.
[29:57] Always a lesson: No matter the equipment or medical space available in different parts of the world, there is always a lesson to be learned. Dr. Moretta acknowledges that his Westernized medicine doesn’t make him better than other surgeons he comes across doing their best with what they have.
[39:45] Getting started: Dr. Moretta shares some ways for others to get started in this type of missionary work, such as ADA Service Projects and Mission of Mercy.
[40:56] Impactful people: Many people come to mind when Dr. Moretta reflects on all the positive forces that have gotten him to where he is today. He mentions Dr. Stephen Waterbrook, Dr. Ken Pearson, and Dr. Paul D. Huynh, MD.
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Disclaimer: Prosperous Doc podcast by Spaugh Dameron Tenny highlights real-life stories from doctors, dentists, and those whose work can help them to encourage and inspire listeners through discussions of professional successes and failures in addition to personal stories and financial wellness advice. Spaugh Dameron Tenny is a comprehensive financial planning firm serving doctors and dentists throughout the U.S. To find out more about Spaugh Dameron Tenny, visit our website at http://www.sdtplanning.com . You can also connect with our host, Shane Tenny, CFP®, at shane@prosperousdoc.com.
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