Many people do not like going to the dentist, or at least, they think they do not like it. Many people find that after their visit, it is not nearly as bad as they thought it was going to be. Because of the public perception, many strive to be warm, inviting, and easy-going. They specialize in making a visit as easy as possible. A dentist in Livonia will try to keep all of his or her patients at ease. Because of that demeanor, many people think they are all mild and meek. However, there are some pretty famous dental professionals.
Billy Cannon
William Cannon, nicknamed Billy, was born in 1937 in Philadelphia, Mississippi. His family moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana when he was still a kid. He played football while at Istrouma High School. He was known for being very fast and very strong. He also ran track. In his senior year on the football team, he scored thirty-nine touchdowns in a single season. He was named All-State and All-America. Istrouma High School earned a state championship that year.
Cannon went on to play for LSU. In 1958, his second year on the team, LSU won its first Associated Press national championship. In 1959, on Halloween night, he returned a punt against Ole Miss. He returned the punt 89 yards for the game-winning touchdown. That punt return is still one of the proudest moments in LSU football history. He won the Heisman Trophy that year. His jersey number was retired.
He played professionally in the AFL, which helped to bolster the standing of the league. After his professional career, he became an orthodontist.
Orthodontist Career
After football, Billy Cannon earned a D.D.S. from the University of Tennessee. He then earned a degree in orthodontia from Loyola University in Chicago. He was fairly successful as a dentist, but he still ran into financial difficulties. In 1983, some poor investments in real estate and gambling debts resulted in him counterfeiting money. He went to prison for over two years, and his license was revoked. When he got out of prison, his license was reinstated. He struggled to build a practice. In 1995, he became the dentist for the Louisiana State Penitentiary. He reorganized the program and made it function much more smoothly.
He later was placed in charge of the whole medical system of the prison. Due to his prolific football career and his status as an LSU great, the inmates usually call him Legend. He enjoys a semi-mythic status in LSU lore. Some say that he ran the fastest forty-yard dash of all time. When watching the film of his punt return against Ole Miss, it is hard to deny that he might have been one of the fastest men ever to play football.
