Dcn. Dr. Minh Nguyen

In my office, the patient comes first. Not the tooth — the person. Scripture says our body is “a temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 6:19). So when someone sits in my chair, I am not just looking at a cavity. I am looking at someone God loves.

Long ago, in the Book of Acts, the early Church had a problem. Widows were going hungry because no one was watching over the daily meal. The apostles could not do everything — preach and serve tables too. So they chose seven men, “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3), to care for these simple, practical needs. One of them was Stephen. Scripture says he was “full of faith and power, and did great wonders” (Acts 6:8) — not despite the humble work, but through it.

I am a permanent deacon of the Catholic Church. At church, I serve at the altar and proclaim the Word of God. I baptize the children. I marry the couples. I bury the dead. At the nursing home, I sit with the old and the forgotten, and tend to what they carry in their hearts. In my office, I serve at another table — the dental chair, where the needs of the body are met. I do not see these as different jobs. I see them as one calling, lived out in many rooms.

So before I touch a tooth, I listen. I want to know your fears, your worries, your story — not just your x-rays. Only then do I diagnose, plan, and treat — always gently, always with care for your whole body, never just the part that hurts.

I keep learning, because love for my patients demands my best skill, not just my best intentions. And when a case is beyond me, I say so, and I send you to someone who can help. My team is chosen the same way the apostles chose their seven — not just for skill, but for kindness and good heart.

A filled tooth. A calmed fear. A patient treated like they matter. Small things, maybe. But I believe heaven counts them too.

This is the art of healing.
This is my calling.