Beloved dentist retires after 45 years

By Shari Goldstein Stern

Being a superhero to thousands, especially when they range from one-year-olds to adolescents, could boggle any mind. Michael Plunk, DDS, MSD has met the challenge with patience, grace and an astonishing sense of humor for close to five decades.

While celebrating 45 years of practicing pediatric dentistry and orthodontia in Casa Linda, Dr. Plunk is carefully hanging up his Novocain to embark on his next journey: retirement. 

The 1967 Bryan Adams (BA) alum doesn’t know a stranger. Everyone is his friend. “Each time he takes the elevator, he makes a new acquaintance at least, or friend,” said Donna StClair, who retired from Plunk Smiles in January. 

The staff says about their boss, “He treats us like family and values hard work. We feel respected and appreciated.” 

The Dallasite grew up in Little Forest Hills, the middle of three boys, and has lived in Lake Highlands for more than 40 years. He has spent the last 45 years taking care of children’s teeth and parents’ nerves. Not long after going into practice, he went back to Baylor/A&M to study children’s orthodontia, giving his young patients a continuum of care from someone they already trusted.

Plunk’s office is in a historic building in Casa Linda. Doctors Professional Building has been a go-to for medical and dental needs in White Rock since 1976.

When asked why he thinks his staff is particularly loyal and has stayed with him so long, he replied: “They have become a family. We have taken care of each other. Showing them appreciation and respect goes a long way.” Asked how he thought they would answer that question, he replied, “I hope they would answer the same way.” His staff answered the same way.

He added about the staff, “They are an amazing, talented and intelligent group of people. “The old saying, ‘Hire the right people, just get out of their way, and they do a great job,’ was never so true.” His staff used the same words when describing him.

Plunk is a respected Dallas name, especially well-known in East Dallas, White Rock and Lake Highlands. The busy practitioner teaches at Texas A&M in the Pediatric Dentistry Department and the Orthodontic Department, educating residents in those specialties. “In the Orthodontic Department, I am a part-time attending faculty member. I help in a clinical setting with the orthodontic residents, helping them with their patients,” he explained. “In the Pediatric Dentistry Department, I am primarily involved in the didactic portion of their orthodontic training.”

Plunk’s wife, Carol Anne Plunk, also a BA ’67 alum, is well known in White Rock and Lake Highlands, as well. Plunk’s son, Jeff, lives in Waco with his wife, Stephanie, and their nine-year-old daughter, Ellie. Plunk’s daughter, Sarah, is married to Blake Vickey, and they live in Dallas. Plunk’s mother, who just turned 99 years old, also lives in Dallas, so the entire family have opportunities to spend time together.

Plunk’s dedication was evident last week when many well-wishers turned out to celebrate with him the final week before his retirement. Patients, parents, colleagues, neighbors, friends, staff and family expressed their warm gratitude by toasting his long, successful career. 

He said what he will miss most is generous relationships with parents and children. “They’ve kept me young,” he boasted. 

Dr. Sabrina Dragan, one of Plunk’s former students, joined the practice with Plunk in 2020, becoming the other half of Plunk & Dragan Smiles, working with the highly-experienced staff.

While open to teaching more during retirement, Plunk is a bike rider who looks forward to finding more places with great bike trails. “I have always wanted to go to New Orleans to see the World War II Museum, and I would like to visit El Paso,” he said. “I might pick up pickleball.”

He added: “My nine-year-old granddaughter, Ellie, lives down in Waco. I hope I get a lot more time to visit with her. I plan to teach her how to juggle and ride a unicycle, the same things I taught her dad.”

When asked what it has been like working in the community in which he grew up, he answered, “I never thought I would return to Casa Linda/East Dallas [after college], but I’m so glad I did. The relationships I had growing up in the community were stronger than I ever realized. Home is home.”

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