Episode 649: Dentistry is Where You Want to Be

 It’s the podcast’s fourth birthday, and Kiera’s on a sentimental journey about it. She reflects (and encourages her readers to do so, too) on her purpose for joining dentistry, how it’s bettered her life, how it betters patients’ lives, and looks forward to the magic of what comes next.

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Transcript:

[music]

0:00:05.6 Kiera Dent: Hey everyone, welcome to the Dental A Team podcast. I'm your host, Kiera Dent and I have this crazy idea that maybe I could combine a doctor and a team member's perspective because let's face it, dentistry can be a challenging profession With those two perspectives. I've been a dental assistant, treatment coordinator, scheduler, filler, office manager, regional manager, practice owner, and I have a team of traveling consultants where we have traveled to over 165 different offices coaching teams. Yep. We don't just understand you, we are you. Our mission is to positively impact the world of dental. And I believe that this podcast is the greatest way I can help elevate teams grow VIP experiences, reduce stress, and create A teams. Welcome to the Dental A Team podcast.

0:00:51.3 KD: Hello Dental A team listeners. This is Kiera and you guys, I hope you're having just an awesome day today. I hope that things are going ridiculously well for you and I hope that you just know that you are truly in the best profession you could ever ask for. I truly do believe that dentistry is the greatest profession that we get to be a part of. And guys, this is your life. This is the thing that you get to be a part of and I hope that you just remember how truly incredible it is for you to be a part of dentistry. So if you're having a great day today, I hope you are, and guys, if this podcast has been beneficial to you in any way, shape or form, I'm gonna ask you guys to help us out on our mission. This year Guys, I'm going for it all.

0:01:30.5 KD: We did a million last year with your guys' help and so this year go double or go home. So guys, help us out. We're going on a mission to serve and to positively impact the world of dentistry in the greatest way possible. So guys, if you wanna help us out, not if just do it. And right now I'm gonna actually read a shout out 'cause I told you guys I would start doing this. So I'm going to our podcast page right now Guys, this is happening live scrolling down on our Apple iTunes and Friday. This is coming from Robo Rebecca. She heard, she decided she wanted to be on the podcast. So this goes, shout out to her if you guys wanna be part of our special announcements, us calling out listeners, be sure to be, leave us a review on Apple iTunes. So this is coming in from Robo Rebecca.

0:02:16.0 KD: It says, this is one of the many podcasts by the Dental A Team that I have tuned in for. The topics are so relevant in the short time that I've been tuning in, I have already referred three other people to listen. Gosh, Robo Rebecca, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you, one being a listener. So my heart, I'm giving you a big virtual hug right now. And two, you're sending three people here. Those three people guys I wouldn't have been able to reach but it was because of Robo Rebecca that more people are being able to positively impact. So guys, I want you to take the Robo Rebecca, Robo Rebecca, whomever you are, please email me [email protected]. I wanna personally thank you 'cause one, your name is awesome. Two, your review is incredible. Three, being a part of our family is amazing and I just adore you and now I've made you into a actual thing.

0:03:01.2 KD: And I'm gonna encourage you guys to take the Robo Rebecca challenge and go invite three people today to join our podcast. You guys, I can't do this alone and this is a labor of love that I have for you guys. So please guys go take the Robo Rebecca Challenge and invite three people today. Robo Rebecca, I appreciate you and I hope you know how much I love you as a person. I don't know you personally, I don't know who you are per se. You've got a great name on here, but I just wanna let you know that you're doing better than you think you are. That you are truly just living the best life you can and I'm just proud of you wherever you are at. So on that note, I feel that's a great segue into one of my absolute favorite podcast topics and that is da da da da guys, today is the day The Dental A Team podcast reaches four years old, you guys, no joke, this is Crazy Town to me.

0:03:52.8 KD: The Dental A Team podcast has been going for four years and that's thanks to you guys. So we started it in 2019. If you haven't heard the story, I will just quickly recap it for you. So those of you who have heard it, this isn't a boring drag for you, but the Dental A team podcast, I was realizing that there wasn't a lot out there to elevate team members that was coming from a team member and a doctor's perspective because let's face it guys, dentistry can be a hard profession. Has anybody heard that intro? Anybody? Anybody? Okay, great. It really can, doctors see it differently than team members. Being a team member myself and being an owner of Dental Practices, I see both sides of the coin super, super well. So I was thinking, hmm, everything goes out towards the dentist. Everything is geared to them.

