DR.KATETALKS

It’s been nearly two weeks since the Kansas Stay-At-Home order was lifted (at least Phase 1 of it). While I’m happy to get back to business, there’s also a part of me that misses the quarantine life and feels somewhat GUILTY about it – and I know I can’t be the only one. I’m a bag of mixed feelings right now, and it’s so confusing… I entered into quarantine filled with trepidation and disbelief that something like this could truly happen in this day in age. A small virus par

Happy Easter from my family to yours! Most of us have celebrated much differently this year, but it is our responsibility – for our families, our children's memories, and our communities – to make them as meaningful as possible. For good or bad, the coronavirus is preventing us from living our lives on autopilot. By disrupting our normal rhythms, it is forcing us all to take a closer look at our lives. Some things that seemed important in our chaotic daily lives may no long

As the Thanksgiving season is almost upon us, I (and every podcast, blog, and IG post) have found myself pondering what i'm most grateful for. I try to be mindful each and every day about what I'm appreciative of. Whether it is just the way a dental procedure went and how a patient reacted to the stress of it, or the way that my child hugged me before I left for work, I'm actively looking for things to be grateful for. When I look for the little things each day, I notice mo

Whew, summer has been a wild ride! Between three epic summer family vacations, baseball games/tourneys/trips for two boys, dance competitions, triathlon events and training, continuing education meetings, and busy work schedules that seemed to vary from week to week, it was difficult to keep up. Our next door neighbor doesn't even really believe that we inhabit our home anymore! I know that summer is supposed to be relaxing but it felt far from that at times. With three kids

I wrote my thoughts down first when my grandmother graciously bequeathed her piano to me as she knew how much I loved it, and her, by extension. Now that she is gone, I’ve realized that her gift serves as a physical reminder of her presence and impact on my life. I’m so glad that I had 43 years to learn from her example, grow from her wisdom, and poke fun at her ditziness. Kay, or Gram as we all call her, gave me her beautiful baby grand piano to have as my own about a year a

One month ago today, I was heading home from an epic adventure with my whole family and three special team members to the eastern highlands of Guatemala to do dental mission work. We spent eight days working in a dental clinic, treating the indigenous people of Guatemala and experiencing the raw beauty of a region rarely visited or traveled to by anyone outside their country. Let me tell ya a little about this awesome trip…. After arriving in Guatemala City, we spent the fi

As a working mom, dentist and business owner, I feel like I wear many different “hats”. I wear the nurturing “hat” when I’m being a mom, the efficient yet caring “hat” when I’m chairside, and the capable, confident “hat” when interacting with my team. I don’t know about you, but I’ve learned to quickly switch “hats” and be flexible for those who need me during the day. However, when I change roles from the frenetic pace of the office to go home and be with my family, I like

My family and I just returned from serving on a dental mission trip, November 4-12, in the Dominican Republic through Smiles for Hope and Esperanza. To say that it was a great experience is only the tip of the iceberg. We gave away free dental care, but in return, we gained friends and wonderful experiences; we grew as a family unit, and all the members of our expedition felt blessed by the people that we were there to serve. This dental mission trip was first and foremost a