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Dr. Dallas | The Dental Dialogue

@dr.dallas_

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💬the side of dentistry+practice ownership no one talks about
🦷for dental pros & patients
💛come for the conversation. stay for the honesty
🔗guides👇🏼

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A little reintroduction because life looks a whole lot different these days! 🤍

I’m Dallas! Wife to Mihail, mama to two little boys, dentist, practice owner & someone who’s still trying to figure out how to juggle all of those titles. 😅

What started as a place to share little pieces of my life has turned into something so much more.

The longer I’m in dentistry, the more I realize how much I want to be part of changing the way we approach healthcare.

I believe in the type of dentistry that looks beyond a single tooth. One that asks WHY something is happening instead of just treating what’s right in front of us. One that recognizes the connection between oral health and the rest of the body. And one where patients feel heard, educated, and genuinely involved in their care.

I also believe we need more honest conversations about what it’s actually like to work in this profession. The business decisions, the leadership struggles, the mistakes, the burnout, and everything dental school never prepared us for.

And somewhere in between all of that, I’m raising two little boys, building a business with my husband, dreaming about what’s next & learning that I definitely don’t have it all figured out!!

I want this space to be somewhere we can learn from each other, challenge the way things have always been done, laugh a little…& feel a lot less alone.

Because I believe we can love what we do, want to make a difference AND still admit that some days are really freaking hard!!!

Whether you’re a parent, patient, dental professional, or just here for the chaos, I’m so glad you’re here!🤍

Ps. If you’re seeing this on Facebook, come hang out with me on Instagram @Dr.Dallas_ 🤍 Between work, business, and two little ones, keeping up with both platforms is a lot! 😂 I’m much more active in the comments and DMs over there, so if you ever have dental questions or just want to connect, that’s the best place to reach me!
#Mom #Dentist #BusinessOwner #WomenInDentistry #DentalHealth by @dr.dallas_

✨ My free oral health guide is officially live ✨

This guide exists for one simple reason:
there’s a huge gap in oral health education and I see it every day as a dentist.

Most people aren’t failing because they don’t care.
They’re struggling because no one ever took the time to explain the why behind the habits. If you don’t remember learning this in school, you’re not imagining it. Oral health education was minimal at best for most of us.

I believe oral health is deeply connected to overall health.
And I believe prevention is one of the most powerful tools we have.

Prevention saves time.
Prevention saves money.
And most importantly, prevention helps people avoid unnecessary stress and treatment.

That’s why this guide is 100% free.
Because care and education should be accessible to everyone…not just those who know where to look or what to ask.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, confused, or unsure if you’re “doing it right” then this is for you.
And if you know someone who could benefit, please share it with them 🤍

👉🏼Link to download is in my bio.
(fyi—it’s a bit slow to download)

If any issues— just message me🫶🏼

When we know better, we can do better.

#oralhealth #oralhealtheducation #oralhealthmatters #oralhealthtips #oralhealthawareness by @dr.dallas_

We carry the weight of expectations, responsibility, and criticism, sometimes long after we’ve left the office.

And I don’t think this is exclusive to dentistry.

To my fellow healthcare professionals, I think we need to talk more openly about the mental and emotional weight of the work we do.

We can love our profession, be grateful for the opportunities it provides, and still acknowledge that some days are incredibly hard.

Something else Dr. Yang wrote that really stood out to me was his reminder that “words hurt.”

Because behind every white coat is a human being.

And perhaps the most meaningful part of his message was his simple request for grace.

Not pity. Just grace.

Grace for the professionals who dedicate their lives to helping others. Grace for our colleagues who may be struggling silently. And grace for ourselves when we fall short of the impossible standards we sometimes set.

I didn’t know Dr. Yang personally, but his words have certainly made me reflect.

My heart goes out to his family, friends, and the dental community mourning his loss.

I hope we can honor his message by extending a little more compassion to one another.

You can strive for excellence without demanding perfection from yourself.

And to anyone in healthcare who needs to hear this today: Your worth is not defined by your productivity, your last procedure, or your hardest day.

Let’s take better care of the people who spend their lives taking care of others.

To my fellow healthcare professionals, does this resonate with you?

#HealthcareProfessionals #Healthcare #DentalProfessionals #MentalHealth #BeKind by @dr.dallas_

Well, it’s officially November & I’m really late on this appreciation post!

September was Office Manager Appreciation Month, Victoria’s birthday AND her FOUR-year anniversary with us!

She started with zero dental experience, but I saw something in her from the very beginning. From learning the front office to the clinical side, she eventually stepped into managing our practice! 🤯

I’ve always said nobody will care about your business like you do as an owner, but she comes pretty darn close.

Our work ethics align, and I appreciate her willingness to learn, take accountability, and bring solutions instead of just problems. She’s also helped cultivate the team we have today. And since October was Hygiene Appreciation Month, I can’t recognize our amazing hygienists without acknowledging those who help bring the right people together.

Front office positions are some of the most underestimated roles in dentistry. They truly are the lifeline of our practices!

Oh & need a food or drink recommendation? Victoria is your girl. 😂 Somehow she can manage an office AND know every restaurant menu within driving distance. She’s a foodie to her core!