0:04:35.5 KD: But I thought, oh my gosh, if we could find a way to elevate teams, create VIP experiences, help reduce that stress between doctors and team members, we'd be able to literally change dentistry. So I decided let's disrupt the industry. That's why we created the podcast. And I remember I was on a hike with my husband, he said he wanted to go to Yosemite and I said, okay, let's go Yosemite Kiera style, which means we go to Yosemite for a nice little hike and I get his Half Home tickets. Don't worry guys, day of I didn't even enter the raffle. There's a way to do it and I'll happily share, who knows, this is pre Covid. So, but we went in for a nice little day hike and came out with tickets to hike Half Home the next morning, had to go find a hotel, literally an hour and a half away.

0:05:20.8 KD: So that meant we had to go there. The hotel only had one bedroom, like one room available and I am not exaggerating, there were two beds in the room and there was a pill on the bed. The sheets were a little ruffled and there was hair on one of the beds. The other bed looked totally fine. There were no other options guys and we had half of them the next morning. So we surely slept in the non pill, hair, scuffled sheets and the next morning my husband took our, wait, gosh we had a 2010 Honda Civic at the time and literally on our way to Half Dome ran over a dead deer. Like guys our Civic freaking went over the top of this deer. I don't know how our Civic didn't die. I just look up and my husband's about and all I said was, you're gonna hit that.

0:06:07.0 KD: I couldn't scream guys. None of the words came outta me. I just said, you're gonna hit that. And I look over and he's got his hands gripped on the wheel and ba bump like a speed bump. And I am so thankful that Civic did not like no damage to it. The only thing is we kind of lost the undercover and I only know this because when we finished Half Dome there was a squirrel eating remnants off of our car when I came out. True story guys kind of disgusting. But that is where this Dental A Team podcast was made was on that hike on Yosemite. I had a lot of time, my legs burned, it was freezing cold, we got very minimal sleep because we were sleeping in this sketch fest hotel. Then we run over a deer that had already died. Thankfully like we didn't kill it 'cause I would've probably cried my eyes out.

0:06:49.2 KD: And then we're going on hiking Half Dome and on that hike I feel nature is my space of zen. I don't know what you guys do for Zen, but being out in nature hiking, that is my space of zen. And I remember telling my husband, I said, I'm gonna do it. I'm going to start this podcast because I feel dental offices out there need to be elevated. I feel that they need to have positivity. Guys, there's so much junk in this world that I said I'm gonna change it and I'm gonna bring positivity to this world. I'm gonna show people that you can have a life and a business and they don't have to consume you. I'm gonna show team members how you could rise up and be more than you ever imagined. Guys, I was a dental assistant. That's where I started. Never ever, ever did I imagine walking into Miss Helwig dental assistant class that I would be on a podcast owning a consulting company, serving and sharing my love for dentistry and the knowledge that I've seen with hundreds of thousands of offices across the nation.

0:07:41.9 KD: Not to mention the millions of people on this podcast, that to me is something that I could never have imagined. And so today for Dental A Teams fourth birthday, please go post about us and definitely give me the party hats, the party blowers and we will surely re-share our favorite one. So guys please go out there today. 3/3. March 3rd is Dental A Team's birthday. Ironically I wanted this podcast actually guys to release on Valentine's Day and something happened funky with Apple and we were trying to release it and they didn't actually let it release, which is very serendipity because three is my favorite number. So March 3rd, 3/3 guys really just feels magical to me 'cause it's my favorite number. I didn't even think about it. And March 3rd is the date that we release this podcast. So guys, I just wanted to talk about the magic of becoming more than you ever imagined and kind of the steps for that.

0:08:34.3 KD: I feel like that was kind of a fun way to celebrate Dental A Team podcast birthday and to give you guys some value today. So with that I just want you guys to think about when did you join dentistry? Let's just go back for me, I just shared with you when I started Dental A Team podcast and my day and my sleep and running over deer like guys, it was out of control. It was such a long, such a long hike. But that's where I was when I started the podcast. Where were you? Who were you when you started and joined dentistry? Go back to that. For me it was when I was in high school, I was a senior in high school and I wanted to wear scrubs and it was either be a nurse and learn the whole body or become a dental assistant and learn the mouth.

0:09:11.8 KD: Guys, you can call me lazy or efficient. I surely prefer the term efficient but I said I'm straight up going into dentistry. I'm not learning the whole body. That's gross. I don't wanna do rectal trumpets. No thank you. I will definitely hang out in the mouth and that's honestly why I joined dentistry. That's who I was. I was a 17 year old girl in high school where I joined dentistry and I joined it for the scrubs. I'm gonna ask you guys a question, we're gonna kind of go down memory lane for you right now of who were you, how old were you when you decided dentistry was your path? That's my first question. For me I was 17. Second question is why, what was your why? Why did you get into dentistry? For me it was the scrubs. Guys, I didn't love teeth, I didn't love people.

