Dental Entrepreneur Woman - Winter 2018 by Dental Entrepreneur Media

WINTER 2018

Roaring Into Your Future! Katherine Eitel Belt

Growing Your Business in the Information Age: A Millennial’s Perspective Minal Sampat

You Are Enough! Jasmin Haley

PLUS:

The Greatest Gift I Never Received Sharing Practice Operations With Your Spouse Or Partner

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Dental Entrepreneur Woman

WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU. For over 100 years, Patterson Dental has built relationships with practices of all kinds, listening to needs and delivering industry-leading solutions. From office design to dental supplies, we offer the help you need to create the ideal practice environment. And a de-stressed office means you’re free to provide the best possible care to every patient.

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Your Guide to Practice Success

PINK POSSIBILITIES

Photo courtesy of Frank J. Milnar, DDS, AAACD

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Visit www.shofu.com | Call 800.827.4638

Winter 2018 Editor and Publisher Anne M. Duffy, RDH

Social Media Rita Zamora Connections

Assistant Editor Michael Duffy

Charter Sponsors A-dec Crest Mary Fisher-Day Inspired Hygiene Patterson D5 Patterson Fuse Shofu

Managing Director Patti D’Agata Creative Consultant Beth Linesch Design and Layout Brian Rummel Production [CURAtive] James B. Kennedy Reilly Williams Winter Contributors Katherine Eitel Belt Jasmin Haley Brenda McNulty Virginia Moore Tammara Plankers Minal Sampat Claire Schmitt Lisa Spradley Cover Photography: Suzette Hibble She Photography Web Design Jameson Management

Advisors to the Board Katherine Eitel-Belt Linda Miles Board Lois Banta Kristine A Berry Shannon Pace Brinker Dr. Tanya Brown Bonnie Hixson Janice Hurley Suzanne Kump Tonya Lanthier Dr. Carmen Leary Anastasia Turchetta Rice Rachel Wall Rita Zamora Junior Board Jennifer Chevalier Dr. Neha Garge Dr. Erinne Kennedy Rachel Mele Dr. Amisha Singh

Editorial Office 12233 Pine Valley Club Dr Charlotte, NC 28277 704-953-0261 Fax 704-847-3315 anneduffyde@gmail.com

Send materials to: DeW Life Magazine 8334 Pineville Matthews Rd Ste. 103-201 Charlotte, NC 28226

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

Writing an editorial is always something that I drag out until something hits me. Then all of a sudden, the words flow. It hit me … the Golden Globes was the tipping point. The amount of angst that is still present when it comes to feelings of being women in a “man’s world” is ever-present. In many ways, we are still treated like second-class citizens. Can you believe this is 2018? We must do better. Ladies, we have to believe that we can be anything, do anything. What we dream to be, we can achieve. Collaborating and championing each other is going to give us a powerful edge. Women love connecting women, and we are DeWing that here at DeW Life. Yes, #timesup #thisisourtime! This fuels me to continue inspiring all of you, women in dentistry. Yes, some days I am fearful. Some days I am frustrated. Most days, I’m fired-up beyond measure to fill a pipeline of strong feminine leaders in the world of dentistry. I thank you for encouraging me and joining us in this movement. This issue represents a sense of empowerment. Our cover DeW, Katherine Eitel-Belt, starts us off with an insightful read on the Lioness Principal. It’s interesting to think about how strong the lioness is, and how women in this industry are often the best leaders. Roar if you must after reading her fine words. The great Jasmin Haley was kind enough to tell her story of self-discovery as she faced a tough decision in her professional career. Through Beyond the Prophy and MOMgienist, she is walking her walk as she builds a community of DeWs supporting each other. She is brave and determined. Impressive and relatable! Remember to balance your psyche and learn about the analytical mind vs. the emotional mind, thanks to Sarah Clarke. I wonder how much you fall on either side of the fence in your own head. Her article will truly give you insight on how to determine that ratio and how to make them both work in harmony. Honored are we to have Lisa Spradley share her heartache and heartfelt story with us. You’ll have to dive in this issue to read about her journey meeting two life-changing people so early in her career that still affect her to this day. In addition, we sprinkled in content on success, giving back and eating well. All of these thoughtful pieces inspired me. I hope you’ll read us cover-tocover, and when you have some time to take a breath, treat yourself to Claire Schmitt’s delicious recipe. Believe me, it’s yummy I would like to leave you with something I learned last week at a retreat I attended. The message was simple: Be kind, don’t be a jerk. Honor people in their absence. Don’t gossip behind their back. Give people the benefit of the doubt. No judging! Live well and keep DeWing YOU!

Anne M. Duffy

WINTER 2018

Contents 6

Roaring into your future!

Growing Your Business in the Information Age: A Millennial’s Perspective

You Are Enough!

The Greatest Gift I Never Received

Look Behind the Dollars

SHARING PRACTICE OPERATIONS WITH YOUR SPOUSE OR PARTNER

Katherine Eitel belt

Lisa Spradley

Volunteering changed me Brenda McNulty

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Minal Sampat

Virginia Moore

Top Three Ways to Create a Happy and Healthy Gut… and a Happy and Healthy You!

jasmin Haley

Tammara Plankers

DeW-ers

Who, Wear, When

DeW Dish

Health & Wellness

Success

Living Your Strengths

Balance for Life

Claire Schmitt

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

DEW-ERS

ROARING INTO YOUR FUTURE! By Katherine Eitel Belt www.LionSpeak.net

n the animal kingdom, the female lion, or lioness, is the equivalent of the female professional in the workplace. She deftly manages a multitude of important jobs such as creating a safe and functional home, nurturing her young and guiding them to independence, contributing to her community on which she depends, all while preparing for and executing hunting expeditions with others in her pack to keep food on the table. Her tribe is made up of males and females who all have a role to play in making the eco-system work. And while the males patrol the parameters of their territory and take the job of pack safety very seriously, it’s the female collective that hunts first and eats last. She and her sisterhood of lionesses don’t always see eye-to-eye, but they know instinctively that without one another they will not survive. They support each other’s growth, care for each other’s young, and work together collaboratively to make sure the Pride thrives.

The lioness knows when to stop and listen, when to pause and take stock, when to correct or caress, when to purr and when to roar. She’s patient beyond belief with her boisterous cubs but has no trouble letting them know when she’s had enough. She’s adventurous, yet careful; playful, yet always on guard. She is guided by an ancient wisdom hardwired into her DNA from those who’ve come before, and she values a deep intuition that never steers her wrong. And, still she makes mistakes; errors in judgment from which, if she survives, she learns and grows and adds to the bank of all knowledge for her current and future tribe. And, every now and then, she needs a nap.

our country on behalf of, and because of, women. With a dramatic rise in group practice and consolidation as well as the gender majority shifting from male to female dentists, the landscape is changing and providing new opportunities like never before. 60% of dentists under the age of 44 are female and, according to The Dental Geek, the majority of all dentists will be women by 2020. It is shocking to me that as a dental and healthcare communications coach, I still meet women in our field regularly who feel at a dead end in their careers… like they’ve maxed out and hit the ceiling of what they can earn and achieve. At our leadership workshops, many tell me how they go to work every day but show up feeling deeply unfulfilled, under-paid, and uninspired. I absolutely scratch my head in disbelief.

Sound familiar? Welcome to the jungle, lionesses. This is our time. Dentistry is our place.

Dental companies, small to large group practices, specialists, manufacturers, distributors, training companies, researchers, and educational programs are hungry for dental professionals who can demonstrate not only dental knowledge and experience but also some or all of these attributes: emotional intelligence, personal leadership, management and teambuilding skills, technological expertise, teaching and public speaking skills, a deep passion for our profession, and a desire for growth and excellence. Companies have told me personally that they will pay dearly for emotionally mature, accountable, creative, and motivated individuals with a positive future outlook who want to be a part of something special. So why the disparity?

