2025 Veterinary Heroes: Barden Greenfield, DVM, DAVDC (Dentistry)

“I really don’t have a job,” Barden Greenfield, DVM, DAVDC, told dvm360. “I have a passion. I just love to do what I do.”

For Greenfield, owner of Your Pet Dentist in Nashville, Tennessee; educator; author; and 2025 winner of the Veterinary Heroes Award in dentistry, his love for the profession was kindled by witnessing the dramatic impact dentistry procedures have on the lives of patients. When he began his journey in dentistry, there were not many residencies available in the specialty and few veterinarians practiced dentistry. Still, while Greenfield was working in private practice, a friend involved in the specialty suggested he pursue a residency.

“And sure enough, I did a residency and [was] able to complete it and pass it,” Greenfield said. “And it has just opened up my world.”

He shared that his favorite part about being a veterinary dentist is that he is not only able to practice it but teach it as well. “Being able to speak at national meetings, local meetings, international meetings, and to really preach that dental gospel of sorts, of why it’s so important—being able to do that, I think, is an honor. I think it’s also a privilege, but I think it’s also a necessity. I think we have to teach the younger generations and even some of the older ones like myself why it is so important to put dentistry in the forefront, and veterinary schools are still behind.”

Barden Greenfield, DVM, DAVDC.

“There [are] so many diseases that occur secondary [to] having poor oral care and that can contribute to comorbidities of liver, heart, kidneys, lungs. Therefore, if I can get people to understand that a clean and healthy mouth will help the rest of the body, I think it [would be] a success,” he continued.

According to Greenfield, one of the lessons being a veterinary dentist has taught him is patience. “...You have to be patient. I think that you have to know that some things are very difficult and that it takes practice, practice, practice,” Greenfield emphasized. “[Some] veterinarians want to just try something and get it done. And you can't do that. You've got to practice on procedures.”

He shared that when conducting labs on cadavers of pets that have been put to sleep for various reasons, he is reminded that “those pets gave their lives for something.” This inspires him to encourage his students to honor the sacrifice by being patient and diligent in their work. “When I teach in labs, I tell veterinarians, ‘Look, this pet died, was euthanized, and you've got to justify this. You've got to do the very, very best you can in this lab so that you can make that euthanasia justifiable in the sense of being better for other pets’,” Greenfield said.

“And so, the things that [I have] learned is you have to be patient and you have to be diligent and you have to continue, to continue, to continue to talk about it in the sense of awareness. It's just not once and done. It's something that has to be done all the time,” he continued.

An active participant on the boards of the American Veterinary Dental College, American Veterinary Dental Society, and Foundation for Veterinary Dentistry, Greenfield said that winning the 2025 Veterinary Heroes Award is both an honor and a privilege. “Knowing the previous participants who were friends of mine—to be in that same category with them is truly an honor. I don’t take that lightly. I think that it’s something that I’m humbled by and feel very blessed to have been nominated and selected,” he said. “And I know that with that award comes responsibilities.... It’s something [where] you go, ‘Well, thank you. But let’s work more. Let’s work forward. Let’s do more.’ And I think that [winning the award] reenergizes me to keep doing what I’m trying to do.”

The 2025 class of dvm360 Veterinary Heroes will be honored at a celebratory luncheon in the dvm360 Fetch Kansas City Conference. Click here learn more or register for the event.