Timing is everything.
That was the reality for West Liberty dentist Michael Tharp. A native of Waterloo and University of Northern Iowa graduate before he came to the University of Iowa to earn his degree in dentistry, Tharp said there were at least 50 communities trying to lure dentists to their community in 1974, but his wife, Patricia, grew up in West Liberty and he learned two long-time dentists, Ed Hale and Nahem Blackmen, were approaching retirement age in the community.
It was enough to convince the young doctor to take a gamble and open his own dentist office, buying $40,000 in dental equipment and starting a practice with two patient chairs at 107 West Third Street.
His biggest surprise was that, despite the competition, there was a “significant need,” patrons flocking to the new dentist in town. “We were extremely busy for a long time,” Tharp said.
It would be 14 years later, in 1988, when the Gambles store owned by Verlin and Mary Olsen on the corner of Calhoun and Third Streets, just a couple doors away, would go out of business and Tharp didn’t hesitate to buy the two-story building where his practice has grown and now his daughter, Dr. Melanie Womachke, has joined the business.
As of the first of the year, the young dentist will be taking over her father’s practice as Dr. Michael Tharp is hanging up his instruments at the age of 72 and is retiring from a practice he’s had for 46.5 years.
Dr. Tharp said moving his practice was one of the best things he did, more than doubling the size of his business including having four patient rooms.
But getting back to coming to West Liberty, Tharp said it was the right move, seeing the community as a “great opportunity” to grow the business – especially with two dentists soon retiring. Blackman did sell his business, which is now Gentle Family Dentistry, owned by Dr. Carol Moreno, who is in business with her son, Dr. Roberto Moreno.
Dr. Tharp has mixed feelings leaving the business, but knows it will be in great hands, proud to be able to hand it over to one of his four children, the youngest of the bunch, who he says has always had an inkling for health care, first joining the business as a dental hygienist and serving eight years before deciding to go to the University of Iowa for her degree in dentistry.
Tharp says he’s ready to retire, noting he hasn’t had more than a week vacation through all those years and is looking forward to taking care of some projects on the home front and doing some traveling once the COVID-19 pandemic gets under control.
“There are other things in life,” he said, noting he has 14 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and a military officer son in Europe, Tom, he wouldn’t mind visiting again. Another son, William, has an attorney practice in West Liberty and a daughter, Lara Lorano, is a registered nurse.
“I told Patricia we had nothing when we came here and we still have most of that left,” Dr. Tharp joked, noting they came to the community basically with their education and dreams. His wife has had a long career in education.
“West Liberty has been good to us,” he said. “We’re very fortunate they embraced us and I hope we’ve given our patients the level of care they deserve.”
The dentist said he was attracted to taking care of people’s teeth when he realized he didn’t want the challenges and sometimes heartbreaks of a doctor, although he says he has all the respect in the world for physicians. He says the more than four and a half decades of practice have moved fast, noting it “seems like a heartbeat since we started the practice.”
He said the office has helped the family build relationships and friendships through the years and said he hopes the community continues to support his daughter, who he couldn’t be more proud to take over his practice.
Dr. Tharp said the business has changed tremendously through the years – from the materials he uses in fillings to the fact broken teeth can be saved. He said there’s been a lot of that through the years – broken teeth – and said one of the most common injuries is when someone forgets their gloves on a cold winter day, falling face first because their hands were in their pockets. He called it a “dark side” of the business, but said he’s seen it all in ways people break a tooth, from falling on ice to getting smacked by a merry-go-round.
“There are so many more capabilities to save teeth than there used to be,” Dr. Tharp said, noting technology has changed the business as well, saying X-rays are done safer and with more detail thanks to digital radiology, but says that’s also created increased costs for customers, something he’s tried to control through the years, especially for residents who don’t have dental insurance. He said the newer technology gives the office a “better ability to provide a high level of care.”
“Most things I do now are completely different from when I started,” he said.
The practice is open weekdays at 101 West Third Street.