Lead With Values – My Journey Through Dentistry and Diabetes

As a child, I was one of the most financially challenged students. Raised by a strong single mother struggling to figure out her own life while raising a young child and lacking a support system, the odds were stacked against me. My father was nowhere to be found, so she did the best she could with a very determined, overweight, hyperactive child. Riding the city bus and eating government cheese with my mother, my current path was bleak. I knew I had to fight to crawl my way out of the lowest socio-economic stronghold but I found myself in trouble instead. I searched for my own values, though when I found myself out of the house, expelled from high school at 17, I knew college would not be in my cards until I made some fundamental changes to my value system. Looking back now at the situation I was in, it was clear, I needed to blaze a new path to be able to present the very different woman before you today. I DECIDED TO SHOW UP and ship out.

Ship out I did, right to basic training. Facing high school expulsion, I looked to the military to instill the core values that serve me today both professionally and personally. I needed to push myself to be better.

It was two years later that I discovered my true passion – dentistry; it has been rewarding and carried me since the youthful age of 19 in various roles.

I chose the harder path, embarking on the road to obtain a college degree, the first step in changing the trajectory of my life. The military paid for my college tuition for both of my undergraduate degrees, one being Dental Hygiene. I exited the military after six glorious years and earned the Army Achievement Medal (AAM).

By this time, I was a dental hygienist and secured a position in a very busy Community Health Center where I rose to leadership as their Clinical Coordinator. I started using my own values to create systems and processes for the Dental Department, all while gaining experience in Operations. I came up through the public welfare and health system as a child, so when the opportunity arose to give back to the community, I welcomed the chance. One of the best opportunities that fit right into my values of selfless service was joining The National Health Service Corp, where I was a member for three years. In turn, some of my student loan debt was waived for working in an underserved area.

After I had my first son, I left the Center and reduced my hours. I started temping as a hygienist and finding my way. I thought I knew that direct patient care was not where I was going to end up. Again, it was time to push myself. I began working towards obtaining my Master of Public Health degree right after graduating from dental hygiene in 2004, but when my mom fell ill with cancer, I had to delay my education to focus on her health. A few years later, upon completing my Master’s degree, I obtained employment with my alma mater, the University of New Haven, as a member of their Junior clinic faculty. It was not my favorite job in dentistry, but as an infinite learner, I appreciated the opportunity.

During all of this, I got married and grew my family. Now with 3 children to raise, I decided to support my husband in following his dream, and we opened a business in 2010. This was one of the best experiences because I really got a good understanding of running a business. It also had nothing to do with Dental! We owned an auto repair, towing, and autobody shop and sold used cars. I loved selling cars! It was during this time I discovered large groups and started adding fleet contracts to our business. We were doing a quarter of a million in sales when I left. I took that knowledge and experience back to the dental field and now navigate a multimillion-dollar territory for my company.

While the business was successful, the marriage was not. When I left him, I had a house in foreclosure and no employment with three young children. I was devastated to leave it all behind, but it was time to push myself again because it truly was a distraction from what I was really meant to accomplish. After I woke up and divorced him, I went back to my true passion, dentistry! Armed with the knowledge of business management, the need to support my family, and the values I engrained in myself, I found my courage again.

I am still not sure who found who at Centrix!

This company has been one of the most rewarding and fulfilling positions I have ever held. I maxed out the compensation plan every year and won two annual awards during the four years I was employed. I was the top rep month over month, year over year, but I was getting bored. I had almost left coming up on two years ago, but the leadership recognized I could do more. I needed to be challenged, to push myself again.

Upon advocating for myself and my needs, my company gave me my own division, Special Markets or Multi-site division, in October 2021.

I was promoted to this leadership position and got a new boss. Ready to begin, right?

Alas, four days after that, I was diagnosed with diabetes, in addition to my high blood pressure. Given my dental hygiene background and the fact I was well over 330 pounds, I was devastated by the news and acted fast. It was me; I was the problem. I was extremely sick but had no idea how bad. The pandemic had delayed things. I had gained a lot of weight and was exhausted most of the time, but I thought it was because I was over 40! Last year was one of the hardest professionally and personally, though it was also one of the most pivotal years because of my transformation.

