Dr. Janet Martin,
1970 La Harpe Graduate, Now Dentist
The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Dr. Janet Martin,
1970 La Harpe Graduate, Now Dentist
This is the seventh in a series about medical doctors who graduated in the Quill area schools. It is about the oldest of three children of Richard "Jiggs" and the late Joann Rodeffer of La Harpe.
JANET E. MARTIN
Richard and Joann Rodeffer who lived on a farm southwest of La Harpe a few miles, just off the Fountain Green blacktop, raised three children who all became dentists.
This article is about their first child and only daughter, Janet, born in 1952.
Janet attended LaHarpe schools and graduated from LaHarpe High School in 1970 as co-salutatorian.
She attended Millikin University in Decatur, graduating magna cum laude with a B.A. in biology in 1974.
During that summer she married Richard G. Martin, Jr. June 1, 1974 before entering dental school. Richard now is minister of the Federated Church of Lima and a part-time therapist for Cahtolic Charities in Quincy.
Janet graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine in Alton, in 1977.
Practice History
Janet began her dental practice in Worden, IL from scratch fresh out of dental school after having their first baby.
Her husband was preaching in Worden at the time at the Worden Christian Church. She found a building for sale, bought it, remodeled, and launched her career.
A friend of Janet's from dental school and church, Dr. Taletta Watson, joined her ten months later and they practiced as joint tenants in common, sharing the office, equipment, and employees, but working different hours.
Janet said this allowed them to offer a good variety of available appointments to their patients. It also allowed them to more conveniently manage motherhood and working. All four of the Martin children were born to them while they were in Worden.
"Going through three pregnancies and deliveries while actively practicing was interesting," Janet said. "Taletta and I both were pregnant at the same time one year."
Janet practiced in Worden for almost 10 years (January 1978 through October 1987) before she and her husband moved to Camp Point.
"It was a big decision to move from Worden, selling my dental practice and our home, to Camp Point, but after Rich completed his Master of Divinity degree, he was ready to follow God's lead to a different ministry at the First Christian Church of Camp Point," Janet said.
In 1988, Janet worked parttime in the office of Dr. William Wright in Camp Point.
Then the dentist in Mendon, desiring to pursue graduate training, approached her about purchasing his practice, which she did.
Janet began practicing dentistry in Mendon in January of 1989 and has continued until now. Her office, which is in the North Adams Clinic building in rural Mendon, is rented from the North Adams Nursing Home.
She said, "This has been a wonderful family practice for me in a rural area, which I love."
Her patients primarily come from a 25 mile radius of Mendon. Her only regret is that she no longer has her friend Taletta in the same office with her.
Janet employs three people- a receptionist and two dental assistants. Currently she is seeking a dental hygienist to work in the office.
She is trying to convince one of her children to pursue a career in dentistry so they can take over when she is ready to retire, but "it isn't looking very promising," she said.
Andy, 24, lives in Tinley Park, IL and works for Country Co. Insurance in Joliet.
Micah, 21, is a senior at ISU in Normal, majoring in history.
Julia, 19, is a freshman at Kentucky Christian College in Grayson, KY, majoring in nursing.
Jared, who was 17 on Feb. 17th, is a junior at Unity High School in Mendon and hopes to be accepted into West Point Military Academy.
Andy, Micah, and Julia all graduated as valedictorian, as well as their cousin, Maggie Rodeffer of LaHarpe.
Background
Her younger brothers, Steve and Max, also became dentists. Even though their parents did not go to college, it was an assumption growing up, that we would be going to college.
Steve and Janet both went to Millikin University and all three went to the same dental school. Also their neighbor, Marty Gleason, went to Millikin University and SIU-SDM.
"Another neat thing is that all three of us belong to the same local dental society, the T.L. Gilmer Society, based in Quincy. It is very satisfying that all three of us have the same profession in common.
"I have always felt welcomed into what was formerly a very male dominated profession. I have never felt any sexist bias toward me, but I have only had encouragement to pursue my educational goals and dreams all along the way, from my parents to my teachers at LHS, to Millikin to SIU.
"I love dentistry and if I had it to do all over again, I would choose the same field. Being independent, self-employed, and able to serve a variety of people is very rewarding," Janet said.
Janet enjoys the people she meets, whether in her business, the church, or school functions of her children, or her own teachers and friends in her hometown of La Harpe, she holds her relationships as important.
She can be reached at her office at 2271 East 1100th Street in Mendon, IL 62351 or office phone at 217-936-2128, or she can be reached at home at 111 Junction Street, Ursa, IL 62376. Her home phone is 217-964-2279.