Standing on the flight deck of the USS Ranger, watching aircraft launch into the Pacific, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Doug Ashman found himself in a place few dentists ever expect to serve. For six months, the prosthodontist cared for sailors aboard one of the Navy's aircraft carriers while experiencing what he still calls the highlight of his dental career.
He served seven years in the U.S. Navy. Today, Ashman serves a different mission at the UNLV School of Dental Medicine, helping educate Nevada's next generation of dentists.
Ashman did not envision a military career. After completing his prosthodontic residency, the civilian position he had planned to accept unexpectedly fell through. He needed the stability a commission in the U.S. Navy offered.
"I had four little kids," he said. "I needed a job."
Assigned to Camp Pendleton, Ashman completing military training that was a world away from the dental operatory. He learned to qualify with rifles and pistols, threw grenades during training exercises, and participated in field exercises that few people would associate with a dentist.
"It wasn't just dentistry," he said. "You were an officer first."
His most memorable military assignment came aboard the USS Ranger, where he spent six months deployed at sea. Living and working alongside thousands of sailors, Ashman traveled throughout the Pacific, visiting Japan, Korea, Australia, and ports throughout the Middle East.
While the setting was extraordinary, his role remained constant: ensuring service members were healthy enough to carry out their missions. The experience reinforced values central to his career: discipline, structure, and a commitment to doing every job well.
When his Navy service concluded, Ashman returned to Southern Nevada and joined his father's dental practice. Dentistry had long been part of his life. Growing up in Henderson and attending Basic High School, he watched his father build a respected practice and serve generations of patients. Working alongside him allowed Ashman to continue that tradition while raising his own family in the community he had always called home.
When the UNLV School of Dental Medicine opened its doors, Ashman saw another opportunity to serve. Rather than focusing solely on private practice, he joined the faculty of Nevada's only dental school. Over the years, hundreds of students have learned prosthodontics from him.
While dentistry often demands efficiency, he reminds future dentists that excellence should never be rushed.
"There's always time to do it right," he tells students.
That philosophy extends beyond individual procedures. Throughout his career, Ashman has worked to improve clinic systems, organize teaching materials, and leave behind resources that will help future faculty and students succeed. His focus has never been on recognition, but on building something that lasts.
Whether serving aboard an aircraft carrier, caring for patients in private practice, or mentoring students in the clinic at UNLV, Ashman has viewed every role through the same lens: service to others and pride in a job done well.
