As Dr. Michelle Jennings prepares to become our next Chicago Dental Society Treasurer, I reached out to learn more about her journey. We are proud to call her one of our own at the West Side Branch, and I wanted our CDS colleagues to get to know her a little better.
Seeing Michelle in leadership has meant a great deal to me. She speaks gently, and behind that voice is an accomplished clinician with the confidence and experience to lead. As a woman in dentistry, I appreciate that combination. Her example has encouraged me to trust my own voice and approach to leadership. Michelle’s interest in dentistry began with her two uncles, Drs. Dan and John Salerno. A summer spent doing research and assisting periodontal residents during dental school drew her to periodontics. She began practicing with Dr. Eugene Buksa at LaGrange Periodontics, learning from him before eventually purchasing the practice. She has since transitioned it to her former student and dear friend, Dr. Farah Shakir, and continues to practice part time while enjoying the opportunity to mentor her colleague. Dr. Buksa also encouraged her to join the West Side Branch. Michelle wanted to meet other dentists, and the welcome she received led her to become more involved. She remembers Dr. Rich Caraba as her “constant cheerleader.” Dr. Mike Stablein gave her a committee leadership opportunity, Dr. Richard Perry offered advice, and Dr. George Zehak introduced her to additional leadership roles.
Those colleagues had a lasting influence. Michelle went on to serve as Branch Director, Illinois State Dental Society trustee, and Program Chair for Dr. Tom Schneider’s Midwinter Meeting. Through that work, she saw how much dentists can influence the decisions that affect their practices. She pursued the treasurer position because she wanted to help CDS respond to change while maintaining the practice values important to its members. One of her priorities is making leadership more accessible to early- and mid-career dentists. She understands what it takes to participate while managing a practice and raising children. As a mother of two, including years as a single parent, she relied on her parents, friends, and West Side colleagues for support.
Michelle was candid about how she made it work. She kept Mondays away from the office for errands and school volunteering. She attended most of her children’s activities, but family and friends helped when she could not. Her children also became familiar with her professional world, listening as she practiced lectures and accompanying her to the Midwinter Meeting. As a mother and dentist, I appreciated that honesty. The demands are real, and so is the guilt we sometimes feel. Michelle’s children, now adults, have told her how much they learned from her work ethic and the friendships she built with colleagues. Her son, Michael, is an actuary, and her daughter, Nicole, is an attorney. When asked what makes her proudest, she points to the example she set for them. Her advice to younger dentists reflects that experience: “Everyone’s life and timing are different.” She encourages colleagues to stay involved at whatever level they can, knowing that those connections can offer support when they need it most.
Michelle knows the work of running a practice and the responsibilities of organized dentistry. She also knows how much a welcoming branch can matter to a dentist finding her way. I am proud to see her become our CDS Treasurer and grateful for the example she has been to me. Congratulations, Dr. Jennings! Your West Side colleagues are cheering you on.