0:09:53.6 KD: I didn't go in for that. That is not why I got in. I truly wanted to wear scrubs guys, you can judge me or you can like me. It's your choice and I'm okay with either one. Once I got into dentistry though, that's where I really changed and I realized I love this. Like I love dentistry so much. You guys, I was terrible. I could not take x-rays, I would hit my doctor in the head with the overhead light. I blew air into an open socket and literally shot blood into my doctor's loops. I can't even imagine how close that blood probably looked. I just remember the look that doctor gave me when I had to look back and it was not I just remember sitting there like I don't know what to do right now. That was Kiera as a dental assistant guys. But I remember when I started doing it and then I saw the change that dentistry had for people and their lives.

0:10:44.1 KD: I started to see what goodness dentistry could actually have on people's lives. And that's I think when I fell in love, I was going to school guys, I was literally when I was a dental assistant I'm taking the GRE and I was studying to become a marriage and family therapist. A lot of people don't know that about me but that is my background. I got my bachelor's degree in family science and I was headed off to grad school studying for the GRE. It was really, really hard for me. I got a perfect score on my written and did not do so well on the rest. But I did get accepted and I had a full ride scholarship that I actually remember when I was interviewing for grad school. I'm getting ready to go to become a marriage and family therapist and I remember sitting there and this was my moment where I knew dentistry was my core and where I was meant to be. And I hope all of you guys can remember back to your moment.

0:11:38.1 KD: If you know me, you know that I am obsessed with our Dental A Team podcast family And because of that guys I wanna give you guys a little bit of love for this season. So from today Valentine's Day all the way through March, I am giving our podcast Family Sneak Peak access to Dental A Teams virtual summit April 28th and 29th. You guys this year we are doing Secrets of the Multimillion Dollar practice Full team nine hours of CE. It is going to be explosively epic Amazing. You guys, you are not going to wanna miss this. Full team day on Friday where we're going to go through true practice life examples, case acceptance, your gap on your systems and how you can fix it from a full team's perspective. Plus I'm bringing in lots of offices that are truly going to come here and teach you guys exactly what they do.

0:12:26.5 KD: Saturday is going to be full leadership. You got it. I'm bringing in the best of the best popular, proficient, amazing CEOs who are going to come tell you exactly what they do day in and day out from hospitality to their ways that they're going to structure their lives to how to make an incredible associate. You guys, the speaker lineup is top notch. So right now head on over to the dentalateam.com/summit2023, read up all of our speakers and use podcast code Love2023 and you guys are gonna get early access. Tickets are not going on sale until March 6th. So from today until March 6th guys, you have early access and we are only saving 50 spots at this price point. So go sign up today the dentalateam.com/summit2023 coupon code love2023 and I will see you at summit April 28th and 29th.

0:13:24.5 KD: I was sitting in my marriage and family therapy interview and I remember thinking about the patients at the practice and I was like, hmm, I wonder how that crown's going today 'cause I'm interviewing for grad school and I'm thinking about the practice and I knew my schedule because as a good dental assistant I was, I pre looked at the schedule, I knew who was coming on on the days that I'd be gone, made sure my team was prepared before I left. And I remember sitting there thinking, I love dentistry so much. I don't think I wanna sit here and listen to people's problems all day long. Like that just did not resonate with me. It's funny now because I get to listen to, in consulting in the company, I get to listen to people's dental problems which I'm obsessed with because I know how to solve those and let's solve them and make your life amazing.

0:14:08.4 KD: But that was my moment. That was my moment. But in that moment I didn't know that that moment would create what we're celebrating today. I couldn't see that future. And I've often wondered and I would ask you guys the same question, if you would know what you know today and know where you would end up today, would you wanna know that when you first joined dentistry? Would you wanna know how hard dental school is going to be? Would you wanna know how hard it is to open up your first practice? Would you wanna know all of the literal heartache that you go through? And on the flip side of that, all the beauty, all the magic, all the growth, like would you wanna know that before? That is a true question that that I don't have an answer for. But I'd like you to think of how old were you when you joined dentistry?

