Written by: Alan Stern, DDS
I only met Dr. Bob Pick a few years ago during the COVID lockdown, yet, as like-minded individuals who love our profession, we connected immediately and formed an unbreakable bond of love and respect. Put simply, a friendship was born during a global crisis. I was thrilled and proud to have earned the respect of this very humble man, whose accomplishments over four decades have been equaled by very few others.
Bob and I shared our little secrets, exchanged ideas, and collaborated for the betterment of all. We laughed like crazy with our insane sense of humor and exchanged stories of our vulnerabilities and insatiable drive to be forces for good in the world.
We all knew about Bob’s successful conquest of a rare form of cancer of the appendix. The experimental treatment he received at Northwestern University Hospital saved his life but also left him with significant hearing loss and an impediment to his ability to walk. None of this stopped him from creating and maintaining a successful periodontal practice, treating countless thousands of patients, becoming an international expert and speaker on lasers, and coaching dentists on how to create a truly patient-centered practice with “ethics and excellence first.” What an amazing, inspiring career for a man who wasn’t supposed to live for more than six months after his diagnosis several decades ago and was left with disabilities that would have stopped a lesser person!
Bob was, indeed, a Purple Cow—he distinguished himself as unique in just about everything he did, personally and professionally. He was beloved by his team, who stayed with him for decades. He showered them with gifts, praise, and knowledge. He took his team on a shopping spree every year to thank them.
Bob walked with the giants of dentistry and beyond. He attracted, learned with, and gave to some of our greatest overachievers; at the same time, he maintained a profound sense of modesty and graciousness.
Everyone who knew him felt and appreciated Bob’s goodness and generosity, from the “rich and famous” of our world to the everyday practitioner who sought his wisdom. On his Purple Cow Wow Facebook page, he interviewed anyone and everyone he thought could contribute to the greater good. He did a live videocast every Sunday night to provide valuable insights into exceptional practice management—totally free of charge. After COVID, he took great joy in doing a live video he called Bob Pick Monday Morning Kick Some Butt! from his car on the way to work every morning, giving all of us “more energy than the Energizer Bunny.”
The things he did for me, personally and professionally, are too numerous to mention here. I am certain that he did the same for so many others. I don’t think I’ve ever met a man who gave so much and expected so little in return.
Now he is gone. Taken from us suddenly, with no warning. All of us who knew him are left with shock, sorrow, and a sense of emptiness.
The response to Bob’s passing has been overwhelming, from Chicago to Australia! Thousands of people have poured out their love and respect for this man.
There will never be another Bob Pick, but we can use the lessons of his amazing life to make ourselves better, to preserve his legacy, and to be Super Coolio Awesome in our own way.
Always give when you have a chance. Enrich your colleagues, your patients, and your team. Get to know people and allow them to experience your imperfect greatness. And never pass on the opportunity to stand out like a Purple Cow.
“And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”
Bask in the love, my friend. Rest in peace and rest in the pride of a life well-lived.
