Question
Dr. David Sullivan, pediatric dentist, is just wild about teeth. So are some of his patients. Wild, that is. Really wild. You see, Dr. David, as many people call him, has some unusual patients. They aren’t the children he typically sees each day. They’re, well, big . . . and hairy and sometimes weigh more than four hundred pounds. They’re real animals—zoo animals. On most days, Dr. Sullivan tends to his human patients, teaching them how to brush and floss and care for their teeth. A few patients cry. Occasionally one may bite. But, all in all, there isn’t much for Dr. Sullivan to be wary of in his practice.
On some days, however, the Cincinnati Zoo calls with some special work for him to do. Since 1982, Dr. Sullivan has volunteered his time performing dental surgery on many of the animals. The zoo may ask him to pull the tooth of a Bengal tiger, repair the tusk of an elephant, or give a root canal to one of their famous gorillas. Whatever they ask, it certainly wouldn’t be routine work for most dentists. For most, this would be a frightening experience. Luckily, Dr. Sullivan feels differently. “I’m not afraid of the animals,” he says. “I have been around them so much that I’m used to them.” How does a children’s dentist find himself caring for the teeth of a black rhino or a white gibbon? For Dr. Sullivan, it was a matter of chance. “When I was a kid in school, the only thing I ever wanted to be was a veterinarian,” says Dr. Sullivan. “I even applied to veterinary school in college. But Dr. Sullivan soon realized that veterinary work was impossible for him. “I volunteered at a veterinarian’s office to get some experience,” he says. “I was miserable. I couldn’t breathe. My eyes were swollen shut. I had allergy symptoms.” So Dr. Sullivan tried pediatric dentistry and found he loved it. After he became a dentist, Dr. Sullivan worked at Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.
While there, he was asked to help with dental work on some of the animals in the hospital’s research lab. It wasn’t long before he began a dental program for the animals. [During his unusual career, Dr. Sullivan has faced many challenges.] But Dr. Sullivan is most proud of the work he did on an ailing African hornbill, an animal that doesn’t even have teeth. The bird had broken its bill, which was causing its tongue to dry out. This made it difficult for the bird to eat. “It would have died,” says Dr. Sullivan. He needed something that would work and work well. What worked was a system of metal posts that either screwed into the bill or locked onto the outside of the beak. “I’m also proud of the work we did on the first tiger,” he says. “There was no literature to go by because the field was so new, so we did it from scratch. We took X-rays and measured the teeth from tiger skulls in a museum. The treatment was one hundred percent successful.” Perhaps the most unusual work Dr. Sullivan ever did was not on a wild animal but on a pet. “I helped a vet put braces on a poodle,” he remembers. While most of Dr. Sullivan’s patients have little idea that he spends some of his time working with large, dangerous animals, it’s most likely good practice for him. After all, sometimes a busy dentist’s office can be a real zoo.
How is the information in this article organized?
On some days, however, the Cincinnati Zoo calls with some special work for him to do. Since 1982, Dr. Sullivan has volunteered his time performing dental surgery on many of the animals. The zoo may ask him to pull the tooth of a Bengal tiger, repair the tusk of an elephant, or give a root canal to one of their famous gorillas. Whatever they ask, it certainly wouldn’t be routine work for most dentists. For most, this would be a frightening experience. Luckily, Dr. Sullivan feels differently. “I’m not afraid of the animals,” he says. “I have been around them so much that I’m used to them.” How does a children’s dentist find himself caring for the teeth of a black rhino or a white gibbon? For Dr. Sullivan, it was a matter of chance. “When I was a kid in school, the only thing I ever wanted to be was a veterinarian,” says Dr. Sullivan. “I even applied to veterinary school in college. But Dr. Sullivan soon realized that veterinary work was impossible for him. “I volunteered at a veterinarian’s office to get some experience,” he says. “I was miserable. I couldn’t breathe. My eyes were swollen shut. I had allergy symptoms.” So Dr. Sullivan tried pediatric dentistry and found he loved it. After he became a dentist, Dr. Sullivan worked at Children’s Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio.