0:14:52.2 KD: What made you want to join dentistry and when was that pivotal moment where you knew dentistry was where you were meant to be? And maybe you're not there yet. Maybe you haven't had that Kiera Dent moment where you're sitting in an interview and you're like, lights out. This is what I'm gonna do for the rest of my life and I freaking love it. Guys I can't get enough of dentistry. My last name's Dent. Like I really can't get enough of it. But it's one of those pieces where I want you to think about it and then ask yourself if you knew what it would take to get here, would you wanna know? And two, would you do it again if given the chance? I really want you guys to think about it because I think about the podcast that I've done you guys, we've recorded over 600 episodes that is so many times to hit record guys and now I'm doing them on video.

0:15:40.8 KD: You're welcome. You get to see my face and who I am and all my facial expressions. I can't look at the camera just so you guys know, there is literally I'm looking at Google Meet right now 'cause it creeps me out to watch myself talk to you guys like it's a new thing. Okay? I never would've thought I would hit record 600 times when I started this. I never in my wildest dream sitting back at that interview would've imagined that I would open up a consulting company and be able to meet you guys and to deliver a service that is literally life changing. I have offices tell me all the time, Kiera, I came into Dental A Team 'cause I was looking for this and yet you have changed my entire life. I have my life, I have my family, I'm able to, my team is elevated, we work so seamlessly and that's because I met you.

0:16:26.3 KD: Never in my life did I imagine that. For you guys Just think of all the patients whose lives you have changed. The reason I think I've got such a love for this is because I was a patient on the other side. I had an ex-fiance, not my current husband, ex-fiance guys. I was engaged three times. That's a real story. We'll talk about it another day. Who smashed my face into a wall. I spent a lot of time in that dental chair And I will tell you guys that is why I'm obsessed with dentistry. You don't understand until you are the patient sitting in the chair wondering if you'll ever be able to smile again with confidence. You don't even know what that feels like. But I do. I know what it feels like And guys, you are giving people back confidence that they didn't think that they could ever have.

0:17:14.0 KD: That's why I wanna make you guys great. That's why I put on the podcast, that is why I have a consulting company. That is why I listen to your guys' problems and create solutions and create systems and make it to where your life can be simple because you in the dental field are making one of the greatest impacts that I think we could ever give back to human society. You are giving them confidence, building their smiles, making it to where they can eat and have physical nutrition but yet outward confidence. That is what you're giving people guys. That's why I do this because I wanna make the best practices great, I wanna make the best team members even better. I wanna make the team members who didn't believe that they could be great even better. I wanna give you that confidence and that hope that no matter who you are in the dental practice, you can go well beyond anything.

0:18:01.8 KD: And I would hope that just like me, I don't wanna know the end of this story. I don't know wanna know where dental A team goes because half of the magic that makes this so special is the journey of getting there. That sounds cliche guys. And I used to freaking hate when people were like, it's not about the destination here, it's about the journey. And I'm like, you don't even know me. I'm all about winning results and getting to that destination like that is Kiera Dent to a T. That's why I'm good at what I do. That's why our team is good at what we do because we focus on results not fluff, not the journey guys, which is not fluff. But honestly guys dental A team and going from dental assistant to CEO of a very large consulting company, which I feel so blessed, humbled that I get to run and be the creator behind with our team.

0:18:47.0 KD: That is something that I never would've imagined. And the magic is that I don't know what's next. The magic is I get to create it. The magic is you get to create it. I love Tony Robbins quote like you guys know I love Tony Robbins. I love his quote where he says, are you the manager of your circumstances or are you the creator of your life? Are you the manager of your circumstances or are you the creator of your life? Are you creating this or are you just managing? Are you actively thinking about who you wanna become? I mean you've got to be, you're listening to this podcast, so kudos there. High five, I gave you a high five virtually and a huge hug. You guys are creating this right now. You are creating the future of dentistry. You are writing the history of where we're going. You are changing people's lives. When I say I wanna bless and serve 2 million downloads, guys, that's not for me. I mean it's real fun and I like it and I'm very much driven by numbers and data and results. So sure that piece is fun. But if I can help you guys help a Kiera Dent sitting in your chair who never thought she could smile again, guys, I never thought I'd smile again.

0:20:03.4 KD: All of my confidence was stripped away guys, that fateful warning, I remember it so vividly. I remember looking in the mirror, I almost had my whole face smashed into a mirror and luckily I missed it And I took out a chunk of concrete this large with my face. I remember looking in the mirror. Guys I modeled, I was a model. I was very, very vain. I was very just driven by how I looked. And I remember looking in the mirror and like complete and totaled horror, thankful that I didn't like smash my whole face into it. It was on a Saturday and I remember just feeling this like disbelief that this was my life. And I remember like sitting in the car, I'm like, oh my gosh, like grab milk. Like I don't know what I'm gonna do. And I remember sitting there for hours like I cried the entire procedure.

