For Dr. Doug Schildhaus, a single moment of inspiration became a lifelong mission of compassion. 

“I was inspired years ago by an Oral Surgeon who would share his mission trip stories at his CE events,” he recalled. “A few months later in 2013, I joined him on my first mission trip to Peru, which was life-changing.”

That trip would set the course for the next decade of Dr. Schildhaus’ life. The following year, he traveled deep into the Peruvian Amazon jungle. When his team leader became ill, Dr. Schildhaus stepped up to lead the group—drawing on his experience as captain of his college wrestling team to guide others through uncertainty. “The rest is history,” he said. “I was next trained by Flying Doctors of America to be a Team Leader. Now, 12 years later, I’ve been leading two mission trips per year and am proud to serve on the Flying Doctors of America Board of Directors.”

Each trip brings new moments of gratitude and inspiration. “Every moment of every trip is inspirational,” he said. “One of the most powerful is when you arrive early in the morning and hundreds of people are lined up waiting to see you. Many wait for hours, and some walk through the night just to be seen.”

As a pediatric dentist, Dr. Schildhaus connects most deeply with children. “The best is getting a hug from a child and parent after a difficult extraction appointment—or when they come back the next day all smiles just to say hi.”

Two moments, in particular, have stayed with him. “I extracted three infected teeth on one little girl in Peru on the first day. The next day, we visited her school to teach oral hygiene. She immediately came up to me, hugged me, grabbed my hand, and took me to her classroom to show me her schoolwork. She spoke no English, but we communicated perfectly—all while holding my hand the entire time.”

He also remembers an elderly woman in El Salvador who arrived unable to speak or open her mouth due to severe pain and swelling. “I worked with our Oral Surgeon and Physicians and agreed she had a life-threatening infection that needed to be addressed immediately,” he shared. “We treated her and provided antibiotics. Two days later, she was healing beautifully and feeling great. The most moving part is that if we hadn’t been there that day, in that particular remote location, we estimate she had only 3–5 days to live.”

The Flying Doctors of America teams provide a full range of care—medical and dental alike. “We have nurses perform triage, then direct patients to different providers,” he explained. “We offer General Medicine, Pediatrics, Ophthalmology, Geriatrics, Physical Therapy, Dental, Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Pharmacy. We bring all of our own supplies—dental instruments, eyeglasses, medications—and work side by side with local volunteer interpreters.”

Those experiences abroad continually shape Dr. Schildhaus’ compassion at home. “Each time I return from a mission trip, I have a renewed sense of appreciation for what I have here at both my office and at home,” he said. “It takes a special type of person to volunteer their time and finances to join a mission team. That’s one of the reasons these trips are so enjoyable—it’s always a group of caring and like-minded professionals.”

His commitment to organized dentistry mirrors that same spirit of service. As Co-Chair of Give Kids a Smile in Nassau County, Dr. Schildhaus helps unite over 300 dental volunteers to provide care for more than 1,000 children each year. “It’s the most rewarding day of the year,” he said. “I love working with all levels of the tripartite and striving to make a difference. I’ve seen positive results from our work—especially in advocacy and policy change. This work must continue to guide the future of dental health, which is essential to overall health.”

When asked what keeps him motivated, his answer is simple: gratitude and joy. “I love what I do, and I’m so grateful to be able to continue doing it,” he said. “Another joy is sharing the experience with others and seeing how it affects them. Some of my teammates have joined me year after year, and we’ve developed very strong friendships.”

And at the heart of it all is his philosophy on giving. “Giving back in life is what it’s all about. Life is too short not to,” he said. “I enjoy discussing this with students at ASDA events. Yes, you’ll make money as a dentist—but nothing feels better than showing your gratitude and giving back to the profession that has given so much to you. Helping someone in need is one of the most powerful acts we can do, and the rewards are priceless.”

He smiled as he shared his favorite quote—words that capture his purpose perfectly:

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”