Orthodontics, with a passion for service

Robert Klabunde likes spending time outdoors, golfing, and hanging out with his wife and their puppy. But most of all, he loves orthodontics. 

Vice president of the University of Minnesota’s Orthodontics Club, Klabunde has always had an interest in and a love for orthodontics. That interest has grown substantially during his time as a student at the School of Dentistry, thanks to a broad curriculum. 

“Throughout the four years at the School of Dentistry, we are introduced to orthodontics by various classes, beginning at the most basic level and ending with completing advanced treatment planning scenarios,” he explained. “The School of Dentistry has strengthened my interest in orthodontics.” 

Klabunde plans to continue his education with an orthodontic residency after he graduates. 

He will take with him his passion for orthodontics, as well as his heart for others. He recalled in particular one patient experience that continues to shape how he acts as a dentist.

“There are many patients you see throughout your dental care. Some just need someone to talk to, while others need significant help,” he recalled. “This patient was in the latter category.” The experience of working with a patient who needed significant treatment but could not afford it was an important lesson for Klabunde about the barriers to care and the need for greater oral health access. 

That lesson has inspired his time in Community Outreach with the Hibbing Community College Clinic, where he works with underserved populations. “The outreach program is a fantastic time to see and feel the skills you developed throughout dental school manifest into art,” he said. “Interacting with patients, providing care to those who do not have access, and witnessing the changes you can have on people’s lives is something one can only understand through experience.” 

That experience is multi-faceted and rewarding for Klabunde. “There are many reasons why you might be interested in dentistry: it could be the artistic aspect, how hands-on it is, or even the patient rapport. Whatever it is, dentistry lets you grow and succeed until you fall in love with every reason,” he said. 

And he is immensely grateful to have fallen in love with dentistry at the University of Minnesota, where he has felt valued and supported from his interview day. “I chose the School of Dentistry, and there has not been a time where I looked back and wished I had chosen a different path.”

involvement

Pre-clinical Tutor
Vice President, Orthodontics Club
Dental Student Ambassador

hometown

Springfield, MN

 

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