Why He Was Nominated

In addition to seeing his own patients, Dr. Killgore provided more than $45,000 worth of free dental care to the needy during his first two years in business. He’s passionate about international mission work and has led dental missions to the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Uganda.

Inspiration

Dr. Killgore was working as a sales representative for an endodontics supply company, selling root-canal equipment to dentists, when he decided to become one himself. “During sales calls, I watched dentists making a lifelong sport of their career,” he says. “They always engaged patients in a long-term, meaningful way.”

Biggest Challenge

>Watching patients suffer from pain. “No dentist can make patients 100 percent comfortable,” he says. “We tend to internalize that.”

Advice for Aspiring Dentists

Innovate, experiment and look to the future. “Don’t get locked into practicing dentistry the way it’s always been done. If you’re paying attention only to the past, you won’t be able to deliver what patients are asking for.”