DeW Dish - Stephanie Botts

Stephanie Botts, BSDH, CEASIG

Owner/Founder of Polished Posture

IG: @steph.polishedposture, FB: stephanie.botts.rdh

What is the BestPart of my Job?

Prioritizing our health and making decisions for the betterment of our health is so empowering! I love getting to remind clinicians of this and that they matter too. Teaching them little ways to take care of themselves in the op is why I do what I do!

How Do I Measure Success?

I measure success both objectively and subjectively. Objectively, I have goals, whether building more relationships, getting more speaking gigs, getting more clients, reaching a certain income level, or making sure my clients are happy. Those are all pretty easy to measure. Data doesn’t lie!

But I also measure success by how content and satisfied I am. Do I feel like I am headed in the right direction regarding helping and empowering my clients? My gut doesn’t lie either; this is a good way to know if I’m on the right track.

Who is the Most Influential Woman in my Life?

Most definitely, my mother. She taught me how to work hard, have integrity, and fight for what I want. I talk to her almost daily; she has been my biggest fan since starting my business. There’s nothing like having another woman have your back; only WE know what we struggle with and the roadblocks we face, so to have the support of someone who gets it is huge.

What Obstacles Have You Overcome in Your Career?

Since starting my business, there have been so many obstacles, it’s hard to count. But the biggest obstacle has been from my own head. The doubting, imposter syndrome, and insecurity plagued me in the beginning. But I pushed through all that, just remembering why I started, which was to help dental clinicians. We get in our own heads so much!

What Do You Do to Turn Around a Bad Day?

These can be tough! When I’m having one of those days, I have found moving my body helps! It helps me to destress, focus on something else, and of course, gives me those endorphins we need on those hard days. I also journal daily and am getting into the practice of daily meditation, which makes such a profound impact on my mindset. I can definitely tell the days when I haven’t meditated!

What Advice Do I Have For the New Person in My Office?

If I have a new hygienist come into my practice, I would first say forget perfection! It has been drilled (pun intended) into us to remove every last piece of plaque, stain, and calculus, but this just isn’t possible, nor is it the end all be all for oral health. We know so much more about periodontal disease now, and it isn’t just about getting everything perfectly clean. Simply doing the best we can and doing what’s right should be all we are striving for.

What is First on My Dental Bucket List

Right now, my most immediate goal is to speak at all five of the big dental shows, I’ve done a few, but not all!

Eventually, I would love to see a standardized ergonomic practicum that students must pass in school. Starting with ergonomics early is so important; I think we need to prioritize this more in schools. I know some schools really focus on this, which is great, but I would like to see it nationwide.