b'B OARDM EMBERI NTROSPECTIVEDR. RICHARD FISCHER, D.D.S., MIAOMNOWa trusted natural products company for more than 50 years! BY SCOTT C. TIPSNOW is a family-owned company whose mission is to empower people apply to the dental school a stones throwDr. Harold Gelb, D.D.S.to lead healthier lives. We offer a comprehensive line of wellness products across campus. Rich hadneverconsid- Thecourseinstructorsnamewas including dietary supplements, sports nutrition, wholesome foods, essential ered dentistry, but he knew that he did notDr. Harold Gelb, who had his dentistry want to enter the general medical field.practiceonMadisonAvenueinNew oils and personal care products. NOW starts with superior ingredients and tests Out of respect for Dr. Weber, he agreedYork City. Specializing in chronic pain to drop off an application and wound upand the treatment of temporomandib-throughout the manufacturing process to ensure that the final product is safe getting early acceptance. Lets give itular joint dysfunction (TMJ), he had a and effective, and that whats on the label is in the bottle. one year and see if I like it, he thought. thriving practice with patients who loved Rich began his dental training in 1969him; but he loved to teach too. And in his atGeorgetownUniversitysSchoolofcourse, he revealed to Rich and his fel-Dentistry. The Dental School had then,low students a side to dentistry that they and still has today, an excellent reputa- had never seen before. Dr. Gelb spoke Dr. Fischer,tion as both a school and a research insti- about the importance of clinical nutri-D.D.S.,tution. After he graduated in 1973, Richtion, chiropractic adjustments, cranial-os MIAOMB orninNewJerseyjusttworemainedatGeorgetownasaclinicalteopathicmedicine,homeopathy,and instructor in the Department of Dentalacupuncture. In the early 1970s, this was Materials, where he taught part-time forall heady stuff, which Rich studied vora-years after the Second Worldthe next five years. ciously and implemented into his clinical War ended, Richard (Rich)Duringthoseyearsafterdentalpractice enthusiastically with remarkable Fischerhadahappychild- school, Rich spent the remainder of hissuccess. Dentistry had now become an hood growing up in that bustling Stateprofessional time practicing as an as- exciting field that presented unimagined with its post-war enthusiasm and exu- sociate dentist first in Southern Mary- opportunities to help his fellow man.berance. It seemed to be the center ofland and then in Annandale, Virginia.Besides a healthy appetite for alterna-the Universe and there was little reasonHe describes those years as busy andtive and holistic dentistry, Rich also took to leave it, until college elsewhere beck- exhausting, having two jobs that sawaway two useful, over-arching principles oned. So, in 1965, Rich left New JerseyRich switching between practical andfrom Dr. Gelb:and headed off to Georgetown Universi- scholasticdentistrylikeafast-pacedIfyoulistentoapatientlong ty in Washington, D.C. where he earnedmetronome. enough,theywillnotonlytellyou his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology Altogether there was something satis- what is wrong with them, but they will fying missing from his work routine andalso tell you how to fix it!A Funny Thing HappenedRich could not quite put his finger on on the Way to the Ocean what that was until one fateful day he at- Thebetteryougetattreatingpa-Richhadmajoredinbiologyattended a three-day continuing-educationtientsproblems,themorechalleng-Georgetown Universitys College of Artscourse that changed his world. Actuallying the clinical needs of those patients and Sciences with the intention of study- considering looking for another career atseeking your help will be. Therefore, it ing marine biology. However, during histhat point, Rich found both this courseis vitally important to be humble about junior year Richs physiology professor,on alternative medicine and its instructoryour knowledge and skills and remain Dr. Weber, convinced him to reconsiderfascinating, and that led to his decision toa perpetual student!his choice of marine biology and insteadstick with dentistry. This influence by his mentor sent Rich nowfoods.com H EALTF REEDOMN EWS /F ALL2023 15H EALTHHF REEDOMN EWS /F ALL2023'