Making a Difference: Katie Vincer Sears, ‘08 DDS, Finds Satisfaction in Outreach

When Katie Vincer Sears, ’08 DDS, was recognized by the American Dental Association earlier this year as one of 10 new dentists who has made a difference, she received further affirmation that the decision she made early in her career to focus on treating the underserved was indeed making a difference. Not that she needed affirmation—her chosen career path had already brought her tremendous satisfaction.

After beginning her career providing care for patients in the prison system and running a private dental practice in Columbus, Ohio, Dr. Vincer changed direction and bought a practice in Zanesville, Ohio, in 2011.  Located 50 miles east of Columbus, the city of just over 25,000 residents is in the heart of a designated Dental Health Professional Shortage Area.

“I don’t think the quality of your dental care should be decided by your economic status.” -- Dr. Katie Vincer Sears

With 95 percent of her patients on Medicaid, it was important for Dr. Vincer to make her practice as efficient as possible. She and her staff are very familiar with what the program offers patients, and that has contributed largely to the practice’s success. “Our patients are so thankful,” Dr. Vincer said.

In fact, due to Dr. Vincer’s reputation as a caring dentist who accepts Medicaid, she typically sees 115 new patients a month without doing any marketing. Dr. Vincer insists that her practice should be referred to as just that—a practice, instead of a clinic, and she has taken pains to decorate and outfit her treatment rooms with as much care as any other private practice. “I don’t think the quality of your dental care should be decided by your economic status,” Dr. Vincer said.

Since opening her practice in Zanesville, Dr. Vincer has opened a second practice further west in Pickerington, Ohio, a small city with a significant Medicaid population despite its location as a suburb of Columbus. Desiring to inspire other young dental professionals, Dr. Vincer has served the last two years as an associated faculty member in the college’s Oral Health Improvement through Outreach (OHIO) Project, a College of Dentistry program in which fourth-year dental students spend 50 days providing closely supervised care in community clinics throughout Ohio.

“I love Ohio State, which is why I reached out to the program’s director, Dr. Canise Bean, to work with the OHIO Project,” Dr. Vincer said. “Plus, I have a chance to help train aspiring dentists while shedding light on how having a Medicaid practice is cool.”