Transforming Self and Smile

When he turned 50, Dorian Bernard made a bold decision. He had just lost both his parents to cancer after dedicating himself to their care. From there on, he was going to live only for himself and make the most of his next decades. 

“That gave me the energy to keep moving forward,” said Bernard.  

First, he lost over 100 pounds. Next up was to enhance his smile. For that, he chose Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) and became a patient at the school’s Vet Smiles Program, which was created with generous donations from The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey and Delta Dental for dental treatment of qualified veterans. 

As a teenager, Bernard joined the Marine Corps following high school. “I knew I wanted to go to college, but my family didn't have any money and that was the only way to really do it without acquiring a deluge of debt,” he said. During four years of service, he was stationed in places like Dubai and Yemen. When he returned home, he started Hampton University and then pursued a master’s at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

He worked in the television industry for 15 years, including for the Rosie O'Donnell Show. “I had a really cool life,” said Bernard, who retired early and moved to Florida. “I made a lot of money but the background I came from didn't make us money smart.” He lived off his savings and became a photographer on the side. When both his parents got sick, he returned to Newark to be their primary caregiver and used more of his savings for their treatment. He started to take on more photography work, but the pandemic took him out of work. 

With depleted savings and a broken crown from the 70s, he came to RSDM for his care. “Then I thought if I go to the dental school, it won't be as pricey as going to a private doctor,” he said. He met his student doctor Patrick McDermott ’24 when he came to 110 Bergen Street. The two began talking about life and McDermott connected him to the school’s Vet Smiles program. 

McDermott fixed Bernard’s crown. He also did some fillings, extractions, veneers, and partial upper and lower dentures. The two bonded from one appointment to the next. “Every time he leaves, people come up to me and ask, ‘What were you guys talking about?’ because the whole time we'd be cracking up,” said McDermott. Before McDermott graduated, the only remaining item on his list was cleaning.   

“Now I have this brilliant smile and all that comes with it like self-esteem,” said Bernard. “The world is really going to be lucky with Patrick [McDermott] just for the fact that he genuinely cares, and his goal is service.” 

Bernard was equally impressed with Tayri Rodriguez, dental comprehensive coordinator, who formerly was a patient navigator for the Vet Smiles program. “She helped me through the entire process,” he said. “You form a bond just knowing that you're in good hands.” 

The Vet Smiles program has a special place for Rodriguez. “I just love being able to help each one of them to get the treatment and the dental services that they deserve,” she said. “I have plenty of veterans in my family, including my brother, so I know the struggle of not having dental benefits.” 

So does Bernard. “I've never really had a whole lot of dental or health care in the military,” he said. “Vet Smiles took all the stress out of it. It is an amazing program.”