Dr. Jose Yanez retires after decades of care for vulnerable Houstonians

After providing accessible, smart and life-saving information to countless of Houstonians over a 40-year career with the Houston Health Department (HHD), Dr. Jose Yanez, D.D.S. has hung up his medical and educational hats to start his well-deserved retirement. A career filled with indefatigable care, knowledge, humility and affability, Yanez is leaving behind a refined legacy that has inspired his former colleagues time and again and will no doubt be felt by HHD employees to come.

Yanez was a champion of outreach during his time with HHD, working out in the fields often and had been stationed at most of the facilities throughout his tenure. And this was a likely place for him to end up, considering his limitless determination to reach the vulnerable through dental care and overall health education.

Yanez was born, raised and educated in Mexico City, where his dentistry career began. When he married and moved to the United States, life was difficult at first. Family and friends weren’t near and coupled with a language barrier, work was hard to come by. After a chance encounter with an administrator for the Magnolia Multi-Service Center, he learned of a dental assistant opening at La Nueva Casa de Amigos Health Center and was soon hired. His time at the facility was so marked by hard work that others quickly took notice.

“The administrator there said she noticed I was capable of doing more,” Yanez said. “She needed a health educator and asked me to apply. I became a senior educator and then soon after I was promoted to senior health education coordinator.”

Yanez spent the rest of his career working for the HHD Office of Chronic Disease, Health Education and Wellness. His education focused on a little bit of everything, which he loved: nutrition, exercise, hypertension, life skills, chronic disease, COVID, mpox, etc.

“I had the opportunity to work with kids, young adults, teenagers and seniors in all these areas.” Yanez said. “This position made me grow in my knowledge and professional skills and I had great support from my supervisors, it was a great experience.”

His favorite moments included working directly in the community for outreach. He made various appearances on Spanish-language radio stations to reach those audiences, but he was there for everyone who needed aid, especially demographics that needed extra care.

“There was a program called Baby Body where pregnant ladies came to the clinic for prenatal care,” Yanez explained. “I taught women in their second and third trimesters. After speaking with them, I saw the need to help them prepare for labor and delivery so I created a tour to teach mothers on what to expect. I taught Lamaze classes and prepped them on what documents and products they’d need for the hospital. It was a memorable time.”

At the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Houston, a group of senior citizens meet daily to play bingo and socialize. Yanez brought his classes there to educate them on proper nutrition habits for the older years. He also wanted to make sure they moved so he implemented exercise through dancing. Health education often deals with mental health, and he worked to ensure that their minds were as strong as their bodies.

“I noticed one day a couple of ladies weren’t participating, just sitting down,” Yanez said. “I found out one of them lost their husband after 60 years. She was deeply depressed and alone with her children all living abroad. So, I did a session on dealing with loss. Little by little, she opened up and now she’s one of the most enthusiastic dancers. Moments like that are truly satisfying.”

Another moment he shares speaks to how his work forever ties him to those he teaches. During one of his classes at the West End Multi-Service Center, a boy as young as two began to choke. Yanez performed CPR and saved his life. Decades later while walking through the Memorial Mall, a woman and a young man approached him and asked if he was a health instructor in his past and he confirmed. The young man ended up being the boy he saved 20 years ago.

Yanez believed he’d still be working a little longer but when he was told he met the criteria to retire, he took his chance. He still hopes to work with the health department in some volunteer capacity and lead health classes geared toward children and senior citizens. But traveling to his hometown, spending more time with family, and working with his community are in the works currently. When asked to advise others starting in their public health careers, he says to use passion as motivation.

“I tell new educators to be patient,” Yanez said. “Rome was not built in one day, it takes time. Be honest with yourself. If you feel health promotion and education is not making you happy, then you’re in the wrong career.”

His humility and friendliness made him such a popular colleague over time that leaving quietly was not an option. His teammates honored him for his efforts and ethic, dubbing him the godfather of health promotion and education.

“With each new person I meet, I always make sure to turn to them and say, ‘You have a friend here.’” He continued, “Human kindness is my main reason in this world, over everything. God has been good to me so the right thing to do is to share that with my community.”