There has never been a better time to be in our profession of dentistry. And, there has never been a better time to be a professional woman in this field. A seismic shift is happening right beneath our feet in our industry and in

Here’s the good news: We can have it any way we want. It’s perfectly fine to be happy right where you are and not wish to advance into anything other than what you are currently doing. If you love your job and everything

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

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it provides for you, focus on learning all you can to keep pace with the advances in dentistry, changing patient expectations, and ways to deliver your care with greater impact and results.

this skill. And while it looks like she is teaching them these steps, she actually isn’t. Cubs are already born with the instinct to hunt so there’s nothing to teach. Just like a housecat, if a butterfly flies by, they don’t have to run to their momma and review any steps to know what to do But, if you’re not elated with your current position, job with it. They know and they act. satisfaction, and / or compensation … do something about it! Make an airtight case for a promotion, take on a new So, what is she doing? The truth is she knows that the challenge within your current position, go back to school, cubs have this raw skill, but she also knows that they don’t or look for a new job. Whatever you do, don’t stay where yet recognize it nor do they have an inkling of the power to you are and blame someone else. which this skill gives them access. So, her job is to create an environment and series of events that tease out what At LionSpeak, we’ve dubbed those who understand and they already know, show it to them and convince them of utilize something we call The Lioness Principle, our its value, and then help them master and refine the skill to Lioness Leaders. Based on the story of how a lioness access all of their power. This is The Lioness Principle. teaches her cubs to hunt, The Lioness Principle applies to personal leadership and our ability to inspire and move Simply put, The Lioness Principle asserts and assumes ourselves and others to greatness. It’s an essential skill that all great leaders do two things: Expect and recognize if you want to leverage the current opportunities in the greatness within themselves and others as well as the marketplace today, and it guides everything we do here at value of creating an environment where that greatness LionSpeak, internally and externally with our clients. can be known and realized. Here’s how it works: A lioness knows she must move her newborn cubs to independence by teaching them the skill to hunt in a relatively short amount of time and within the hostile and unforgiving environment of the African Savannah. Scientists have discovered that she predictably takes her cubs through seven stages of learning to master

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If you want to create the work and life of which you dream, you can. And to do it, like the lioness, you must recognize and access your own greatness first. You must stop making excuses, living in the past, letting fear make your decisions, and blaming others. You must step into your greatness and learn how to bring out the same in others.

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

dew-ers That skill alone will skyrocket your career and your life. You don’t have to know yet how to manage others effectively to become a manager. You will have to be focused, positive, accountable and determined to learn. When you get out of your own way and put your attention on what you want, the path to get there unfolds. I just heard a statistic that if ten or more people are in a group or conversation, everything you want to connect with is either in that room or they know someone who can help. There are more financial options, career opportunities, creative ideas, and resources than you could ever imagine but you’ll never rendezvous with any of them if you’re stuck in low level energy activity such as complaining, negativity, blame, shame, gossip, excuses and fear. It’s just not where they reside. I had the opportunity recently to hear a keynote by Kevin O’Leary at an event where I was speaking in Banff, Alberta. The Shark Tank judge said that while he would “give money to a goat if he made him a profit,” he prefers to invest in women-owned companies because, not some, but all of his returns came from companies run or managed by women. He explained that he had a two-part theory about why: 1) Women are better at timemanagement and 2) women set more attainable goals. It makes sense. Women have evolved over time as the primary caregivers for their families at the same time they have taken to the workforce. If they did not know how to spin multiple plates, juggle priorities, and grow another set of eyes in the back of their heads, they would have never pulled it off. We are amazing, magical human beings with talents and gifts that are staggering in terms of their potential. The days of limiting our dreams and lowering expectations of what we can do, how we can contribute, and what we deserve to enjoy are over. Womenowned and female-led companies are everywhere in our industry. Large practices are looking for trainers, managers, and team leaders who want to take on new roles, learn new skills, and contribute in a bigger way. Dental companies are seeking people who know how to innovate and create new systems, products, and services. Educational platforms are looking for new delivery systems for their information. And all of them want what women intuitively know how to do - deliver their work in a way that cares for the human beings attached to it. It’s the very special and unique skill we bring. Kevin O’Leary recognizes and believes it. Why don’t you? You have everything you need already inside you to contribute in a much bigger way to our industry and to the world… and it’s just screaming to see that light of day. Eliminating the limiting beliefs that hold you captive,

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

rewrite the story, and share the strength, beauty, and greatness lying dormant inside you. Here’s the even better news: When you step into your greatness and learn to work and live from that platform on a regular basis, it becomes your new norm. When it becomes your norm, you naturally inspire others to reach for similar heights. Put your oxygen mask on first and watch how you can open the door and model for others what life looks like on the other side of fear. This is our time. Dentistry is our place. And you are our next Lioness Leader.

Katherine Eitel Belt is founder of LionSpeak, a communications coaching company known for their consistently extraordinary unscripted communication skills training in three areas: patient service (telephone skills and financial conversations), team culture (leadership, teamwork, crucial conversations), and presentation skills (adult learning/training and speakers training). If you would like a copy of the LionSpeak Vision Kit, send to info@LionSpeak.net . To register for the Leaders of the Pride Leadership Workshop, visit www.LionSpeak.net and use code WORKSHOP100 for $100 off when you register.

your

by A-dec

dec

WHEN YOUR EQUIPMENT WORKS TOGETHER EFFICIENTLY, SO DOES YOUR TEAM. WORKFLOW

ERGONOMICS

ENVIRONMENT

Purposeful. Intuitive. Efficient. With integrated equipment and task-based furniture design, your team can move intuitively and seamlessly between procedures.

Moveable. Adjustable. Comfortable. When everything is easy to position and within reach, you can minimize the toll on your body, and maximize your time out of the office.

Inviting. Modern. Calm. An aesthetically pleasing office that reflects your level of professionalism and care instills confidence in patients, and keeps dental staff productive. That’s practice perfected.

Learn how the dental equipment you choose makes all the difference. Download your “What to Look For When Buying Dental Equipment” guide at a-dec.com/confidence. © 2018 A-dec Inc. | All rights reserved.

Dr. Delila Tuttle and team

Debbie Zafiropoulos, Kyle Zack, Deborah Carrier

WHO, WEAR, WHEN Dr. Sheri Doniger and Dr. Leslie Grant

Dr. Snjezana Pohl

Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Uche Odiatu, Judy Kay Mausolf, and Shelley Renee

Anne Duffy, Cris Duval & Amber Young

Dr. Tara Volgel and Kelly Wood

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

Jamie Marboe, Emme Sanders, Rachel Wall, Kim Miller and Courtney Walwak at Folly Beach Team Retreat

Dr. Roy Shelburne and Laura Hatch

DHS Fashion Show in Dallas, TX with hygiene student models

Lori Tulkolf and Carol Caspe

Valerie Marion and posse

Sue Kump and Kristin Sammarco

ADMC regional meeting

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Dental Entrepreneur Woman

DEW-ERS

GROWING YOUR BUSINESS IN THE INFORMATION AGE: A MILLENNIAL’S PERSPECTIVE A

s a millennial and female business owner, people often ask how I got to where I am today. Like you, my journey is filled with good and bad experiences, fortunate timing, influential people, and most importantly, a drive to do more. There are of course many other factors that make my journey unique, and I’m happy to share them.