0:21:00.6 KD: And then it was months like shout out to the dentist that I was able to have work on me. I had to have gum grafting. I had to have a bunch of things done because my whole face got a little shifted. 'Cause I don't know if you guys have ever like kissed a concrete wall but it doesn't feel super great. That moment guys, There is a Kiera Dent sitting on the other side of you guys. Those people, whether it's they've got a mouth of lots of decay, whether it is that they've been in an accident, whether they're just there for their regular cleanings, I believe that our smiles are our greatest gift. I believe that they give you confidence guys 'cause I had that ripped away and I don't think until you've been there that you can appreciate what dentistry does for people.

0:21:48.9 KD: Shout out to Michelle Jorgensen. She, it's fun, her and I have actually reconnected on a professional level. She is in Utah. That woman, a dentist with her team gave me back my confidence. I remember waking up the next morning after my accident and just like begging and praying that it had just been an awful dream and looking in the mirror and being like, absolutely not. That was not a dream. Like this is real life Kiera and you've gotta get through it. That was a deciding moment for me. That's guys why I do this. Because if I can make you realize that the magic is what you're writing, the people that you're helping, that's why dentistry's magical. So if you've ever wondered like am I making a difference, like for the Kiera Dents in this world, for those people you are and you have to show up and you need to be your best self and you need to be the person that can be so great that you can give me back as your patient confidence.

0:22:48.6 KD: Guys, we talk a lot about numbers and metrics and systems, but it's to serve that patient sitting in your chair. It's to give them their confidence back. I had no script for how today's podcast was gonna go. I'm like super stressed that there's videos of me crying and who knows if Alison's gonna use these or not? I don't know. And honestly it doesn't matter 'cause this is real, it's raw and it's who I am. This podcast I know has had a lot of tears, it's had a lot of laughs. It's had a lot of good times, a lot of freaking awesome systems, a lot of really cool people I've been able to meet because of this podcast. And I hope today you bookmark Dental A Team's fourth birthday as one of your top podcasts to remind you why the heck you're doing this. To remind you when you're like, gosh, am I even making a difference, that there's a Kiera Dent sitting in that chair, that there's a Kiera Dent begging you to be your best because I need you to give me that confidence.

0:23:44.1 KD: Guys, our mouths allow us to speak and to communicate and they also allow us to smile and have confidence. Like I can't think of anything more expressive than our mouths. Like we can communicate our feelings, we can talk to people, we can share, we can laugh because of our mouths guys. Not to mention that we also get to eat and feed our bodies physically. Like that is what you're giving back to people. So you right now listening, you are needed. You are positively impacting someone's life today by doing dentistry. And I wanna say thank you and I wanna say keep rising. You might not know what the future is. You might not know what your why is today or you might, but I want you to keep turning those pages and keep writing the magic. Keep becoming even more because guys, I didn't know what the podcast would be.

0:24:34.5 KD: I didn't know what the consulting company would be and I didn't know as a dental assistant who this girl could become just like you don't. So keep writing, keep showing up, keep becoming, keep evolving because there's a Kiera Dent sitting in your chair that needs you. Guys, I am so thankful for you. Thank you for listening. Thank you for being a part of this because without you, I wouldn't keep making this. So guys, go on Apple, leave those reviews. I'm gonna keep sharing your guys' reviews and I'm gonna keep shouting you out. And I want you guys to take on Robo Rebecca's challenge. Invite three people, three people who need to remember why they joined dentistry. Three people to know that there are patients just like me, depending on you, to be your best, to have the best systems, to have the best skill set, to be a profitable practice so we can keep coming to you.

0:25:24.4 KD: We need you. Patients like me need you. And if you need help, you better freaking email me right now. [email protected] 'cause I wanna be able to help and serve you to help you help more patients. My mission is to positively impact the world of dentistry in the greatest way possible. And guys, I'd love to serve you. So email me, reach out, share this with three people. And as always guys, remember, you are in the best profession you could ever be a part of. And I am so grateful for you. I have so much love guys, thanks for making this podcast what it is. Thank you for celebrating Dental A Team's fourth birthday. Be sure to tag us. And thank you again just for being a part of my life. You have lifted me, you have given me motivation when I didn't think I could continue and I'm so grateful for you all. And with that guys, as always, thanks for listening and I'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team podcast. And that wraps it up for another episode of the Dental A Team podcast. Thank you so much for listening and we'll talk to you next time.