16003_TODAY Summer '08.R2 - St. Joseph High School - Saint ...

Dr. David Moss ’81Dentistry as an Art FormBy Sharon TorisSt. Joe’s has seen many studentsgo on to become dentists. St. Joe’s hasalso seen many students go on tobecome authors. In this very rareoccasion, we focus on an alumnuswho has become both dentist andauthor.Dr. David Moss, St. Joe’s class of1981, has been a general dentist forover 20 years, currently with officesin Perth Amboy and Allenhurst. “For atime, I had three offices, but thatbecame very stressful with staff andother dentists to manage,” says Moss.In his two current locations, “themost rewarding aspect of dentistry ishelping people [and experiencing] thegratitude of a patient with a problemsolved who appreciates your help andskill.”Dr. Moss’s value of helping thosein need came strongly to the forefrontwhen his wife Vanessa chanced uponan abandoned and abused poodle-Maltese-mix dog while she was outfor a run in Ocean Township. The dogwas flea-ridden and its leg hadhealed awkwardly in a brokenposition, a sad indication of a verydifficult life thus far. After rescuingthe dog, taking it to the Society forthe Prevention of Cruelty to Animalsfor medical treatment and officialadoption proceedings, naming herTippy, cleaning her up and bringingher home to join their family, Dr.Moss and his wife Vanessa joined theranks of those benevolent citizenswho give a new life to a mistreatedand abandoned animal.When Vanessa, a psychotherapistin private practice associated withthe Monmouth Medical and JerseyShore Hospitals, sought a children’sstory to share with her young,mistreated and abused patients, sheasked Dr. Moss – who had taken somewriting courses at Boston Universityand St. Bonaventure University – if hehad any inspiration. Clearly, he found,the inspiration came from Tippy. “Mywife wanted a story of hope thatwould demonstrate that despite theirdifficult situations, loving families doexist, so the story of our adopted dogTippy seemed to fit perfectly,” saysDr. Moss, noting that Tippy passedaway on January 7, 1997.He wrote the story longhand in14 pages, Vanessa transcribed it ontothe computer, and Dr. Moss soughtout options to get his book published.A self-publishing company told himthat in order to publish a children’sbook through them, he would have tosupply all of the illustrations. “Ididn’t know who to contact,” says Dr.Moss, whose foray into the creativeworld of book publishing led him to anew challenge. Vanessa bought him aset of watercolor paints to create hisown illustrations. “She had a feeling Icould do it,” says Dr. Moss, whoproved his wife right when he created13 paintings as illustrations for thestory. His book Tippy’s New Life,published with Xlibris in April of2008 and available on Amazon.com,has inspired countless children ofabuse.When asked about the uniquepairing of his dentistry skills and hispenchant for writing and illustrating,Dr. Moss says it was a real surpriseto find out that he has artistic ability.“Dentistry does incorporate a gooddeal of ‘art,’ especially when involvedwith smile design,” he says. He hasenjoyed the positive reactions of bothhis patients and his readingaudience, but speaks of thedifficulties of breaking intotraditional publishing. “I understandthat it is impossible to break intopublishing without an agent. Butdifficulty should be a catalyst towork harder. This might be someadvice for the young men at St. Joe’snow: perseverance and hard work.”Dr. Moss says he might have beenan English major if he had notembarked upon a pre-med path,and students who wonder whichpath they should choose of theirown – medicine vs. art, forinstance – should be inspired byDr. Moss’s exceptional ability toachieve both disparate careersuccesses. In our world ofopportunity, it’s effort thatdelivers results, and the ability totake risks, try your hand at an artform when your well-worn trail ismedicine, or finance, or law,spurred by the confidence of yourloved ones.Having just completed hissecond book, entitled The ToothFairy’s Baby Tooth Journey, Dr.Moss has plans to pursue atraditional publishing deal. “One6