My parents are from India, but moved to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands when I was in middle school. As immigrants in their 40s, they didn’t have the option to choose careers, but rather had to find work in existing and well-established markets. I, on the other hand, found myself in college having a career-choice dilemma. While shadowing a dental practice as a part of my studies, I got a good look at dentistry and the ins and outs of running a business. I had interest in both, and was unsure what to do about it. Did I want to apply to dental school after graduation or did I want to explore my flair for business? The decision was further complicated by having grown up in the Information Age. With so much knowledge available at my fingertips, I was overwhelmed by all the possibilities and felt conflicted. Over a decade later, I’ve achieved a happy balance between my two passions and claimed my own space in the dental world. Various experiences over the years have proven to me that every person has unique talents and interests that, when combined with the right tools, can uncover a niche market or a rewarding career path. Let me share some of those tools that helped me along the way.

1. Get Gritty I was fortunate enough, through a bit of persistence, to

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

By Minal Sampat

land a position at the dental practice I shadowed after graduation. Since they didn’t have any open positions, I was given a simple directive: Try everything (except clinical procedures, of course). And I did. After some time, I began to narrow my focus on marketing, pursuing an interest and strength in communications that had stayed with me since college. Traditional educational opportunities such as conferences and workshops were inspiring and helpful, but I also used digital learning tools such as podcasts, webinars and the always reliable Internet search. There was so much to learn about marketing – dental marketing in particular. Over time, and after gaining confidence in the knowledge and skills developed, I started to build and apply actual marketing strategies to the practice. If you’re passionate about something, or you are aware of a personal strength, “grit” often comes naturally. Apply that strength to your goals and watch them grow. Conserve energy by delegating tasks outside of your strength to others who may have that talent. Learning is always important, but trying to do everything often leads to accomplishing nothing. That is why you need a team, which brings us right to my second point:

2. Have #SquadGoals While I became knowledgeable and passionate about marketing with my grit-fueled studies, it became obvious that a person can only get so far as a one-woman show. I needed a team. My front-facing colleagues were the ones interacting with our customers every day, and while I could design great marketing campaigns and materials, there was no way

dew-ers community connections to thank for the success. If you are looking for a way to boost visibility in a tech-inundated world, think about how you can touch the more “human” side of your audience; everyone wants a chance to do something good for the world and be a part of something bigger than themselves.

4. Think “Throwback”

to get the word out without them. It was also important to get them engaged and excited about marketing, rather than seeing it as “more work.” Memos and meetings sounded dull, so I tried something old, but in a new way: creating a team culture. Through challenges, games and interdepartmental competitions, we managed to incentivize marketing “work” while also making our work environment fun. People were happy to go the extra mile, using their unique talents, because it was fun to do so when there were prizes and recognition to be earned. Look at the people around you, the people on your “squad.” How well do you know them? Do they have talents or interests that could help you achieve your goals? Are they excited and motivated to do their best, and if not, what can you do as their leader to change that? Talk to your team, ask what their goals are and see if there are any shared ones you can all work on to be the best you can be, together. And of course, remember to appreciate your team and give them the time to do the work once you’ve decided what to work on.

3. Give Back By 2013, it was time for me to take what I had learned and go for my big dream: owning my own business. I launched my marketing consultancy company in June, but couldn’t settle for starting quietly. I wanted to begin with a bang, but how? I spoke with my colleagues, asking what we felt the community around us needed. What could I do to not only get my new brand out, but also demonstrate that we were here to help? We talked about how October was both Dental Hygiene Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the idea began to form: we could break the Guinness World Record for most people swishing mouthwash, and donate all the proceeds to charity for research. It was a win-win. We broke the world record during half-time at a local high school’s football game, attracting 1,530 participants to the event called Swish Away Breast Cancer, all in pink! I had my team, and their ideas, talents, marketing strategies and

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As technology evolves ever-faster, the important thing to remember is that age-old business and marketing advice stays the same; it is only the platform that changes. Advertisements move from newspapers to phone screens. Articles become blog posts. Paper holiday cards become eco-friendly email cards. You still need to know your audience. You still need to have a clear message that they can relate to themselves. The more things change, the more they stay the same. As a millennial, I’ve seen the discussions about how we’re tough to understand. I argue that it’s not that difficult. Sure, us children of the Information Age are used to having everything just a click away, so we gravitate towards convenience. But we also gravitate towards good customer service and opportunities to conscientiously shop, putting our money somewhere meaningful. Millennials want to see, and be a part of, the good things in the world. They want to be included in something bigger and feel like a part of a team. My passion for creating great teams and marketing has led me places I never thought I’d be, from owning my own marketing business to becoming a national speaker on the topic. It’s driven me to create exclusive virtual trainings and hands-on marketing workshops for businesses interested in harnessing their team members’ talents to expand their marketing. Team members get all the new, up-to-date information needed to build a marketing plan with years of experience, innovative tools and strategies they can apply right away! It’s an exciting new venture that encapsulates the things I’ve learned: with grit, a good team, a desire to give back and an understanding of technology’s role in the business world, it is always possible to move forward and achieve great things, and I’m excited to share it with you. About the author: Minal Sampat, RDH, BA Minal Sampat, RDH, BA is a dental hygienist, entrepreneur, national speaker, Guinness world record holder, enthusiastic shoe lover and a world traveler. She has been featured on numerous press platforms, including the Huffington Post. To get to know Minal, visit www. marketinggmm.com, call/text at (732) 501-0955, send an email to minal@marketinggmm.com, become Facebook friends with her and/or be a guest on her show, Marketing + Mocktails with Minal!

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

DEW DISH

DeW DISH

ERINNE KENNEDY What is your Activity?

favorite

Indoor/Outdoor

I love running/hiking in the summer, and snowboarding in the winter.

What famous person living or dead would you like to have lunch with and what would you ask them? Jessie James Decker – and I would ask her to style me: hair, makeup – the works!

They are playing your theme song as you walk on stage. Name that tune! “Just Around the Riverbend” - Judy Kuhn from Pocahontas – I love the lyrics!

What is your dream vacation? I have a burning desire to travel the world, but top on my list is St. Petersburg, Russia!

What is first on your dental bucket list? Spear! I would love to spend a week with the masters!

Who has been the most influential woman What does balance look like? in your life? My mother. She taught me to persevere when everyone else was giving up, strive for my absolute best, and know that “presentation is everything.”

That is a million dollar question that all women want to know the answer to! Balance for me is no email after 7 pm, exercise 1 hour every day, take time to read/meditate, and spend time with family/friends.

What obstacles have you overcome in your What movie always makes you laugh? career?

Failure to Launch, How to lose a Guy in 10 days, Fool’s Gold Survived an entire year in residency without a dental – the classics J assistant!

What do you do to turn around a bad day? First thing I do is pray, and then call my dad. He has a way of turning any obstacle into a solution.

What “DeW” leaders do? They inspire and encourage. The most amazing mentors that I have had have inspired me to dream beyond my capabilities and then encouraged me every step of the way.

What is the best gift you ever received?

My pampaw gave me a hand crafted doll house at the age of 9- I still have every piece to this day!

How do you take your coffee? Daily: Decaf hazelnut and coconut cream!

What is the best gift you ever gave? My mom loves unicorns, my sister and I gave her a hand painted porcelain on for Christmas one year!

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TANYA LANTHIER What obstacles have you overcome in your life? Growing up my grandparents were wonderful role models and always there for me. My mother suffered from debilitating OCD. She was emotionally unhealthy. I used to make excuses for her and hide the fact that she used paper towels on things that in her head, she believed were contaminated. Because she suffered from this, so did my sister and me. This gave me a gift to understand everyone’s why. Why are people the way they are? Plus, I was always a clean child which led me to becoming a dental hygienist!