While there, he was asked to help with dental work on some of the animals in the hospital’s research lab. It wasn’t long before he began a dental program for the animals. [During his unusual career, Dr. Sullivan has faced many challenges.] But Dr. Sullivan is most proud of the work he did on an ailing African hornbill, an animal that doesn’t even have teeth. The bird had broken its bill, which was causing its tongue to dry out. This made it difficult for the bird to eat. “It would have died,” says Dr. Sullivan. He needed something that would work and work well. What worked was a system of metal posts that either screwed into the bill or locked onto the outside of the beak. “I’m also proud of the work we did on the first tiger,” he says. “There was no literature to go by because the field was so new, so we did it from scratch. We took X-rays and measured the teeth from tiger skulls in a museum. The treatment was one hundred percent successful.” Perhaps the most unusual work Dr. Sullivan ever did was not on a wild animal but on a pet. “I helped a vet put braces on a poodle,” he remembers. While most of Dr. Sullivan’s patients have little idea that he spends some of his time working with large, dangerous animals, it’s most likely good practice for him. After all, sometimes a busy dentist’s office can be a real zoo.
How is the information in this article organized?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The information in the article is organized in a narrative format, combining descriptive storytelling with a chronological progression of Dr. David Sullivan's career and experiences. Here's a breakdown of the organization:
1. **Introduction**: The article begins with an engaging introduction that sets the scene and introduces Dr. David Sullivan as a pediatric dentist with a unique twist—working with zoo animals.
2. **Dual Practice**: It contrasts his typical work with children and the unusual dental procedures he performs on zoo animals, establishing the context for his dual practice.
3. **Volunteering Experience**: The article details how Dr. Sullivan started volunteering at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1982 and highlights the types of procedures he performs on various animals, providing specific examples (e.g., Bengal tiger, elephant, gorilla).
4. **Background and Transition**: There's a backstory explaining how Dr. Sullivan initially aspired to be a veterinarian but shifted to pediatric dentistry due to allergies. This transition illustrates his path to where he is now.
5. **Pioneering Work**: The article highlights specific challenges he faced and his achievements, such as creating a dental program for zoo animals and the successful treatment of an African hornbill, which adds a sense of accomplishment to his story.
6. **Discussion of Challenges**: It mentions both the challenges he has faced in this niche field and the innovative solutions he has developed, such as the treatment for the tiger.
7. **Unique Experiences**: A whimsical anecdote about putting braces on a poodle serves as a lighter note to the article, illustrating the breadth of his work.
8. **Concluding Thought**: The article concludes with a humorous remark connecting his dental practice to the busy environment of a zoo, encapsulating the essence of his unusual career.
Overall, the organization mixes personal narrative, professional journey, anecdotes, and specific examples to create an engaging portrait of Dr. Sullivan's unique career.
1. **Introduction**: The article begins with an engaging introduction that sets the scene and introduces Dr. David Sullivan as a pediatric dentist with a unique twist—working with zoo animals.
2. **Dual Practice**: It contrasts his typical work with children and the unusual dental procedures he performs on zoo animals, establishing the context for his dual practice.
3. **Volunteering Experience**: The article details how Dr. Sullivan started volunteering at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1982 and highlights the types of procedures he performs on various animals, providing specific examples (e.g., Bengal tiger, elephant, gorilla).
4. **Background and Transition**: There's a backstory explaining how Dr. Sullivan initially aspired to be a veterinarian but shifted to pediatric dentistry due to allergies. This transition illustrates his path to where he is now.
5. **Pioneering Work**: The article highlights specific challenges he faced and his achievements, such as creating a dental program for zoo animals and the successful treatment of an African hornbill, which adds a sense of accomplishment to his story.
6. **Discussion of Challenges**: It mentions both the challenges he has faced in this niche field and the innovative solutions he has developed, such as the treatment for the tiger.
7. **Unique Experiences**: A whimsical anecdote about putting braces on a poodle serves as a lighter note to the article, illustrating the breadth of his work.
8. **Concluding Thought**: The article concludes with a humorous remark connecting his dental practice to the busy environment of a zoo, encapsulating the essence of his unusual career.
Overall, the organization mixes personal narrative, professional journey, anecdotes, and specific examples to create an engaging portrait of Dr. Sullivan's unique career.