THE IFW RETIREMENT SCORE

Charlie Dingman

I grew up in western Nebraska as a farm kid. I learned early on the value hard work, and the idea that we help our neighbors in times of need. I also learned that at a moment’s notice your crop, and thus your future could be wiped. As a young man, I attended the University of Nebraska and then the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry and became a dentist practicing in Lincoln, Nebraska. My family and I eventually moved to Wyoming where I continued to practice dentistry until the accident that ended my successful career.

One night literally changed the course of my life. In a moment no different than thousands of other moments, a freak accident caused irreparable damage to my right hand and thumb, effectively ending my ability to practice. In that moment, I lost my business, my career, everything I had worked for my entire life. It was all gone in a matter of seconds. I had prepared for disability, never thinking it would happen to me. I thought my plan was bullet proof, but as it turns out there were some glaring holes.

Losing my practice was not a pleasant experience. Life didn’t stop and wait for me to catch up. You never know what lies ahead. Thankfully my life experiences, education and the preparation I had sought out along the way prepared me to deal with this situation. I had recognized early on that a dental school education alone was not going to make me successful, so while preparing myself to be the best dentist I could be I also developed the necessary business skills to grow a thriving business.