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Dr. M. William Lockard, Jr. graduated from Northwestern University Dental School. He has been involved as an associate faculty member and currently advisor faculty at the Pankey Institute, Key Biscayne, Florida for 39 years; a clinical instructor in Fixed Prosthodontics at the University of Oklahoma Dental School; dental intern advisor at St. Anthony Hospital, Oklahoma City and a teaching faculty member with The Pride Institute.
He is a former member of the Academy of General Dentistry Foundation board of directors, L.D. Pankey Dental Foundation board of trustees, and Oklahoma Board of Governors of Registered Dentists. He has published in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, Esthetic Dentistry Update, Texas Dental Journal, Oklahoma Dental Journal, Dental Economics, Dental Management, and G.P.(Practice Expansion Through Clinical Specialization).
Dr. Lockard is the author of two books, The Winning Combination – A Philosophy; and his latest book, The Exceptional Dental Practice – Why Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough is sold on five continents.
He has presented seminars and in-office consultations on practice systems, structure, communications, comprehensive restorative dentistry, and team development process throughout the United States, England, Japan, and Canada. Dr. Lockard has presented at the Yankee Dental Congress, Boston; Hinman Dental Meeting, Atlanta; Chicago Mid-Winter; American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, Chicago; Southwest Dental Conference, Dallas; Greater New York Dental Meeting; Greater Houston Mid-Winter; Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry, Dallas; Society for Occlusal Studies Symposium, Vancouver, B.C.; ADA Annual Sessions; California Dental Association; The American Academy of Dental Practice Administration; The European Dental Conference, London; the CPA Financial Planning Association Retreat, Orlando, Florida; the Academy of Practice Administration, Tokyo, Japan.
M. William Lockard, Jr. DDS
Bill,
I feel the need to write you and tell you again how much I appreciate the opportunity to work with you…even on this limited basis. Just the re-exposure to your thinking, clear-headedness, strength of faith, and philosophy toward people and life are truly inspirational.
This past Sunday, I was in Church listening to a sermon by a minister I had not previously heard before. I would guess he is around 60, and in a temporary position in a small country Baptist Church. Most of the congregants were elderly, and the prayers were focused on recent deaths, illnesses, and tragedy. This once vibrant church, is clearly struggling to survive. And if it were not for a couple of very generous members, it likely would not be open.
Regardless, in this almost empty church, I heard the best sermon of my life to date. And as I say this, I realize that this is one of those “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear” moments. But I thought I should share it with you, now that I know a little bit more about you.
The sermon was centered on the idea of Perspective, something that I personally struggle with often. In this hurried-up world of over-scheduled-ness, constant interruption, widely disseminated biased information sources, pressure to constantly do more with less…and so forth, I was struck like a deer in the headlights with his simple message.
The sermon was focused on the Book of Acts and more broadly on the life of Paul the Apostle. But the central message was that we do not have the capacity to know what God intends for our life, so it is essentially impossible for us to know whether what is currently happening to us is a good or a bad thing. Rather, it is what God intends to be happening now. Whether it is the most glorious and happy moment or the most gut wrenching experience…it is what He intends.
We are not to know why right now. Therefore, pursing “why” is fruitless and frustrating on many occasions. It is just is. And that is the end of the story.
Knowing that God is guiding us is the key to Faith. And when I run across someone who clearly knows this and lives it is both refreshing and reassuring. For whatever reason, God has brought me back into contact with you, and I am grateful for this.
Paul A. Henny, DDS
