6. Rella Christensen on Following Curiosity Pt.1
05/30/23 • 35 min
Sometimes to forge the path ahead, you need to create the tools to do so from scratch. Having the courage to blaze a trail using your own resources and time is something that only genuinely extraordinary people will attempt. Today's guest, Rella Christensen, has taken on that risk and has come out on the other side with fresh ideas and strategies to help the dental industry better care for its practitioners and patients.
In 1976, Rella co-founded and directed the Clinical Research Associates Foundation, the world's only nonprofit dental products testing laboratory. The CRA shares its findings with subscribers in 87 countries. Rella became a team leader at TRAC Research, a nonprofit institute dedicated to in-depth long-term clinical studies of restorative materials, preventive dentistry, and dental caries.
Join us next time for Part 2 of Rella’s interview.
Resources
Follow your curiosity, connect, and join our ever-growing community of extraordinary minds.
Dr. Rella Christensen's Profile
Clinicians Report (formerly known as CRA)
What's In This Episode
- Kim shares two of his favorite stories about Rella
- How Rella met her husband Gordon
- How Rella managed studying and working full time
- Where Rella’s curiosity led her
Sometimes to forge the path ahead, you need to create the tools to do so from scratch. Having the courage to blaze a trail using your own resources and time is something that only genuinely extraordinary people will attempt. Today's guest, Rella Christensen, has taken on that risk and has come out on the other side with fresh ideas and strategies to help the dental industry better care for its practitioners and patients.
In 1976, Rella co-founded and directed the Clinical Research Associates Foundation, the world's only nonprofit dental products testing laboratory. The CRA shares its findings with subscribers in 87 countries. Rella became a team leader at TRAC Research, a nonprofit institute dedicated to in-depth long-term clinical studies of restorative materials, preventive dentistry, and dental caries.
Join us next time for Part 2 of Rella’s interview.
Resources
Follow your curiosity, connect, and join our ever-growing community of extraordinary minds.
Dr. Rella Christensen's Profile
Clinicians Report (formerly known as CRA)
What's In This Episode
- Kim shares two of his favorite stories about Rella
- How Rella met her husband Gordon
- How Rella managed studying and working full time
- Where Rella’s curiosity led her
Previous Episode
5. Angus Walls on Being a Rebel
Breaking away from tradition and challenging the status quo are the hallmarks of an extraordinary person.
Today’s guest is Angus Walls, who, across his forty years in the field, has excelled at finding better ways to care for his patients. Since 2013, Angus has worked as the Director of the Edinburgh Dental Institute at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
Between 2017 - 2018, Angus served as the ninety-fourth President of the International Association for Dental Research and opened his inaugural address by saying: "I've had an almost career-long interest in oral health and aging".
He's always put this vulnerable population at the front and center of his work, tackling the complex problems that this group face with creativity and compassion.
Prior to his current position, Angus spent eighteen years at Newcastle University as a Professor of Restorative Dentistry, only a few miles from his family home of North Shields in the North East of England. Angus has never been afraid to follow opportunity, even if there is a strong tradition in the UK to practice where you studied.
Resources
Follow your curiosity, connect, and join our ever-growing community of extraordinary minds.
International Association for Dental Research
What's In This Episode
- Why did Angus decide to go against the grain and practice away from where he studied?
- How Angus has challenged the status quo throughout his career.
- Why Angus is so interested in oral health and aging.
- What Angus will do next.
Next Episode
7. Rella Christensen on a Life of Two Halves Pt.2
In the last episode, we introduced Rella Christensen of TRAC Research, a nonprofit institute dedicated to in-depth long-term clinical studies of restorative materials, preventive dentistry, and dental caries. Rella took us on a journey through her incredibly busy life - raising three children and pursuing her career as the director of the Clinical Research Associates Foundation. We also heard about Rella’s husband and mentor Gordon, who helped her follow her research interests by giving her access to equipment and resources.
In this episode, we’re delving into some of Rella’s most important discoveries, her opinion on work-life balance, and the challenges of raising three good kids.
Resources
Follow your curiosity, connect, and join our ever-growing community of extraordinary minds.
Dr. Rella Christensen's Profile
Clinicians Report (formerly known as CRA)
What's In This Episode
- Rella’s findings in air abrasion
- Did Rella ever achieve work/life balance?
- Rella’s biggest career achievement
- Gordon’s role as a mentor to Rella
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