What do you do to turn around a bad day? I believe you can change your state and I do not allow things to get to me. I move forward to the next thing with a great attitude.

What is your guilty pleasure? Good gourmet ice cream

What advice do you have for the new person in your office?

What is the best part of your job? The best part of my job as a dental hygienist is helping someone see their health in a different way and explaining to them why they should have better habits. Working as a CEO, I love to help others see their value(gift) to reach their highest potential.

Who has been the most influential woman in your life? Both my grandmothers were strong women. Agnes and Hazel. They taught me that everyone puts their pants on the same way.

What “DeW” leaders do? Inspire other women to understand their gift, develop it and give it away

What is your favorite Indoor/Outdoor Activity? Ultimate Frisbee

What famous person living or dead would you like to have lunch with and what would you ask them?

How do you measure your success?

I would ask Mick Jagger if I could clean his teeth!

I want people to remember me this way: She was a woman of purpose and impact for others through her actions and choices. She believed in creating tools and opportunities to create an ecosystem that helps other improve lives. She believed that to teach is to love. She also raised children who felt loved. I strive to live like this going forward.

They are playing your theme song as you walk on stage. Name that tune!

What obstacles have you overcome in your career? Learning to identify toxic people who are difficult and dealing with these people in a healthy way, not allowing them to manipulate you.

My favorite saying is that, “It is not the strongest of species that survive nor the most intelligent, but the one responsive to change”.

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

Imagine Dragons: Whatever It Takes

What is your dream vacation? Renting a boat and sailing the British Virgin Islands for a month during my birthday month of February

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JANICE HURLEY What obstacles have you overcome in your career? Oh yes…lots of those….Overcoming NOT being a good speaker at first…making mistakes as a consultant …..burning the candle at both ends.

What do you do to turn around a bad day? I call my mom – I know it makes her happy when I do so….I am a sucker for a good foreign film and a bucket of buttered popcorn

What is your guilty pleasure?......sharing a great wine with friends

What is your favorite Indoor/Outdoor Activity? I enjoy the sport of Crossfit very much and I love photography athletes and my friends and family I love capturing them at their best so they will have that vision of themselves at their very best which is how I see them

They are playing your theme song as you walk on stage. Name that tune!

What is the best part of your job?

Sugarland – Settlin'

When there is true transformation for my client in that they can see what they were doing or saying to work against their goals……and a standing ovation or two.

What does balance look like? When I have scheduled enough time with my children siblings and my mom – when I “show up” for them.

Who has been the most influential woman in your life? What is the best gift you ever received? My mom, she was born during the depression she taught us to value and take care of things we owned to give back to others and to honor our creator. She also did a great job of physically taking good care of herself and always getting dressed with full makeup and hair each day without fail

How do you measure your success? Certainly in terms of how happy I am with what I have. On my birthday in May I always sit and assess how I am doing with all the important relationships in my life – always striving to do better. I work really hard – on loving what is……on giving myself permission to “be enough” just as I am.

Photos and letters from my grown children telling me what they appreciate about me…and what they remember about our times together growing up…..framed.

How do you take your coffee? Strong and black with a tablespoon of coconut oil

What is the best gift you ever gave? I have a pension for sponsoring ortho as needed for young girls who wouldn’t be able to do it otherwise. Most are strangers.

What is your motto? “You got this”

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Dental Entrepreneur Woman

HEALTH & WELLNESS

YOU ARE ENOUGH! By: Jasmin Haley, RDH, BSDH, CDA

ave you ever woken up one day and said, “Enough is enough?” I said it one too many times. My epiphany came to me in 2015. I made the decision to finally let my words match my actions. Prior to this pivotal decision, my professional life was in the pit of despair. The best word to describe my outlook at that time: MISERABLE. What put me in this position? I forgot who I was. I let a toxic environment and toxic associates infiltrate my psyche and nearly destroy my potential in fully unleashing my greatness. My personal life was extraordinary, because I was blessed with a loving husband and two brilliant little girls. With all that richness in my life, there was a journey I needed to go through to achieve personal and professional satisfaction. It was the journey of self-discovery. I needed to fall in love with myself, my pains, my joys and every inch of what makes me great. This article will briefly share three strategies that helped me to find personal and professional freedom and if you follow them you too can have career satisfaction.

Who are You? No, really! Who are you? What makes you, YOU? What are your hopes, dreams and desires? What are you dislikes and fears? What makes you happy? Before you can achieve career satisfaction, you have to know who you are. The first book I read to discover who I was is the Motivation Manifesto by Brendon Burchard. I found an accountability partner in that same year, and we both read it together. This book came with a free 10-week course that helped me dig deep in understanding who I was and why my fears held me back from becoming the best version of myself. It was in that beginning of my self-discovery that the dark layers began peeling back and I started tackling my goals with ferociousness. I also set the plan in motion to remove myself from a toxic environment and remove toxic associates from my life for good! Within five months of beginning this journey, Beyond the Prophy LLC was born!

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

health & wellness

Become Your Biggest Fan “Opinions are the cheapest commodity.” – Dale Carnegie Opinions are plentiful and may not be offered with the best intentions. You must be your biggest fan! When you are making enough noise, there will be critics. Often those critics may be ones you trust such as your friends, co-workers or even family. They may not understand your vision. Once you know who you are and understand your purpose in life, nothing can deter you from your goals. When challenges arise, you will not quit. You will continue to push forward because YOU believe in your potential and your purpose. My success with Beyond the Prophy® and MOMgienists® is not determined or validated by the number of likes I receive. When the message moves my soul and when I hear of colleagues who have shed tears or have been touched by my message, it’s confirmation that I am on the right path. I have a message to share, and its biggest fan is me!

If You are Not Given the Opportunity, Create It! I once wrote to an ADHA leader and told her I felt like a brown city girl living her dream. Who in their right mind would give me a chance? Readers, guess what? No one was knocking down my door. One year, I had one speaking gig. Just ONE! I gave my all to that one speaking gig! The opportunities will never come and sit directly on your lap. You have to create them! I started my blog in 2016 and started providing content of value with my Think Beyond the Prophy Blog and articles. Within a few months, I was published in a peer-reviewed journal. I then began writing articles for an e-newsletter because I took the initiative to contact the editor. I began the MOMgienists Podcast and started leveraging my network to provide valuable content. I gave myself permission to be vulnerable and the seeds planted gained root.

long, and it was the loss of my dear mother that gave me my newfound perspective in my life. Keep DEWing it and never give up! You are enough!

About the Author: Jasmin is the Founder of Beyond the Prophy® and Co-founder of MOMgienist®. She is the executive producer/co-creator of the MOMgienists Podcast and the executive producer/creator of the Beyond the Prophy Podcast She has over 15 years experience as a dental hygienist, educator, and dental assistant. Jasmin helps the hygiene community to Think Beyond the Prophy by inspiring and empowering professionals to give the best patient-centered care, reach their greatest potential and explore career options that promote excellence. Her continuing education courses are making a difference in the dental industry. She is a leader in education, connector of peer set movers and shakers, and educator that empowers and inspires. She can be reached at info@beyondtheprophy.com.

