The story behind how Dr. Cason Roberson went from aspiring to be a pro golf manager to an impactful orthodontist reveals the unexpected turns life can take — and how a single conversation can change the trajectory of someone’s future. Standing on the lush green of a golf course as a high school student, he imagined a life spent managing fairways and tee times. Golf was his passion, the sport that consumed his teenage years and heavily influenced his career ambitions. Yet, one simple conversation altered the course of his destiny.
As a teenager, Roberson worked at a golf course, immersing himself in the world he thought he wanted to be part of forever. He could almost picture himself in the future, a pro in khakis and polo, overseeing the operations, planning children’s golf camps, and playing rounds in his downtime. It seemed ideal — until one weekend, while chatting with a man working at the course, reality hit. The man, who worked there as a second job to support his family, shared a hard truth.
“He pointed out that the busiest days at the golf course were always weekends, holidays — all the times that everybody else is off. He basically said, ‘Take it from me as a dad. This is my second job. Think about all the things I have to miss out on with my kids and my wife on the weekends because I have to be here and because this is when people play golf.’”
Roberson reflected on that moment as a turning point, saying, “I wish I could remember his name, and I’d love to go back and just thank him for speaking words to me that were super important at that time — that I wasn’t really thinking about — and it totally changed where I am now.”
Suddenly, the dream of working in golf felt less appealing. But life has a funny way of leading you where you need to go. He went home, confused about what to do next. His mom later suggested he become a dentist, and after careful consideration, he took her suggestion.
As Roberson began undergraduate studies, his love for science and the challenge of working with his hands progressed.
“I took a two-hour class, and for each hour, they’d have someone come and talk to you about what they did. There was an optometrist, a surgeon, and a dentist. The dentist basically talked about what he did — talked about the fact that he gets to help people and work with his hands. I started job shadowing, and it evolved from there.”
From that moment, Roberson was all in. His love for people, his meticulous nature, and his desire to make a difference found their perfect outlet in orthodontics. Now, as an established orthodontist, he transforms smiles and changes the lives of his young patients, especially those in their formative years.
One of the unique aspects of Roberson’s practice is his keen understanding of how critical the middle and high school years are for children. His goal every day is to instill confidence in his patients during some of the most vulnerable years of their lives. In his practice, Roberson creates an atmosphere where being a “big kid” at heart is part of the job description. He and his patients catch up, laugh, and sometimes even share a few humorous stories, and he sends them off with a smile.
“It’s like being at the school lunch table,” he laughed. “You see all your friends that aren’t always in class with you. You get to cut up with them and have fun.”
Known for his fun-loving persona, he once led a Continuing Education course dressed as “Uncle Rico” Dynamite — a fictional character from the famous comedy film “Napoleon Dynamite.”
Roberson’s playful personality and lively office atmosphere create an inviting “circus” that young children and teens can’t get enough of.
“For these kids, socially, it’s a really, really hard time,” he explained, “My thought process is, ‘We’re treating these patients during probably one of the hardest times in their life. So why don’t we make sure that every time we encounter them, it’s a positive experience? Tell them we’re proud of them. Tell them we love them. Tell them, either with our words or actions, that they’re worthy, that it’s okay to be them.’”
As Roberson continues to build connections and boost the confidence of his young patients, he’s creating an environment where every child leaves feeling a little taller and a lot happier.
But aside from his daily work in the office, Roberson is a vocal advocate for the growing focus on airway health in young patients. He explained that the dental community is becoming more aware of the influence that airway issues, like obstructive sleep apnea, play in children’s development. When a child can’t breathe properly, it impacts more than just their oral health — it can affect their growth, their brain development, and their ability to focus in school.
“The oxygen component of that development is critical,” he said. “When the sleep physician talks about the AHI or apnea-hypopnea index, which is how many times during the night you stop breathing, even one event with a child is considered significant because of the role that that plays in their development. There have been studies that talk about increased [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder] issues, increased fatigue, poor focus in school, and bed wetting at a later stage in adolescence. All these things can develop from not breathing well.”
Roberson remembered one patient in particular — a young boy who struggled to breathe through his nose. During a routine exam, Roberson noticed that the boy’s tongue wasn’t sitting properly, which was affecting the growth of his palate. Further investigation revealed enlarged adenoids obstructing his airway, which led to a referral to an ear, nose, and throat doctor.
“It could change his ability to get REM sleep and his ability to focus in school. There are a lot of things that it could help with, because he’s no longer fighting that decreased oxygen state at night or during the day.”
Roberson’s journey to becoming an orthodontist may have started on a golf course, but his actions have reached far beyond the fairway. Through his work, he’s enhancing both the smiles and futures of the children in his care, helping them breathe easier, stand taller, and face the world with confidence. His story is a powerful reminder that, sometimes, the dreams we start with aren’t the ones we’re meant to follow. But the ones we end up pursuing can be far more fulfilling than we ever imagined. GN
