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Office Visit: I Am Ironman Chelsea Patten, staff writer, Dentaltown Magazine

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by Chelsea Patten, Staff Writer, Dentaltown Magazine

David Kahn, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, doesn't live the average life of a recent grad. Not only is he up to his elbows at St. Charles Hospital for his general practice residency, he also took home the win for the Rhode Island Half-Ironman in July (that's 70.3 miles swimming, biking and running!) and was one of 40 participants invited to the World Championships in September. Herein, Kahn gives his two cents about life right after graduation and discusses how he balances his two passions.

What made you choose dentistry?
David Kahn: Growing up I always wanted to go into sports medicine. I swam all through high school and college, so I had a strong background in sports.

I come from a family of dentists. My father and two of his brothers joined practices in 1980 and my grandfather has been the practice manager since 1990. After my third year of undergrad, I decided I wanted to continue the family tradition.

I get my dose of sports by training for triathlons.

Describe a typical day for you.
Kahn: I am in a one-year general practice residency at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson, New York. Completing a residency is part of New York State's licensing requirements. However, I would choose to do a hospital residency regardless because of the clinical experience I could gain before going on to private practice.



My day-to-day schedule varies. There are two other co-residents, and we trade off mornings observing and assisting the OR, pre-surgical testing and the dental clinic. In the afternoons all three of us are in the dental clinic. We then have rotation in the ER until 7 p.m. One of us is on call every three weeks. [Editor's Note: At press time, the three residents will have finished their rotations and will be spending most of their time in the clinic.]

I train before and after work. My coach writes my workouts, and it's different every day. Sometimes I finish a day at the hospital – for instance this week I had two four-hour workouts after working 11-hour days at the hospital. Sometimes it can be pretty difficult.

What is your favorite procedure to perform?
Kahn: Going through dental school all the procedures I performed were dictated by curriculum and requirements. With residency, I have the opportunity to treat cases that interest me. I try to keep an open mind and experience a little of everything. Maybe I'll get a better idea of what procedures I'm partial to by the time I start private practice.

What sparked your interest in athletics?
Kahn: I have swum my whole life. I was seven-time New York State High School Champion and New York State Swimmer of the Year. I went to University of Texas, which has a great sports program. I lived and breathed swimming for years.

After I stopped swimming, I was looking for something else. I didn't want to put on weight like a lot of people do after they stop swimming. While I was out on a jog, I came across someone who used to be a swim coach. He had a triathlon team and encouraged me to check it out. That's how I got into it.

Can you give us a mini lesson on what an Ironman is?
Kahn: Sure. I compete in Half-Ironman (HI) competitions which are 70.3 miles – a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run. A Full-Ironman (FI) would be double that distance – 140.6 miles. The problem with the FI competitions is that you need to be able to put in four- to five-hour blocks of training at least three times a week. This just won't work with my schedule right now.

There are four distances for triathlons (sprint, Olympic, half- Ironman and Ironman). World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is a company that puts on the Ironman races. The term "Ironman" has become synonymous with the distance.

I race on the Ironman circuit because it is the best established company. They have races, year round, all over the world. Since I'm busy, my race schedule has to line up perfectly with my dental schedule. They seem to have the right locations at the right time. Plus, they're organized. They know how to put on races.



What goes into preparing for such a feat – training, diet, etc.?
Kahn: My workouts vary from week to week. It's difficult to write a training program and then when you throw in working eight to 12 hours a day, it makes it more complicated. I have a great coach named Siri Lindley who writes my training programs. She is a two-time world champion and runs a coaching program called Sirius Athletes. She held the number-one ranking in the world for the Olympic distance when she retired and went into coaching.

Training schedules vary at different points in the year. Base training is building up fitness – long, slow stuff. As races get closer, I increase the intensity of the work – higher effort, higher heart rate stuff. Some days I just run. Some days I might swim and bike. It's all different. I train anywhere from two to seven hours per day. Those longer ones are on weekends. During the week they're shorter. I put in around 18 to 23 hours of training per week.

I just try to eat healthy, avoid the sweets the best I can. I'm not on a regimented diet though. My trouble foods are bagels and muffins. I just try to stay away from them.

Had you done a Half-Ironman prior to your Rhode Island win?
Kahn: I've raced for four years. I've probably done close to 20 WTC races, but 30 races overall. When I first started out, I just wanted to finish one. Now, I will compete in up to eight HI in a year. This year I've done five so far. It takes discipline, but I love the challenge.

Who are your mentors?
Kahn: From dental school, Dr. Raul Figueroa, Keith Dunoff, Mary Sidawi and Alan Rauch influenced my clinical education significantly. My father and uncles are great dental resources, and I discuss with them frequently. My parents were, and still are, such a support system, not just with school but with sports as well.

Also, when it comes to sports, John DeMarie, Eddie Reese, Kris Kubik and my current coach Siri Lindley have each had a tremendous impact on not only my athletic career but my discipline and perseverance.

How do you balance work and life?
Kahn: Balance is hard. I have to make sacrifices and decisions and sometimes I miss out on things I want to do. That comes with the territory. I have chosen two things – dentistry and Ironman competitions – that take a ton of dedication… but I'm passionate about both. It's a commitment and it's important to not get upset when those things that I have to give up come along. When it gets overwhelming (like days with a 12-hour day at the hospital and a four-hour workout) I just have to remind myself that it will get better. It always eventually does and I become a better dentist and a better triathlete because of it.



What do you want to do after your residency?
Kahn: After my residency I plan to go into the family practice. I want to maintain the practice's quality, which my family has built over the last 30 years. I've had the opportunity to learn quite a bit in residency and I want to continue to expand on those abilities and my education throughout my career as a practitioner.

If you weren't a dentist, what do you think you'd be doing right now?
Kahn: I would be a professional triathlete. I have a pro license but at this point in my life, I'm not using the sport as a main source of income. But if I wasn't a dentist I would do it full time. I could also use my sports training for teaching or coaching.

I suppose we should all be so lucky to have more than one life passion. Thanks so much for chatting with us.
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
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