If you would have asked me five years ago when I became an educator that I would be traveling across our country sharing my message, speaking at national events like the ADHA Annual conference or RDH UOR, becoming an educational consultant for an interprofessional HIV program, a host of two podcasts, and host of empowering CE events, I would have told you to shut the front door! Readers, you too may be in the same place I was a few years ago. Don’t delay in making a change. I waited too

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Dental Entrepreneur Woman

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE GREATEST GIFT I NEVER RECEIVED By Lisa Spradley

am blessed. Let me repeat that, I am a blessed woman. I am married to the man that I love and have loved for over 30 years, and together we have two beautiful daughters. They are smart, funny and compassionate. Every day, I thank God for giving us earthly custody of these two wonderful women – even if only for a little while. Life is a gift. A temporary journey that we share with those who matter most. Sometimes that journey ends much too soon. This happened to us when we lost our youngest daughter in an auto accident on Feb. 8, 2014. It is a loss like none other, and like any parent who has lost a child, I can tell you that you don’t ever “get over it.” You do, however, learn how to appreciate every moment you had with your child and, in time, understand that each day with them was priceless. And then you find ways to celebrate that life and give back to others in need. Friends help. I am grateful for all of mine. They cried with me when I was upset, laughed with me as I shared stories from the past and let me lean on them when I needed an anchor. Their love and support was an integral part of my healing process. Their loyalty and strong faith allowed me to rebuild my own. I am a better person because of these wonderful friends, and it is because of them that I can tell you about the greatest gift I never received. I met Cindy and Paula at the very first dental clinic I worked in. A small periodontal practice, Dr. Lowery Faler had an awesome team of dedicated assistants. Cindy and Paula are part of the reason I’m still in dentistry. They took me under their wings and taught this “Recall Girl” all about dentistry. We worked together for almost seven years. We became the best of friends, and that friendship lasted even after we no longer worked together. When Dr. Faler sold the practice, Cindy and I left to work with his daughter, who was opening an orthodontic practice. Paula stayed with the new owner for a few years before moving to another clinic. We would get together regularly

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for lunches, birthdays and holidays. Our friendship stayed strong. Throughout our friendship, Paula constantly battled with kidney disease. She seldom spoke of her condition, and if we asked her about it, she would change the subject and instead ask how we were doing. Paula almost always wore a smile as she came into the office. She never complained or felt sorry for herself, even though many of us might have in her situation. She gave encouragement to all of us and inspired us to stay positive. Paula is the best example of a true friend. A friend who is always giving of herself and never asking for anything in return.

health & wellness

"There are no words to describe how humbling the thought of giving a part of yourself to help someone else is. I am able to give the gift of life to someone who means the world to me." Some things never change. In the fall of 2016, Paula learned that her kidneys were no longer responding to treatment. After a very long battle, her kidney function was dangerously low. Paula would need to start dialysis, and she was being put on the kidney transplant list. Cindy and I discovered this while out on a lunch date with her, and only after we asked. We both immediately agreed to be tested to determine if either of us were a match for donation. We prayed for a miracle, and it came right before Christmas. Cindy and I were both a match! We decided to tell Paula at our Christmas get together. We purchased an ornament and had it monogrammed, “Need a Kidney? We got TWO!” What a wonderful moment that was when she realized what we were telling her. We all cried. It was agreed that I would go for the necessary additional testing first. After many scans, x-rays and blood tests (I forgot how much … I hate needles!), it was determined that I am physically and mentally healthy enough to proceed as a donor. There are no words to describe how humbling the thought of giving a part of yourself to help someone else is. I am able to give the gift of life to someone who means the world to me. Someone who was with me during the worst time of my life. I can think of no greater way to say thank you than giving back of myself. It would be the greatest gift I never received. Our first pre-surgery appointment ended in disappointment. It was one week before surgery, and we found out that Paula needed another month to allow her body time to be off of all of her medication. An infection delayed us again one month later. We were down, but not out. We knew that this was going to happen. In the

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meantime, she courageously continued with dialysis, and I stayed focused on staying well to get my friend healthy! The weekend before the transplant surgery, I had a speaking engagement in Montana. I was to speak on Thursday, Aug. 24, and return home that Saturday. On Sunday, Paula and I, along with our family and friends, would make the almost two-hour drive to Ocshner’s in New Orleans. Surgery was scheduled for 7 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 28. We were to check in at 5 a.m. to the transplant surgical center. Everything was going great … until Hurricane Irma hit Texas. What’s Irma got to do with it? She should not have had anything to do with it, actually. However, due to a technical malfunction, my flight out of Montana was delayed two hours. I missed my connection in Dallas and couldn’t get another flight back to Gulfport, where I needed to meet my husband and pick up my car, until Sunday. Fortunately, I have family in Texas and stayed with them, thankfully free from spending the night in the airport. The next morning, I arrived at the airport early and waited to catch my flight home. Always prepared, I decided that I was either going to get back to Mississippi to meet my husband by plane or I’d rent a car and drive to Louisiana. I wasn’t going to allow anything to prevent us from having surgery. Thankfully, my flight out of Dallas arrived as scheduled. I was thrilled when we boarded the plane and ecstatic when the flight got underway. I arrived in Gulfport and met my husband and oldest daughter around 3 p.m. on Sunday. We jumped in the car and started the drive to New Orleans. It was finally happening! I don’t remember being afraid. I was ready to do my part to help my friend, and I was at

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health & wellness peace knowing that this was the right decision and that God, in His infinite wisdom, would take care of us. Paula and her family met us at the hotel in New Orleans. We laughed and hugged and prayed for each other. It was a very special evening. The next morning, as we walked down the long hallway to the surgery clinic, we kept our sense of humor joking that it was like we were Dorothy and her friends going to see the Wizard of Oz. Only instead of a heart, she wanted a kidney. I guess that makes me the Wizard! After we checked in, we gathered together to pray again. Soon it was time to go back and start prepping for surgery. Of course, they couldn’t find my vein! Three tries and two nurses later, I finally had an IV. My husband came back to sit with me then. The doctors came in and explained the surgical procedures that they would be performing. They repeatedly asked if I had any questions and if I was sure that this was what I wanted to do. I did not, and I was. I had many reasons for being a donor. The most important one being that my friend deserves a normal life. I also did it for my daughter. She wanted to be a donor but couldn’t because of the way she died. I had no doubt this was what I wanted to do. My only regret is that the medicine they gave me to relax worked so quickly that I never had a chance to kiss my husband goodbye before they wheeled me into surgery. It’s really cold in recovery! I woke up after surgery to find my husband standing over me telling me it was finished. He told me that after they put my kidney in Paula, it

immediately turned pink and started producing urine. “Of course it did,” I told him “My kidney is a worker bean.” And then I asked for more blankets. When Paula was eventually brought into recovery, she told me that when she asked for a blanket, they told her they were pretty sure I had them all! Anyone who knows me can attest this was probably true! Paula, Cindy and I have always been close friends, and now we’re family. A family brought together in a dental clinic. A healthy family that no longer requires dialysis. A family that is well on the way to recovery. I do not believe everything happens for a reason. I do believe that anything that happens can be turned into a reason to do something positive. The greatest gift I never received was the gift of life I gave to Paula after losing the life of someone very precious to me. I am not a hero. I am blessed.

About the author: Lisa Marie Spradley runs TCB Consulting as the Front Desk Lady. She enjoys speaking with “owners,” who want to start and build an exceptional business. As a coach, she finds it very rewarding to work with people and teams that want to develop the skills for meaningful conversations, the key to lasting success. In fact, she was named the 2014 Office Manager of the Year with the American Association of Dental Office Management. Lisa uses her 20 years of experience in the industry to help teams communicate clearly with their patients and deliver exceptional care. As a result of her work, she has spoken to dental study groups across America and has had the opportunity to work with some amazing dental teams. On a personal note, she enjoys all of the travel and the opportunity to experience life in many new places.

Prayer of St. Francis Lord make me an instrument of your peace

O divine master grant that I may

Where there is hatred let me sow love

not so much seek to be consoled as to console

Where there is injury, pardon

to be understood as to understand

Where there is doubt, faith

To be loved as to love

Where there is despair, hope

For it is in giving that we receive

Where there is darkness, light

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned

And where there is sadness, joy

And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life Amen.

