Dr. David King received the John D. Robinson Clinical Excellence Award from the North Carolina State Optometric Society on June 8 at the annual awards ceremony in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
An optometrist, King owns and operates King Eye Center in China Grove. He is the 12th recipient of the annual award, which was “established for the purpose of recognizing a North Carolina optometrist who has exemplified excellence in the clinical practice of primary eye care and ophthalmic medicine.”
Established in 2002 by North Carolina State Optometric Society, the award is named after Dr. John D. Robinson, who served as a member of the North Carolina State Board of Examiners in Optometry for 26 years before becoming executive director in 1990, a position he still holds. After establishing the award, the society asked Robinson to participate in the selection of the annual recipients of the award. This year there were two recipients of the award, King and Dr. Robert Rosenstein, a fellow clinical examiner for the board who practices in Durham.
“David is an excellent clinician,” Robinson said. “He maintains a strong reputation for outstanding clinical skills within the optometric community and among his colleagues who serve as clinical examiners for the board. The Clinical Excellence Award represents only a very small token of the high esteem and appreciation we have for David in North Carolina optometry.”
King Eye Center is at 312 E. Centerview St. in China Grove, He has practiced in southern Rowan for 26 years and has served as a clinical examiner for the state board for 15 years in the conducting its clinical/practicum examinations for those applicants seeking a license to practice optometry in North Carolina. King also has served as a member of the Clinical Skills Committee on the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO), a three-part “national examination” required of all graduates of the schools and colleges of optometry before they are licensed in any state. King is a member of the American Optometric Association and the North Carolina State Optometric Society.
A graduate of the Ohio State University College of Optometry, King was named the college’s 1986 Outstanding Graduate by the Ohio Optometric Association. He served as president of his graduating class.
King serves on the board of directors for Novant Health Rowan Medical Center. He previously served on the board of directors for Rowan Bank. He was a member of the Rowan County Health Board for nine years, serving as chairman of the board for five of those years. He helped supervise construction of the new Rowan County Health Department building. King has participated in several overseas mission trips, providing primary eye care to people in South and Central America.
He participates in Iron Man competitions, plays guitar and sings in the praise band at First Baptist Church in Salisbury.
King lives in China Grove with his wife, Susan Mathie King. They have four children: Katie (Curt) Morgan, Emily, Sarah and Patrick.