Submitted by Mary Ellen Psaltis
Dr. Greg Psaltis, a now-retired pediatric dentist, never considered being an author. Surprisingly, he also had never considered being a pediatric dentist. During the pandemic, Psaltis and his wife, Mary Ellen, watched the PBS series “All Creatures Great and Small” based on the book by English veterinarian James Herriot. The stories, which had less to do with veterinary medicine and more with the animals and their owners, struck a chord with many people. Psaltis saw a parallel with his own career and began writing a book about his memorable experiences with the children and their parents. As a result, he completed “Into and Out of the Mouths of Babes.”
Few people imagine that looking into children’s mouths for nearly 50 years could be fun and fulfilling. Psaltis, who owned and ran his dental office on Lilly Road for 37 years, came into his specialty under the most unexpected circumstances and never looked back…until he decided to recall these stories.
Life Plans Shift from Unlikely Sources
“I had always thought I would be a physician, but after negative experiences with pre-med students at Stanford and advice from my brother and two aunts, I shifted into dentistry,” Psaltis says. The pathway was challenging, and he wondered at one time about his decision. Fate brought a senior dental student into his life. The student, who Psaltis barely knew, suggested he look into a volunteer dental project that treated the children of migrant workers in California’s Central Valley. “Once I discovered the world of caring for children, I knew I had found my niche,” he states.
‘Into and Out of the Mouths of Babes’ Highlights Enjoyment and Relationships
The core of Dr. Psaltis’ career had far more to do with the relationship with the children than it did with the technical work. “The fillings, crowns, cleanings, and other procedures were the ‘fund-raisers’ for the important work I did,” he says. That work was the opportunity to give children the chance to perform at a high level in a situation that even their parents weren’t sure was possible. “Some parents told me that they couldn’t even brush their children’s teeth as they observed me doing a variety of treatments on totally compliant patients,” Psaltis remarks.
How do you Spell Psaltis?
With a silent ‘P,’ saying and spelling Psaltis is a challenge.
This brought humor to the practice. Among the many misspelled or misstated names during his career, “Dr. Sawdust” and “Dr. Solstice” always stood out. Pictures that children brought to him also had variations that brought a smile including “Dr. Sattist.” While some incidents were funny, others were very touching. A patient of longstanding, upon her ‘graduation’ from his pediatric practice, gave Psaltis a tie with teeth, toothbrushes, and floss as decorations. Dr. Psaltis, who has also enjoyed a lengthy career as a speaker on the dental continuing education circuit, always wears this tie when speaking as an emotional reminder of that sweet moment.
His book recognizes important moments in his life when a person, an incident or an almost inexplicable force stepped in at the exact right moment to set him on his path. The stories in the book are all true though every name in the book was altered to protect privacy. However, there is little doubt that some local people who came to the practice can easily identify themselves.
Crossing Paths with Former Patients and Parents
Dr. Psaltis often runs into his former patients or their parents in town. The relationships seem to endure as smiles and hugs are often exchanged. One former parent recently told him that “he was everyone’s dad.” Psaltis hopes to see many more former patients and parents at the upcoming readings. If any book groups would like him to discuss his work and book, Psaltis would be happy to do that. You can contact him at drpsaltis@orcalink.com.
Three Readings and Book Signing Sessions Coming Up
For those who came to Psaltis’ practice as a patient or a parent, the book is a walk down memory lane. For others it will paint a different picture of dentistry than those of Hollywood or comedians. It is available with a local discount at Book Baby.
Dr. Psaltis invites people to reading and autograph sessions.
Orca Books on Saturday, September 28 at 2 p.m.
Olympia Library on September 18 at 3 p.m.
Lacey Library on October 24 at 12:30 p.m.