Discipline - one of my core values - kicked into high gear – the next day, I changed my entire diet. I almost passed out a few times the first week as I was adjusting to my new lifestyle. At the same time, my mother went into the hospital that same week for lung surgery due to her cancer. Luckily, I entered my new role slowly. As always, my company and friends supported me, and after I took some time to get her better, the work continued. I had to adjust to a new healthy way of living. With four young boys to feed at home, I started monitoring my glucose and cooking differently for myself to avoid exacerbating my disease. I also gave up alcohol, which was not as hard for me as the food, but I was committed 100% to my family, my career, and myself.

I armed myself with my Fitbit, a weight loss app, and sheer determination. I created small goals and celebrated every time the scale went down ten pounds.

The holidays were difficult, but I maintained my diet and exercise, and it was time to push again, I dropped 50 pounds by March and was taken off medication. It was so hard, I could not cheat on the diet, not even once, and it was not easy to maintain with a travel schedule. I packed my own snacks and drinks in my luggage to make sure I stayed focused. I was elated when I no longer needed seatbelt extenders on the airplane! My clothes were falling off, and I needed a wardrobe change multiple times throughout the year, which was not cheap, and then life decided that I was not being challenged enough come summer.

I had pulled the aforementioned property out of foreclosure after my first divorce and turned the house into a rental property. As I am traveling extensively and implementing the systems and processes for my new department, I am financially drowning and about to lose both my houses because my tenants threatened my financial position. I now had to add construction to my skill set and raise the value to 60k to sell in three months. Armed with a low budget and a 401k loan, I found the strength to learn how to lay flooring, cut trim, and put up drywall on my weekends. I was also so grateful to have lost most of the 100 pounds by then because I would have been extremely challenged flipping a house with no air conditioning in the summer at well over 300 pounds. After raising the value and selling the property in October, I found myself back in direct patient care, a couple of Saturdays a month, when I am not flying around the country for my new position, because of the extensive work needed to sell the property. Thank goodness for dental hygiene! While I have adjusted and changed the financial trajectory again for 2023, I am loving my new pediatric patients and am so glad to be back in scrubs!

Now, my entire world has opened up, I had no idea there was this side of dentistry. When I travel, I am immersed in professional and personal development, surrounded by leaders in dentistry. During the week, I tell the team constantly that I work for them, given one of my values is selfless service. I take loving care of myself now and enjoy my new clothes! It was challenging because first, I had been with my peers for a long time, and suddenly I stepped into a management role, and second, the organization did not have a Special Markets department! I am still amazed every day at how the department is evolving and what we all are building together.

Recently, a close friend asked if I was doing too much and mentioned my health. I truly appreciated the concern, but I am healthy now, I am high energy, I am woman, and I have so much more to give.

2023 brings new goals and dreams to make reality, and unfortunately, a new divorce attorney because I need to be happy. My career is amazing, I am connecting and learning from the most fabulous people in the industry. My diabetes is in remission, I fit into my military uniform again, and I have an entire army of women to support me, for which I cannot express enough gratitude. And when they need me, I am ready to fall in rank and be a soldier for them.

I am also so appreciative for the opportunity that Centrix gave me, and I have so much fun doing it! This past year has been one of transformation, growth, and zero boredom! As of now, I have lost over 100 pounds, and I am the sales leader for DSOs (Dental Support Organizations), GPOs, institutions, and my fave CHCs, in addition to helping the sales team learn the ins and outs of Special Markets. I will always lead with my core values as it serves as a foundation for my health, happiness, and servitude to others. It is the passion that fuels the fire within us to overcome any obstacle that gets in the way of our dreams and goals. It is an amazing time in dentistry right now, and I am happy to be healthy and enjoying it!

About the author:

Aimee has been a dental professional since 1999 and a US Army veteran. She received her undergraduate degree in Dental Hygiene in 2004, and a Master's degree in Healthcare Administration/Education in 2011. She has held various leadership positions in the dental industry and is the current Special Markets Manager for Centrix. Aimee serves as the sales leader for the Centrix Multi-site division, including National, Mid-market, Regional, and Local DSO’s group accounts, Institutions, CHC’s, and Purchasing Organizations. She is passionate about caries prevention and infinite learning, which includes presently studying to earn her Oral Systemic Educator certificate through the National Network of Healthcare Hygienists. She lives in Connecticut with her three sons and two dogs.