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

MacPractice Simplicity in practice

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MacPractice Simplicity in practice

success STYLE

LOOK BEHIND THE DOLLARS By Virginia Moore, Moore Practice Success

hen your child’s sick, you take their temperature and get a number. When your car tire is running low on air, you check the number on the tire gauge. When you are working to lose or gain weight, you step on a scale and get a number. Where do you look when your practice isn’t performing as well as you’d like? The numbers! Most likely the first place you look is your bank account balance. Is there enough to cover the overhead? You may also look at production, treatment acceptance, unfilled hours in doctor and hygiene schedules, new patients — numbers, numbers, numbers. While we can take a measure of health through the number on a thermometer, your car’s tire effectiveness through a number on a tire gauge and how close you are to your weight goal by a number on a scale, the number we use many times in dentistry has a dollar sign in front of it. And that’s where the trouble begins for many. “We are health care providers, it’s not about the money,” “We shouldn’t be focused on money,” “All you want to do is make money,” and on and on. Here’s my recommendation to get yourself fully focused on what is most important … look behind the dollars. Whenever I look at my client’s monthly metrics, many of those are based on dollars. It’s the method by which we measure things such as production, collection and treatment acceptance. Don’t get stuck on that dollar sign, because once you look behind it, this is what you’ll see: the measure of greater dental health for your patients. Yes, when you look behind the dollars, you’ll see less dental disease, greater confidence, enhanced function and happier patients.

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For example, let’s look at production. That number has a dollar sign in front of it. What’s behind that dollar sign is the representation of the total team effort it takes to help a patient make the best decision about their oral health. From the time of diagnosis to discussing and negotiating payment arrangements to getting the patient scheduled, it’s the consistent focus of the team toward the patient’s health that creates success. We see the same outcome behind the dollars of treatment acceptance. The calculation to determine the percentage of treatment acceptance starts with the dollar amount of treatment presented divided by the dollar amount of treatment accepted. Once again, look behind the dollars and what you’ll find is: Treatment presented = identified disease, poor function and/or dissatisfaction with esthetics. Treatment accepted = disease eradicated, function restored and/or greater esthetics. The outcome is healthier, more comfortable and confident patients. The subject of how we look at the success of a dental practice always made for interesting conversation. While many times the measure of success is “I produced ‘X’ amount last year” or “We collected over ‘name the BIG number’ in three months”, the truth of the matter is behind the dollars. Practice success can be measured in many ways — patient satisfaction, employees that truly work together as a team, the ability to pay all the bills on time, providing the clinical best. All are also able to look behind the dollars to see their defined success.

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success Here’s an example: Several years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to work with a doctor who embodied the look-behind-the-dollars philosophy. She had what most would deem a successful practice. She achieved production and collection goals, had a solid new patient flow, truly enjoyed working with her team and enjoyed the varied aspects of providing patient care. When we sat down to work on her annual plan, I had a big question for her. In my preparation, I had analyzed her metrics and found she had a production adjustment amount of 12 percent over the past 12 months. Only 4 percent was due to adjustments related to insurance contracts. The answer; every month she chose patients that she would provide treatment at no cost to the patient. As you can imagine, this amounted to a substantial amount of production that had expenses attached to it, however, no revenue. Not sure she was seeing the ramifications of this decision, I calculated what the production total was for the charitable giving of her dentistry … $96,000 a year! What a lesson I learned when the doctor said to me, “You know, there are a lot of ways that I could use and spend that $96,000. This is the best way that I could think of, and it makes me feel so good to be able to help people who may not otherwise have the chance for better health and the confidence that a healthy smile can give a person. I’m not going to change that number.” This doctor looked behind the dollars and found what was important to her. She knew that the dollar signs of her production, collection, adjustments, expenses were the numbers used to measure the health of her practice so she could provide the charitable giving that was important to her. Without a healthy bottom line, the charitable giving was going to be difficult to provide. What happens when you don’t measure your practice health through the dollar signs? Unfortunately, I could provide countless stories of practices that felt setting production and collection goals were “crass,” or “unprofessional.” In those situations, it becomes a fly-bythe-seat-of-your-pants approach to your dental business. I’ve never seen those approaches work well in airplanes or dental offices. Instead, have an open conversation with your team about what it takes to run a successful practice. The biggest expense category in any practice is personnel. For a team to continue to have the best compensation and benefits possible, those dollar amounts must be attained. Utilizing the finest in materials, labs and equipment is dependent

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upon hitting those financial goals. Help the naysayers in your life to better understand why meeting those goals is so important and take them behind the dollars. Identify why those dollar amounts are important to achieve Show what is accomplished when you meet your production goal (healthier and happier patients) Indicate how the dollars collected are put to use (remember, not only do you provide financial funds to your team, you also provide for your supply rep, accountant, lab technician, etc.) Share what practice success means to you and how achieving those dollar signs allows you to achieve your success As with most things, once you are able to see beneath the surface, you gain a much deeper appreciation of what things represent. I’ll always remember the first time I spent the couple of dollars to rent a headset and recording for a stroll through a world-famous museum. While I had toured that museum years before, it was more like a race to see how much ground I could cover. When I had the insights, background and explanations that came from the recording, my experience was completely different; richer, more vibrant and thoughtful. Bring a greater practice success and vibrancy to your life and “look behind the dollars.” You’ll be glad you did!

About the author: Bringing greater productivity and profitability to general dental and periodontal practices has been the result of Virginia Moore’s consulting practice over the past 25 years. As a speaker, Virginia has presented at the top dental meetings in the U.S. and has spoken at meetings in Canada, the Middle East and Asia. Virginia is a contributor to ADA’s newest publication Expert Business Strategies, is a regular contributor to ADA’s Dental Practice Success, as well as authoring 2 books and co-authoring 8 books on practice management. Her passion is getting results that further the success of dental practices. Virginia is a graduate of the ADA KEMP for dentists. She is a member and Past-President of Academy of Dental Management Consultants and also holds membership in the National Speaker’s Association, and Speaking and Consulting Network. She can be reached at vmoore@virginiamoore.com or 530-527-9457.

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SUCCESS

SHARING PRACTICE OPERATIONS WITH YOUR SPOUSE OR PARTNER S

uccessfully starting, managing and growing your own dental practice requires a significant commitment of time and money. Many dentists have found it both practical and desirable to work with their spouse or partner on managing the practice in order to consolidate income and focus. One configuration is a dentist partnered with an office manager, providing coverage for both clinical and business aspects of the practice. The benefits of this arrangement are that the dentist can focus on performing procedures without the distraction of handling personnel and other office matters, while the office manager can keep an eye on efficient operations and maximizing potential profits. However, co-working with your spouse or partner may lead to a host of problems if you are not adequately equipped to share responsibility and manage conflict in a mature manner. Below are several fundamental requirements for creating a harmonious and successful working partnership in the practice:

Start with a Healthy Relationship Before co-managing your practice, be sure you and your partner have already established a healthy relationship and proven you can work well together as a team. In general, this means that you: Enjoy spending time together. While you will not necessarily be working side-by-side in the office, you will certainly be working long days as you make important management decisions related to employee performance, office expansion, equipment purchases and more. It may be critical to the overall tone and ambiance of your practice that you truly enjoy spending this much time together.

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By Tammara Plankers Wells Fargo Practice Finance

Share similar goals and values. Is your career primarily a means to an end, such as a secure income and an opportunity to travel? Or is your work a true passion and expression of your best self? Do you require plenty of family time? Does it matter whether you live in a big city or a small town? Answers to questions such as these drive not only your personal life choices, but also your approach to co-managing a business. Communicate well with each other. Well-developed communication skills are probably the most effective means to achieving conflict resolution and collaboration. As co-workers, you will no doubt face many important decisions and unique challenges each day. The ability to communicate regularly and openly will likely be important to your success, and it will help you work together effectively on problem solving.

