Category Archives: After Dental School

Knowing when to ask for help and refer

Fresh out of dental school — I can do anything! Quadrant dentistry — I got this! A molar root canal — no sweat! Crown and bridge — I can do this with my eyes closed! But that third molar distally impacted tooth #17 — ummmm…they didn’t cover that well in my oral surgery class. With student debt, bills… Read More »

To be or not to be…a dental practice owner

Being a new dentist, you’ve had to overcome the proverbial odds! You have had to work harder than most. Often being the first to show up and the last to leave, a dentist will sacrifice time with buddies and friends so that we can cram in one more anatomy lecture review, wax up one more canine, or even… Read More »

When thinking of what to be thankful for, dig a little deeper

There are times when expressing gratitude flows out of me like a waterfall, and other times when I feel squeezed out of the ability to be grateful like a dried-up sponge. Unfortunately, the ability to be grateful can be conditional, and 2020 has pushed us all to our limits. Growing up as a Christian we are taught to… Read More »

I am thankful for my ‘summer break’

From sports and research jobs during my undergraduate studies, externships during dental school and residency, and the joys of being a solo private practice owner, it’s been a while since I’ve had anything remotely close to a summer break, but it doesn’t stop me from asking most of my patients: “What are you doing this summer?” in the… Read More »

Never enough time: Six ways to improve management, organization

The month of September brought together a few of my passions to a head. We celebrated the first birthday of the New Dentist Business Study Club, I started a part-time leadership and academic program in neurodevelopmental disabilities at the University of Washington, and I began a treasured mentor-mentee relationship with my owner doc at my three-day a week… Read More »

From Google University to Facebook Dental School: Are we too dependent on instant internet knowledge?

When I was preparing to start my practice in 2008, Facebook was just in its toddler stage. I started with a basic profile and I shared some family photos. I searched for, and found some long-lost friends from childhood. To me, Facebook was merely a channel to share my personal life with a small trusted circle of friends; a place to… Read More »