What I Enjoy – Dr. Ron Zufall
Dr. Ron Zufall, D.D.S. Caring Family Dentistry
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DENTAL STORY? Most of my favorites are funny things that have happened with my staff. I have a wonderful team, some of whom have been with me for 20, 26 and 30 years! One summer day, one of my hygienists planted a “rattlesnake” outside the back door of the office for me to “find.” After seeing it, slamming the door, and warning the whole office to not open that door, I armed myself with an iron rod. Seeing that the “snake” had not moved away, I slowly opened the door and delivered a fatal blow that sent shards of porcelain flying in all directions. And yes, they filmed me and were laughing hysterically.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT LIVING IN THE NORTH STATE? Two things. The people here in the North State are the best! Friendly, generous and so willing to help their neighbors and even strangers. We lost a home to fire, then nine months later lost another in the Carr Fire, so our family has experienced that North State hospitality personally. Second is the outdoors. Mountains, rivers, lakes, and forests are all around us. I can get home from work and be kayaking on Whiskeytown Lake in about 15 minutes. I love that.
WHAT’S A FUN FACT ABOUT YOU? After eight years of college in Davis and San Francisco, and 33 years in the dental profession, I am still an Anderson boy at heart. Not much better than fishing a private bass pond or taking some target practice with my friends.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A DENTIST? My family dentist in Redding, Dr. Leon Nelson, perked my interest in dentistry at a very young age. I loved the way he ran his office, his passion about his profession, his time for family and he displayed lots of pictures of backpacking and fishing, both of which were passions of mine, as well.
IF YOU COULD DINE WITH ANY HISTORICAL FIGURE, LIVING OR DEAD, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHAT WOULD YOU ASK THEM? Joshua from the Old Testament. I would love to understand how people who have witnessed such amazing miracles of God, first hand, could then turn their back on Him only one generation later.
IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Flight. I have been SCUBA diving for 40 years which is a lot like flying. So, taking that subsurface feeling to overland heights would be a rush. A recreation version of our U.S. Marine Corps troops: Land, sea and air.
WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE GUILTY PLEASURE MOVIE? Good luck finding this one: “Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension,” staring Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum and Christopher Lloyd. A close second is John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd in “The Blues Brothers.” •
