DR.KATETALKS

Who am I you ask? Well, I'm... A dentist. A wife. A mom. A business owner. An advocate of all working parents. Crazy-busy. The person posing in the above cheesy photo. 

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In search of...

Life's secrets. Ways I can help others. Balance (if it's real?). The perfect cup of coffee. Laughter.

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This is me.

I’ve been a dentist for 14 years, and in that time my life has radically changed.  I went from a carefree, idealistic dental school graduate and associate, a partner, then to co-owner of my practice. That on its own is a lot of change, but I, like everyone else, do not exist in a vacuum.  

My life changed 180 degrees in 2005, when I became a mom of one, then two, and finally three beautiful kiddos in under four years (check out my cuties below). I waited until after dental school to start a family, but felt pressure to do it quickly, and therefore the hasty procreation!  Never did I know how profound the change would be.

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My transition to full time dentist and mom has been an interesting growth process. I never knew that life could be so full and rich... and some days, so exhausting!  Where was the guide for me as I was going through all these changes?  I felt caught between the desire to be an amazing dentist and the legacy of my youth growing up in the 80’s with a mom that stayed home.  I never was far from the guilt that spiraled in my brain—when at the practice feeling like I was a less-than-par mom—when at home feeling like I was missing out on growing at being a dentist.  I loved the hustle and bustle of busy dental practice life, but I also wanted to be a steady presence in my kids’ lives.  Daily home life with little kids sometimes seems interminable, but the years just fly by. As I hit the 10 year mark of being a practicing dentist, I was feeling more stressed out than ever, more harried and less fulfilled. 

On the occasion that I could get away for C.E. classes, I yearned to hear from other dentists on how they make it all work. NOT just on life/work balance, because I know that is nearly impossible, but advice and tips on how to make our crazy-busy, stressful, hectic chaos run smoother.  

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But there were no such speakers. Plenty of women hygienists and dental consultants speak, but frankly, I couldn’t relate. I needed a mentor who knows what it’s like to be in the trenches. A mentor who deals with the highs and lows of running a practice, who is determined to stay on time with hygiene exams even with ultra-talkative patients, quads of fillings, and nearly-invisible distal buccal canals on maxillary second molars. I was eager to know the secret recipe of staying healthy physically and mentally, how to stay on point and up to speed as the leader of the organization, all the while keeping a dental practice going at full speed, and sustaining a family.  I wanted to hear from someone who dealt with all the pressures of a dental practice from my point of view.

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Okay, so why do I have a blog?

After years of wondering where I could find a relatable mentor I finally realized there must be others out there in search of the same thing, right? Wait a second, I've learned A LOT over the last 14 years and I have a lot to say. 

And there you have it. Cue the keyboard and coffee.