Keep up with the latest from Baylor Line. Subscribe today.

Baylor Line is supported by our sponsors! Become one today.

Make sure you floss…and here’s your lucky bullet

Dr. H. Edward Bridgeman’s gave his lucky bullet from Vietnam to his final dental patient as he retired after 47 years.

At first blush, that seems particularly appropriate since he operated out of Dental Clinic #1 at Fort Carson, Colorado, for the past 11 years, after retiring from private practice in Plano, Texas.  Over that time, he served as a contract doctor with the Army for 7+ years and with the Air Force for more than three years, sandwiched between two more years in private practice in Colorado Springs.

Dr. Edward Bridgeman with his final dental patient after 37 years of practice.
Dr. Edward Bridgeman with his final dental patient after 37 years of practice.

But that’s not the whole story.  Dr. Bridgeman, BS ’64, DDS ’67, handed over dozens of those lucky bullets over the years.  They meant a lot to his patients — so much so that one returned from Afghanistan and sought him out to replace the one she lost over there.  So he reached into his top drawer and gave her another one and she left happy.

It all started with a stray bullet on his desk.  People would ask about it, and he’d tell them a story of “humping through the rice paddies.”  Bridgeman, who will turn 73 in April and peppered jokes followed by a hearty laugh throughout a recent interview, said he thinks “most people realized it was a baloney story” but they all seemed to prefer the “lucky bullet” to the normal toothbrushes and dental floss most dentists give their patients at the end of an appointment.

Bridgeman did serve three-and-a-half years in the Navy (with an additional 22+ in the U.S. Naval Reserves.  Even though he says he found it to be “a blessing and a privilege to serve these Warriors who protect us,” Bridgeman adds that it was much lower stress than the 32 years he spent in his civilian practices.  “You can’t leave your dental practice at the office,” he says.  “But nobody calls you in the Army after work.  I knew everyone’s family when I practiced in Plano.  This was a lot of fun.”

Dr. Bridgeman is married, with four sons and 11 grandchildren — eight of them girls — and now makes his home in Woodland Park, CO, with its 9,000-foot elevation.  He says he has no plans for the future beyond “taking care of the grandkids, protecting my money from plunging stock markets, and shooting squirrels from the back deck and watching the foxes clean them up for me.”

Dr. Bridgeman can be reached at aveg100@aol.com

Latest from Baylor Line

The Purpose Driven Life

Why am I here? What was I made to do? Existential questions to be sure and ones that many students

Remembering Carroll Dawson

Carroll “CD” Dawson, former Baylor men’s basketball player and coach and Houston Rockets general manager, died on September 9 at

Recommended

The 11 Best Bars in Waco

Welcome to Waco’s lively night scene! From historic family-owned bars to modern nightlife spots, it’s time to indulge in the

12 Things to Do in Waco at Night

As the sun sets over the heart of Texas, Waco lights up with new adventures. Just as captivating and family-friendly

The Many Murals of Waco

For years, Waco has been growing its reputation as a hub of arts and culture, and nowhere is this more

3 thoughts on “Make sure you floss…and here’s your lucky bullet”

  1. Dr. Ed Bridgeman, I just loved reading that amazing story on you. You are very special person. Enjoy your retirement ! Take care and god bless you ! Pam Archer

  2. Dr.Eddie, I loved your story. I also retired this summer after 47 years. Betty and I sure enjoyed our visit at your home, happy retirement & May God bless you both. Dr Eddie

  3. Having known Dr. Bridgeman for over 35 years, I can attest to his compassion for his patients, his excellence in dental care and his high ethical standards. His patients all love him and to this day mention him to me. His boys Brett and Lee, both great dentists in their own right, used to talk jokingly of “Killing the Legend”, when they took over his practice! Ed has so much energy- the squirrels better look out !

Comments are closed.

Baylor Line MAgazine

With over 75 years of storytelling under its belt, the award-winning Baylor Line Magazine is now available digitally. Support this vital, independent voice of Baylor alumni by becoming a member today!