The distance people are driving, and the positive impact dentistry can have on a person’s life, convinced Landon McCardle to pursue a career in the field of dentistry, with a focus on serving rural communities.

A first-year student in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, McCardle grew up in a dental household. His father, Stanley McCardle, D.M.D., is one of only two general dentists currently operating in the town of Headland outside Dothan in rural southeast Alabama.

Landon McCardle says he was shocked when he first realized just how far some of his father’s patients had to drive in order to receive basic dental care because of the limited number of practicing dentists in the area. “That really stuck with me,” McCardle says. “You grow up seeing that, and you start thinking about how you can make a difference.”

McCardle was equally as surprised at the heartfelt reaction some of his father’s patients showed following a dental procedure. “I remember this one woman was literally crying, thanking my dad because of the way he improved her smile,” McCardle says. “I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do for people.”

With those two experiences firmly in mind, McCardle accepted an offer last year to be one of the four students from the state enrolled in the inaugural Rural Dental Scholars class. Through this program, McCardle spent a year at the University of Alabama completing courses for a master’s degree in rural community health, followed by admission into the UAB SOD.

“We believe that this program will be instrumental in improving access to oral health care for rural populations,” says Carly Timmons McKenzie, Ph.D., the School of Dentistry’s Assistant Dean for Admissions. “By targeting students from rural backgrounds who are passionate about making a difference, we have the opportunity to develop a new generation of dentists dedicated to serving these underserved areas.”

McCardle certainly fits that description. He says he knew as a teenager that he was interested in some sort of medical career, but was not certain whether he wanted to follow in his father’s dental footsteps. He became convinced after spending time shadowing his father at his practice and seeing the type of immediate positive feedback a dentist can receive from patients.

“I loved it the first day I went to his dental office, because it’s a career where you can see the results of your work happen right in front of you,” McCardle says. “Whether it’s just a filling or an implant, you get your end results right then and there. You don’t have to wait to see your work change a person’s life.”

After receiving his undergraduate degree from Troy University with a major in biomedical science, McCardle spent the 2023-24 academic year completing his master’s work for the Rural Dental Scholars program at The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences. While there, McCardle took higher-level biomedical science courses, participated in seminars focused on rural health, and shadowed general dentists.

In addition to maintaining at least a 3.5 grade-point average in the master’s program for admittance to the UAB SOD, McCardle also had to complete a community-engagement project. In April, McCardle organized and helped conduct a free dental clinic for children at his father’s Headland practice.

“Along with a lack of dentists in general (in rural areas), there aren’t many specialists like pediatrics. Because of that, the nearest children’s dentists are booked months in advance,” McCardle says. “So we held a free dental day for children ages 2 through 12 called Summer Smiles. We decorated the office in a beach theme with inflatable fish, beachballs and sand buckets full of goodies.

“We wanted to make it so children are not scared to go the dentist. We gave them a brochure saying why dental hygiene is good. We just tried to have fun with these children while making sure that they are being seen for dental care.”

McCardle says he hopes to see many of those same children as they get older. That’s because his plan after four years of dental school at UAB is to return to Headland and eventually take over his father’s practice.

“Right now, there is one dentist for every 3,445 people in Headland,” McCardle says. “Obviously, one dentist can’t see that many patients. So I want to take the dental education that I receive from UAB and help provide care for some of those people who need it.”