Dr. John C. Osborn was only 18 months old when his father started dental school, so in a sense, he’s been through it twice.
He grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, but his mother’s family was from Knoxville, so there were plenty of visits to this part of the country.
At 15, Osborn started working in his father’s lab, pouring moldings and such, so it was always front and center as a career path choice. After graduating from high school he moved to Chattanooga for college, then on to Nashville for dental school.
The new doctor of dentistry Osborn accepted a job in Knoxville working for Richard Myers for the several practices owned by him. In 1990, when Myers was ready to retire, Osborn purchased the Maynardville practice. Since then he has expanded to a second practice in Blaine and several nursing homes.
Four years ago, Osborn and his wife left the city and moved to Luttrell, raising horses, cattle, goats, and chickens and enjoying a whole new lifestyle. Osborn states that he has no immediate plans to retire as he enjoys his work and seeing people and serving multiple generations of patients.
When he isn’t caring for his patients or his livestock, he is finding other ways to contribute to the community.
Since 1997 he has served as the dental director for Remote Area Medical (RAM), a major nonprofit provider of free pop-up clinics with a mission to prevent pain and alleviate suffering by providing free, quality healthcare to those in need. He has also served as a past president of both the Tennessee Dental Association and the Knoxville Dental Society, as well as serving as a delegate to the American Dental Association and on various other committees and councils.
His advice to those considering dentistry as a profession is that it’s a great profession, you get to be your own boss, and it is very rewarding if you like people.
To be successful as a dentist you have to start early. You have to make good grades so that you can get into and succeed in college, but you must also score well on the dental aptitude test generally taken in the third year of college.
Dental schools don’t require a major in science but do have courses required to enter their programs. College students usually apply for dental school in their senior year and the process is very competitive.
In 2018 there were over 2,000 applicants for the 50 open spots where his son applied to dental school. Dental schools also look for well-rounded students who volunteer time with RAM or other charities. Finally, the average student graduates from dental school carrying about $300,000 of student loan debt.
As a business owner, he states that Union County is a great place to live and work, it’s far enough away from the city to feel like you are in the country, but close enough to take a short drive when you want something in the city.
When asked what he wishes everyone knew, Dr. Osborn responded “Dental care is a very important part of healthcare. An infected tooth can kill you as fast as a car wreck — it is really important. The good news is, that if you get routine care at the recommended every six months, you are much less likely to need emergency care. Catching issues early means you get fillings rather than having to have more involved treatments.”
Dr. Osborn’s Maynardville office is at 3892 Maynardville Highway in Maynardville. Phone: (865) 992-5821
For more information about Remote Area Medical (RAM) visit RamUSA.org.