Designate One Partner as “President” While it may be tempting to try to work as “co-leaders,” equally sharing key decisions and responsibilities, this may ultimately be confusing for employees and patients. Co-leadership can lead to mixed signals when you have different ideas on how to approach an important issue – for example, whether to reprimand an employee who is consistently late, or how to deal with a difficult patient who is behind in their payments. When you share equal responsibility for these types of decisions, employees may appeal to the partner they believe will give them a better “deal” – much like children run to the parent they think will be more lenient. It may be more expedient to designate one of you as the leader of the company with the “final word” on any key decisions. This helps ensure consistency in your operations and negate the dysfunction that may occur when employees side with one partner over the other.

success For best results in designating leadership roles and responsibilities, be clear about your personal strengths and weaknesses. Avoid appointing a “president” role based on ego or outer perception. Rather, base your decision on a thorough understanding of the skill set each of you possesses and how that expertise serves the best interests of your practice.

Rely on Formal Business Planning Tools Before starting to work together in the practice, spend time outlining a formal business or five-year plan. This task not only gets your business in motion – it also can be a constructive exercise for perfecting communication skills, practicing compromise and learning to share responsibilities. Creating a business plan helps ensure you have compatible goals for the workplace and that each of you has an opportunity to provide critical input to the structure and tone of your practice. A formal business plan requires you to describe the vision for your practice, outline your short-term and long-term objectives, detail your financial goals, define your marketing plans, and create an operating budget. The completed business plan can be a useful and informative tool when applying for business financing, hiring additional partners, seeking investors or selling your practice. You may also find your business plan is a valuable resource for guiding key decisions and settling disagreements.

bringing issues from home into the practice may create stress for your staff and patients as it can blur the boundaries between your professional and personal affairs. However, separating your business and private lives may not be as simple as it sounds. After all, why not bring up your child’s report card while touching base with each other during a busy work day – or discuss an employee’s performance while fixing dinner at home? The key risk is that this overlap ultimately robs you of the down time you need from issues and problems so that you can return to both settings refreshed and ready to give your best. While it is neither realistic nor practical to follow this guideline 100 percent, do try to practice discussing work issues at work and home issues at home. If you are a two-doctor marriage or partnership, you might consider staggering your shifts or working alternate days to give each of you a certain amount of personal freedom within your career. However, if you choose this route, understand that it will be especially important that you agree in advance on how to manage the office and team. In summary, your business is just one part of your shared journey together. By working as a collaborative team to meet the challenges ahead, you will be on your way to achieving success in building and managing your practice – and enjoying your evolving partnership along the way.

Follow Office Procedures Be careful that you are not taking advantage of your ownership status at the expense of your employees. For example, do not bend the rules of the practice, such as taking extra-long lunch hours, because you are the “boss” or spouse. Using such “special privileges” may set a poor example for staff, ultimately leading to feelings of resentment and declining employee morale. Rather, consistently follow office procedures just as you expect from every other practice employee. If you do not have a procedures manual in place, hire a dental practice management consultant to help you develop one. You will likely find that an operations manual not only helps to keep order in your practice, but is also a valuable resource when making key decisions about employee relations and general practice functions.

Tammara is a Certified Healthcare Business Consultant with over twenty years of experience in consulting and training. At Wells Fargo Practice Finance she heads the internal consulting team, Practice Management Group and helps hundreds of new practice owners each year as they transition into ownership or launch their new practice. She is an expert at understanding and managing cash flow and has a strong record of coaching practices to profitability. Tammara has a Bachelor’s degree in journalism, is a member of the Academy of Dental Management Consultants, the National Society of Certified Healthcare Business Consultants and a graduate of Purdue University’s Veterinary Management Institute. Contact: tammara.plankers@wellsfargo.com (800) 326.0376

Separate Your Work and Personal Lives It is generally understood that constantly discussing work issues at home may ultimately strain the harmony of your household and even your partnership. Conversely,

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Dental Entrepreneur Woman

living your strengths STYLE

THE HAPPY, HEALTHY VOLUNTEER: HOW TO ADD PHILANTHROPY INTO YOUR BUSY LIFESTYLE

By Brenda McNulty Chief of Pediatric and Orthodontic Services, Jameson

am a road-warrior. I travel across the country week after week working with dentists and teams to help them be the best they can possibly be. I also have another side of my life, one outside of dentistry that builds on my sense of purpose. One that I get to escape to after a hard day’s work and one in which my husband actively participates, as well. It comes from my heart for philanthropy and is in the world of volunteering. Studies have shown that charitable volunteering can help improve your mood, give you a stronger sense of purpose and lower stress levels. For me, it’s all of this, and then some. If you find yourself wanting to incorporate a stronger level of volunteer work and philanthropic commitment into your life, I know you will find it to be an extraordinary addition to your overall well-being. There is a healthy way to implement it into your day-to-day life, creating something you can be active in for a lifetime in a fulfilling way. Here are four steps to happy, healthy volunteering:

Find Your Passion and the Organization for Your Focus My passion is veterans. Specifically, the Navajo Code Talkers from World War II. I am the daughter of a Marine, the sister of a several veterans, the mom to two Marines and one Navy Corpsman and even the wife of veteran. I know their sacrifices and their devotion to this country, and I feel it’s my obligation to show appreciation for their service. This is the outreach I chose to dedicate my precious time to outside of the general 9-to-5 office hours. I’ve volunteered since 2001 with youth and

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veterans. Volunteering, for me, is essential for my ultimate sense of fulfillment. There are so many organizations doing meaningful work that are painfully underserved and underfunded. Find your place and make an impact.

living your strengths

Find Your Comfortable Level of Commitment Once you find your philanthropic passion, your second step is to figure out how to actively participate at a comfortable level. Don’t jump in with both feet with too many commitments or responsibilities at the beginning or you’ll find yourself over your head. Try it out and start small. Help with a silent auction, agree to help with their social media posts or consider donating your time by the hour. Communicate with the organization early on about your level of commitment. Be clear and respectful from the get-go, and your organization will appreciate it in the long run. For instance, if you have days or times that are offlimits, ask them to not even ask you to volunteer during that time, because otherwise you may feel obligated to compromise another portion of your life to show loyalty for the organization. This is where your home, work or family time suffers. Be transparent from the start. It isn’t an option to work on your volunteering while getting paid from your employer. Knowing your limits helps everyone establish your position and level of participation.

Set Healthy Boundaries You have to learn to say NO. It’s hard to do for some people, but you have to be comfortable expressing your thoughts when the request will go outside of your comfortable commitment. Many organizations are hurting for volunteers, so when a new energetic face comes into the picture, it’s easy to push off other responsibilities to their newest firecracker. Avoid burn out. Avoid resentment from your family. Avoid compromising your work ethic by learning to say no.

