Almost 20 years ago, an incident changed Gary Bethea’s life that resulted in him having a stronger relationship with God and placing him on a path to a career in medicine.
It was 20 years ago on April 28, 2001, when a then 16-year-old Bethea and three friends were kidnapped, robbed and tortured in Laurinburg.
The four survived.
“It made me realize my mortality because when you are young, you feel invincible,” he said. “It made me stronger in my faith with God, which was who I talked to the most when I and my friends couldn’t talk to each other (during the incident).”
After the kidnapping and robbery, Bethea said he did not dwell in anger.
“For me, I was thankful that it did not go a different way,” he said.
Bethea, now a dentist in Columbia, is sharing that incident and his life’s journey in his new book, “Deeper Than Dentistry.” The book was released on Thursday.
Married to Dr. Shayla Bethea of Columbia, he is the son of Otis and Linda Bethea of Bennettsville. He is a 2002 graduate of Marlboro County High School.
The Betheas will host a book release on Saturday at a formal red-carpet celebration at M Space in Columbia.
Writing the book was something he felt he would always do. When the pandemic came, Bethea took his recollections, things he had learned and sat down to write.
“I hope it will let young people know that they can bounce back from adversity,” he added. “I hope young people can see this and it will resonate with them.”
Bethea knows that he can’t reach everyone but knows that some people will take what is in the book and use it to motivate them.
He did not always want to be a dentist but knew he wanted to go into the medical field. Before the incident, he had signed up for a medical conference and raised the money to attend through donations from fellow church members, other churches and businesses.
He felt if he went there, he could see what it would be like to be a doctor. Once there, he left wanting to be a pharmacist.
Bethea did not know he wanted to go into dentistry until he got to the University of South Carolina and was rejected by the pharmacy school twice. Bethea’s dentist suggested he look into dentistry.
He now owns Bethea Family Dentistry in Columbia. He built it from the ground up.
“A lot of people from down here drive to my office in Columbia for their dental needs,” he said.
Bethea had only been in business for a year when he received the 2019 Better Business Bureau Business of the Year Torch Award. He was also named to the Columbia Business Monthly’s 2019 Best and Brightest 35 and under list.
Writing and publishing “Deeper Than Dentistry” is about more than selling the book.
“It is more about telling about what happened over the last 20 years,” he said. “What got me where I am now in my dental career and the nonprofit I have started to mentor and guide high school and college kids.”
During the book release event, Bethea and his wife, Dr. Shayla Bethea, will introduce their newly formed nonprofit foundation, Deeper Than Dentistry. All proceeds from book sales will be used for the foundation’s mission.
The nonprofit is an extension of Bethea Family Dentistry. The business originated from Dr. Gary Bethea’s desire to connect on more than just a level of providing excellent dental care to his patients. It involves three components: mentorship, community outreach, and motivating people in business.
Bethea said the mission of Deeper Than Dentistry is to empower individuals to explore careers in dentistry and other areas of healthcare.
“It also provides access to quality dental services for our under-served neighbors through community events,” Bethea said. “Our ultimate hope is for everyone we serve to know Christ and live a life of purpose.”
During the book release celebration, a 15-minute film entitled “Saving Grace” will be shown. The film will highlight and revisit some of the events of chapter three of his book, which focuses on the night Bethea was kidnapped.
He hopes when people read the book that they see what he has been through and realize it is his testimony.
Bethea paraphrased Matthew 5:14-16 — “Let your light so shine so that others may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
He added some people think good deeds are synonymous with your light.
“A lot of people do good deeds but it’s to make them look good,” Bethea said. “When you live for Christ, you know your good deeds will glorify Him. The book is my testimony and a way to glorify God for what He has brought me through.”
The “Deeper Than Dentistry” book is available digitally or in print on Amazon and other major platforms. It can also be purchased directly from www.deeperthandentistrybook.com.