Dr Derek Draft

Dr. Draft enjoys being a general dentist because he can provide a wide range of services. From small fillings to root canals and extractions, to full mouth reconstructions and more complex implant cases, Dr. Draft enjoys being challenged daily by each patient’s specific needs. Dr. Draft is very comfortable working on patients of all ages, from the youngest teeth to the oldest teeth. 

 Dr. Draft credits his early fascination with building model trains to his beginnings in dentistry. He quickly developed the skills to work on small objects and an excellent attention to detail. With these skills and a strong desire to help people, he quickly shifted his studies toward the goal of becoming a dentist. He attended Hope College and received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry. From there, he was accepted into the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and graduated in 1998 in the top 20% of his class. 

In 2018, Dr. Draft became a board-certified forensic odontologist with the American Board of Forensic Odontology. He uses his dental skills to identify human remains, provide dental age estimates and analyze bite marks. Dr. Draft is the chief forensic odontologist for the Kalamzaoo County Medical Examiner and also provides forensic services for the Forensic Science and Forensic Medicine Laboratory (LSJML) in Montreal, Quebec. 

 Dr. Draft is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, a member of the American Society of Forensic Odontologists, the Mortuary Disaster Operational Response Team, and the Operational Response Team from the Michigan Mortuary. 

In 2010, Dr. Draft was honored by the Grandville-Jenison Chamber of Commerce as the recipient of the Small Business Person of the Year award. 

 In addition to spending time with his family, Dr. Draft often plays volleyball at the beach or indoors during the winter. He has also maintained his love of trains, but now models 1/8 scale trains with his son Hayden and father Tom. During the winter months, he enjoys hitting the slopes with his family and in the summer, wakesurfing with the kids. 

Another of Dr. Draft’s passions is using his skills to help those less fortunate. Dr. Draft was tapped by a local Michigan Christian nonprofit, Partners, to help organize and start a dental clinic in Werkok, South Sudan. In 2008, Dr. Draft was invited to join the PCC board of directors and traveled to Sudan annually for several years to provide much-needed dental care to a population that had survived many years of civil war, of famine and disease. Dr. Draft currently makes annual trips to Guatemala and recently returned to Kenya on several mission trips.