Be Accountable Do what you say you will do when you do it. It’s one thing to decide to volunteer, but another to follow through. You won’t do an organization any good if you have over committed yourself and now you can’t deliver on what you

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"Studies have shown that charitable volunteering can help improve your mood, give you a stronger sense of purpose and lower stress levels. For me, it’s all of this, and then some." promised to complete. Push yourself to finish your tasks and show up when you say you will show up! Don’t leave them hanging. I must admit, I often struggle with these steps and have wanted to quit many times. I want to be someone who sets limitations and can say no, someone who always completes their tasks on time, and the organization respect my designated times, but it’s a work in progress. Had I known these important steps prior to volunteering, I could have communicated and balanced my work-life commitments from the start. I’ve had to stop and think to myself, “What is my ‘why’?” Why do I choose to give back, and what is the desired outcome? If you are volunteering to receive appreciation, think again. Although you most likely will receive it, that shouldn’t be your driving force. Do what you can, when you can, how you can to feed your inner soul. Giving back fills my bucket, and I hope it will fill yours. Brenda is a Business Advisor and Chief of Pediatric and Orthodontic Services at Jameson, a management, marketing and hygiene coaching firm that helps dentists and teams become more productive, more profitable and ultimately more fulfilled in their practicing lives. Brenda has coached dental teams across the United States and has also presented on her expertise from the podium at several major dental events. Her passion for the dental profession continues to propel her forward as a key expert for dentists and teams looking to pursue more successfully their ideal practice vision. For more information on Brenda and Jameson’s services, visit www.JamesonManagement.com or call 877-369-5558.

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

BALANCE FOR LIFE

TOP THREE WAYS TO CREATE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY GUT…AND A HAPPY AND HEALTHY YOU! Y

ou have likely heard of the microbiome. Recently, everywhere I turn, I read another article or see another television segment about the microbiome and its health benefits. As a nutritionist, my immediate thought when I see something popping up in the media over and over again, is that it is another nutrition fad lacking true merit or staying power. Although the microbiome is a definite buzz word these days, unlike fad diets or supplements that come and go, the fascination with the microbiome is here to stay. And for good reason.

What Is Your Microbiome? Each and every one of us has a large community of healthy bacteria that live within our bodies. In fact, the genes of these bacteria cells are equal or greater in number compared to our own human genes. This mini (or not so mini!) eco-system is unique to each individual and determined by what you are eating, where you are living, your health status, age, gender and stress level.

Why Does It Matter? Up until recently, researchers were aware that bacteria played an important role in digestion of our food but had no idea just how important a role our gut bacteria play in our overall health. Recent research has looked at the microbiome’s connection with everything from immunity, metabolism, fat storage, psychological health and even prevention of chronic conditions such as cancer, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Scientific studies have even shown that some children with autism have unique species of

Dental Entrepreneur Woman

By Claire Schmitt

bacteria or imbalances of gut bacteria in comparison to children without autism. In a recent study, researchers compared the species of bacteria present in the stool samples of a population eating a standard Western diet (high fat, high refinedsugars, and low fiber) with the bacteria present in stool samples of the Hadza group, a hunter-gatherer society located in Tanzania. The Hadza eat mostly meat, fruit, tubers, and honey, and their diet changes with the seasons. After examining the samples, one clear distinction was made: the Hadza had a much more diverse set of bacteria in comparison to people living in the industrialized world. This diversity is thought to be protective against many of the chronic diseases that are increasingly effecting industrialized societies. Interestingly enough, the microbes present in the Hadza samples during the dry-season were lost during the wet-season, when the Hadza people began consuming different foods. However, these microbes were recovered the following dry-season. This finding was hugely important because it suggests that although our guts may be lacking key microbes, the diversity of our microbiomes may return if we can switch to a more gut-friendly way of eating.

What Does This Mean For Us? We don’t need to all become hunter-gatherers like the Hazda, but we can make changes to create a thriving bacteria community. As the microbiome is a relatively new

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area of scientific research, more scientific studies need to to boost the health of your microbiome. be done to determine the exact role of our gut bacteria and the best way to grow and maintain a healthy population of 2. Fiber, Fiber, and More Fiber friendly microbes. In the meantime, there are a few steps we can take to set our gut up for success. The Hadza average approximately 100 more grams of fiber per day than Americans. The average American 3 Top Tips for Nourishing Your Gut intake of fiber is around 15 grams per day, whereas women are encouraged to get 25 grams per day and men are 1. Take a probiotic supplement encouraged to get 38 grams per day. As a nutritionist, I believe that supplements are rarely the answer for healthy adults and that the best way to get all of the health-promoting effects of food is through consuming real, whole foods. However, taking a probiotic that contains several strains of beneficial bacteria can be an effective way to supplement a healthy diet and create a thriving gut community.

Fiber refers to the non-digested portion of carbohydrates, and is often also referred to as ‘prebiotics’ because fiber serves as the fuel for friendly bacteria. Consistently choosing foods high in fiber will help to create a flourishing gut community. Fiber occurs naturally in plant-based foods like whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes. While fiber is added to many nutrition bars and processed foods, the best way to reap the benefits of fiber is from eating real, whole foods. As increasing fiber consumption quickly can cause gas and bloating, try slowly increasing your fiber intake and make sure to drink enough water.

Beyond taking a supplement, eating fermented foods is another way to increase your intake of probiotics. A food is considered fermented when it has been left to sit so that the carbohydrates or sugars have been converted to alcohol or organic acids by yeast or bacteria. Due to this process, fermented foods typically taste slightly sour yet are completely safe to eat and include things like 3. Manage stress yogurt, kombucha, pickles, sauerkraut, miso and kimchi. Incorporating fermented foods into your diet is a great way Managing stress is crucial for maintaining a healthy

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Dental Entrepreneur Woman

balance for life microbiome. Long-term stress decreases the amount and diversity of healthy bacteria present in your gut. Several recent studies have also suggested that there is an association between a chronically stressed microbiome and anxiety and depression. If you find your stress levels chronically elevated, make sure you are carving time out each day to do something that you enjoy and that relaxes you, whether that is taking a walk, calling a friend, reading a book or meditating.

About the author: Claire Schmitt is a nutritionist living in New York City. Claire is also a New York University graduate student studying to obtain her master’s of science in clinical nutrition and to become a registered dietitian. In addition to being a graduate student, Claire works for Euphebe, a food for health company providing 28 days of whole plant based meals with nutrition counseling. Claire has also spent time volunteering in the nutrition department of New York Presbyterian Weill-Cornell Hospital as well as for the nutrition-focused non-profit, Wellness in the Schools. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Claire obtained her B.A. in History at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. In her spare time, Claire loves cook for family and friends and shares her healthy recipes on her Instagram account @WellnessbyClaire.

For a microbiome-friendly recipe try this sweet potato, kale and chickpea soup. It comes together quickly and is loaded with fiber, racking in 10-15 grams per serving:

Sweet Potato, Kale and Chickpea Soup Serves: 4-6 Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp paprika 1 large yellow onion, chopped 2 medium sweet potatoes, chopped 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 cup uncooked farro 6 cups vegetable broth 1 15 oz. can chickpeas ½ bunch of green kale, destemmed and chopped Salt and pepper, to taste 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp red pepper flakes Directions 1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add paprika and stir in the onions, sweet potato and salt. Sauté for 5 minutes. 2. A dd tomato paste and continue to sauté for 2-3 more minutes, until the onions are softened. 3. A dd the farro and the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. 4. A dd the chickpeas and season with cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt. 5. Cover the pot and simmer for another 20 minutes. 6. Add kale and adjust seasonings, as needed.

Photography courtesy Alli Shepherd

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· Competitive fixed-rate loans with preferred pricing for ADA® members · Complimentary planning resources and professional support to help your practice thrive To get started, call 1-888-937-2321 or visit wellsfargo.com/demagazine to request your free Preparing for Ownership workbook. Wells Fargo Practice Finance is the only practice lender selected especially for ADA® members and endorsed by ADA Business ResourcesSM.

All financing is subject to credit approval. ADA® is a registered trademark of the American Dental Association. ADA Business Resources SM is a service mark of the American Dental Association. ADA Business Resources is a program brought to you by ADA Business Enterprises, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Dental Association. © 2017 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. Wells Fargo Practice Finance is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. 1185-0617-PF-DeWLife