"A big reason for my success has been my staff over the 50 years that I practiced. Many of them worked with me for many years, and to them, I owe a huge debt of gratitude. After retiring, much to my surprise, many of them showed up at my home for my retirement party. I am truly blessed."
As a young man growing up in Eugene, George McCully ran an Oregonian Paper route for nine years, participated as a camp counselor at YMCA Camp, obtained The Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout rank, and represented South Eugene High School as the snow skiing state champion his senior year. After high school in 1968, he began as a Pre-dentistry major at the University of Oregon, with late admittance, "No one told me that one needed to apply for college. I just assumed that after grade 12, one became a Freshman at the U of O." He worked his way through college, including working summers at the cannery until receiving a "Co-Step" position his junior year of dental school with the Indian Health Service's dental clinic at Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota. After graduating from dental school in 1973, Dr. McCully was awarded an Internship/General Practice Residency at the IHS hospital in Gallup, New Mexico. He married his wife, Diane, and moved back to Eugene after he completed his internship and graduated from dental school in 1974.
Setting up his practice from scratch was challenging for Dr. McCully. His new practice was 500 square feet and located at 1374 Willamette. Soon, the couple had a new daughter. The McCully family adopted a frugal lifestyle with a diet full of powdered milk, canned applesauce, and corn on the cob. How times have changed! Back then, Dr. McCully owed $11,000 after graduation between his truck and school debt. His first house with two bedrooms and one bath was $22,000, and a gold crown was $95!
In 1985, Dr. McCully moved to his new office at Spencer View Dental. This latest move allowed him to expand; however, it added additional financial pressure and stress. Although all may have seemed like it was going well for him, he felt burnt out after 15 years of dentistry. He worked long hours to make more money: 6 days a week, with 12 hours a day staying open on Thursday evenings and Saturdays.
Dr. McCully credits his Practice Management Study Group with helping him develop a new approach to scheduling that would allow him to take more time off, and at the same time, be more productive through working six weeks and taking the seventh week off. The head of his study group said if he tried this strategy, he would see that he would make as much or more money working fewer hours. For Dr. McCully, this turned out to be true.
Dr. McCully attributes the blessings he received through opportunities others gave him, seeing more in him than he saw for himself. He received his fellowship and mastership in the AGD because The Executive Secretary of AGD, Bernie Taylor, believed in him. Dr. McCully helped mentor Harry Alber's Study Clubs and joined his group The Academy of Cosmetic and Adhesive Dentistry, later serving as its president. He served as an ODA Trustee and also served as a member and President of the Oregon Board of Dentistry. He was also honored by the AGD as the Oregon General Dentist of the Year in 2022.
Now Dr. McCully is retired and looks forward to his future, traveling with Diana and spending a lot of time on their boat. One of their upcoming trips is planned for Roatan, an island of the north coast of Honduras.
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