近距离内射合集

SOCORRO 鈥� After decades of caring for generations of Socorro families, dentist Dr. Duane H. Beers is stepping away from full-time practice, ending a remarkable 51-year career defined as much by relationships as by dental care.

Beers, who began practicing dentistry in 1975, officially sold his practice last earlier this month to Dr. Benjamin Waits, who also operates a practice in Peralta. While ownership has changed, Beers is helping with the transition and hopes his successor will come to love Socorro as much as he has.

"I've been trying hard to find a person like me to replace myself," Beers said. "Someone who wants a rural practice, who knows people by name and builds relationships. It's not just about drilling and filling and billing."

Beers' journey to Socorro began after graduating from Washington University School of Dental Medicine in St. Louis. He spent five years with the Indian Health Service in Zuni, where he became chief dental officer, met his wife, Beth, a nurse, and discovered he was well suited for rural medicine.

Growing up in the small farming community of Durham, California, Beers said he always envisioned practicing in a town where neighbors knew one another.

"I know the names of my patients, their spouses, their dogs, where they live and what they like to do," he said. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

After visiting communities throughout New Mexico, Beers chose Socorro and opened his practice May 1, 1980. His first patient was Benny Baca, who immediately helped the new dentist establish roots by distributing more than 100 buttons with his business information and introducing him throughout the community.

Over the years, Beers became active in the Lions Club, served as president of the local business association, coached Little League and raised his two daughters, Megan and Kristen, in Socorro. His daughters excelled in competitive swimming, inspiring him to build an 82-foot backyard pool that became a gathering place for neighborhood children.

As dentistry evolved, Beers embraced new technology, introducing computer-aided design and manufacturing, or CAD/CAM, systems that allowed crowns and other restorations to be created in his office.

Recognizing an opportunity to mentor future dentists, he began hiring New Mexico Tech pre-dental students, teaching them the software while they completed the observation hours.

Rather than simply shadowing, the students became skilled members of his team.

"I hired them and taught them how to design teeth," Beers said. "They picked up the technology incredibly fast."

Throughout his career, Beers also helped establish a statewide study club for rural dentists, giving practitioners an opportunity to meet regularly, discuss challenging cases and stay current with advances in dentistry.

As retirement begins, Beers said the hardest part will be saying goodbye to the people he has served for nearly half a century.

"I'm going to miss the relationships," he said. "If I go to Walmart, I'll see a half-dozen people I know. That's what I'll miss the most."

Retirement, however, does not mean slowing down.

For the past 24 years, Beers has participated in dental mission work through organizations such as Global Health Outreach. He owns portable dental equipment that allows him to provide care almost anywhere in the world and has traveled to countries across the globe responding to disasters and serving underserved communities.

His next mission is planned for Istanbul, Turkey, later this year, followed by the possibility of spending a month in northern Zimbabwe, where he would provide dental care and train local volunteers to assist with treatment.

"I'll probably spend more time doing mission dentistry now," he said.

Beers believes he is leaving the practice in capable hands.

Waits has already begun seeing patients in Socorro while continuing to practice in Peralta.

"I think he's a good dentist," Beers said. "We're praying he'll fall in love with Socorro like I did."

El Defensor Chieftain in Socorro is an 近距离内射合集 sister newspaper.