Featured Testimonial About Creighton University
I just hope the sculpture brings a smile to somebody's face.
Outside Creighton University's School of Dentistry, a polished stainless-steel tooth now welcomes students, alumni and visitors. The eye-catching design is destined to become a favorite backdrop for photos and daily life on the dental campus.
For John Meyer, DDS'81, who donated the sculpture, however, its greatest value is what it will represent decades from now.
"It'll still be there long after I'm gone," Meyer says.
Created by sculptor and longtime patient Carlos Jung, the piece is the latest expression of Meyer's longtime appreciation for the University that helped him on his career path. He also named the adjacent patio, creating a welcoming gathering space where future generations of Bluejay dentists can connect.
"I just hope the sculpture brings a smile to somebody's face," he says. "Maybe they'll snap a picture and send it to a friend."
Finding his path at Creighton
Growing up in Kansas, Meyer knew he wanted to become a dentist. Without a dental school in his home state, he applied to only a handful of programs.
Creighton said yes.
"They took a chance on some young kid from Kansas," Meyer says.
Forty-five years into practice, Meyer reflects on how that acceptance letter shaped the course of his life. "I never looked back," he says.
Although he jokes he wasn't at the top of his class, he remembers the friendships formed throughout his dental school experience. His classmates supported one another through demanding coursework, celebrated together and even captured an intramural softball championship.
Meyer explains that the camaraderie with his fellow classmates was one of the most meaningful parts of his dental school experience. “We were all in it together," he recalls.
This fall, he’ll return to campus for his 45th class reunion after missing the 40th due to the pandemic. It's an opportunity he says he’s especially looking forward to, as it means reconnecting with classmates and friends from dental school.
A family practice in every sense
Another member of Meyer’s family will also attend the Creighton Dental School ten-year reunion this fall. His daughter, Ali Meyer, DDS’16, followed in his footsteps by earning her dental degree from Creighton before joining his practice. Another daughter Sara serves as the practice’s office manager.
Meyer says that working alongside his daughters in his dental practice was something they had hoped for, and seeing his daughter’s Creighton dental school experience gave him a chance to reflect on his own time as a student and practitioner.
"It was like reliving my Creighton experience through her," he says.
Meyer’s practice, West Des Moines Dental Center, is a family practice in every sense of the word. His patients have remained remarkably loyal throughout his career, as have many members of his staff, several of whom have worked alongside him for more than two decades.
"I consider them like family," he says simply.
Chasing the next challenge
Over the years, Meyer has completed multiple marathons and cycled in RAGBRAI an astounding 40 times. Two years ago, he crossed the United States by bicycle with a group of friends, covering thousands of miles over nearly two months.
Meyer says the exercise keeps him motivated and healthy for his work.
"It's just good exercise," he says. "If you keep your back and your hands strong, obviously you're doing dentistry better."
The cross-country ride left such an impression that he commemorated it with a tattoo of a map of the United States with a bicycle at its center.
Giving back
Today, Meyer defines success less by accomplishments and more by gratitude. He met his wife Debbe while working at a restaurant near campus, and the two later built their life and family together. He has five children, soon-to-be ten grandchildren and a career that has brought him deep fulfillment.
He credits Creighton for helping to open the door that made it all possible. “I’ve always tried to give back to Creighton,” he says, recognizing the role the University played in his life.
Wanting to extend that same sense of opportunity to future generations of Creighton dental students, he hopes to help make that education more accessible through his generosity. “Anything alumni can do,” he says, “is a good deal.”
__
As students gather around the new sculpture for big and small moments alike, Meyer hopes they'll see more than a polished piece of stainless steel.
He hopes they'll find a reason to smile.
And decades from now, long after today's students have become alumni themselves, that sculpture, a symbol of Meyer's gratitude, will still be waiting to make smiles outside the School of Dentistry.