But what means the most is that before she had a baby of her own, she loved mine like he was hers. When childcare fell through, she was my first phone call to watch my son. If that doesn’t tell you how much I trust her, I don’t know what will.

Now we’re both navigating motherhood, sleepless nights & balancing family with work... & this chapter is not easy!

Looking back through four years of memories makes me emotional! Sometimes we’re so caught up in the day-to-day that we forget how far we’ve come.

I don’t typically share appreciation posts like this, and Victoria knows how much she means to us. But I believe in recognizing the people who show up every day and reminding them their efforts don’t go unnoticed.

None of us knows what the future holds, but I’m grateful for her commitment, growth, and most importantly…her friendship.

When we know better, we do better. 🤍

Here’s your reminder to appreciate the people around you. Their efforts matter more than they realize.

We are lucky to have you, V!🫶🏼

#officemanager by @dr.dallas_

I wonder if the little girl in these pictures would believe me if I told her what her life looks like today. 🥹

That one day she’d marry her best friend, become a dentist, own a business, and be a mama to two little boys who would completely change her world.

I think she’d be pretty proud.

But I also think she’d remind me to slow down and actually enjoy everything I once dreamed about.

Because somewhere between building a career, growing a business, raising babies, and constantly thinking about what’s next… it’s easy to forget that I’m already living a life I used to pray for.

Not every day is easy. Some days I’m overwhelmed, exhausted, and questioning whether I’m doing enough.

But then I look around and realize… little me would think this life is pretty incredible.

And maybe that’s the reminder we all need sometimes. ❤️

Don’t get so caught up in where you’re going that you forget how far you’ve come! by @dr.dallas_

I think one of the biggest things holding us back in our careers isn’t always a lack of knowledge, experience, or opportunity.

Sometimes, it’s simply the stories we keep telling ourselves.

“I’m not qualified enough.”
“What if I fail?”
“I’ve always done it this way.”
“Who am I to think I can make a difference?”
“What will other people think?”

And the crazy part? We can become so comfortable with these thoughts that we don’t even recognize them as limiting beliefs anymore. We just accept them as facts.

I’ve caught myself doing this more times than I’d like to admit.

Especially as I’ve grown in my career, I’ve realized how easy it is to put yourself in a box without even knowing you’re doing it.

But here’s something I’m learning…You can be really good at what you do and still have SO much room to grow.

You can question the way things have always been done. You can pursue something outside your comfort zone. You can admit you don’t know everything and still have something valuable to contribute!!

And you don’t have to wait until you feel completely ready to take the next step.

These slides are written from the perspective of dentistry, but I think the message applies to just about every profession.

Sometimes the biggest thing standing between where you are and where you want to be is what you’ve convinced yourself you’re capable of.

I’m curious… what’s a limiting belief you’ve had to overcome in your career? Or maybe one you’re still working through?

I’d genuinely love to hear it. 🤍

#DentalProfessionals #Dentist #WomenInDentistry #LimitingBeliefs #growthmindset by @dr.dallas_

How many gold stars did you earn? ⭐️⭐️⭐️

And remember, we’re not chasing perfection. I tell my patients every day…PROGRESS OVER PERFECTION, always. 🤍

Now tell me your score 👇🏼

#goldstar #patienteducation #dentalprofessionals #dentalhygiene #oralhygiene by @dr.dallas_

The ADHA has adopted a policy supporting the establishment of a dental hygiene doctorate as the entry-level degree by 2032.

Important distinction: this does NOT mean hygienists currently need a doctorate to practice, nor does an ADHA policy automatically change state licensure requirements.

So why is this even being discussed?

The conversation centers around expanding clinical competencies, scope of practice, professional autonomy, and the role hygienists play within the healthcare system.

And this is where I think we need to ask some hard questions.

I absolutely believe hygienists are healthcare providers. Their role goes FAR beyond “cleaning teeth.” They are essential in prevention, periodontal care, screening, education, and identifying disease.

But if we significantly increase the education required to enter the profession…

What happens to the cost of becoming a hygienist?

What happens to compensation expectations?

Could additional educational requirements worsen an already strained workforce?

If a doctorate comes with expanded scope and greater autonomy, how does that change the traditional dentist-hygienist relationship?

And ultimately, what measurable benefit does the additional education provide to patients?

Asking these questions doesn’t diminish the value of hygienists. If anything, I think this profession deserves a thoughtful conversation about what its future should look like.

Maybe different levels of education should correspond with different scopes of practice.

Maybe the profession needs to evolve.

But “more education = better” deserves a deeper conversation when we’re talking about fundamentally changing a healthcare profession.

Hygienists, dentists, educators & students: I want to hear from you.

Would you support a doctorate becoming the entry-level degree for dental hygiene? Why or why not?

And if that doctorate came with expanded scope of practice…would that change your answer?

#dentalhygienist #hygienist #dentalprofessionals by @dr.dallas_

In honor of Mental Health Awareness, I wanted to share this because I know there are so many moms carrying a mental load that no one else can see.

Sometimes we don’t need advice or a solution. We just need someone to say, “Me too. You’re not alone.”

Sending so much love to the moms carrying a little extra right now. 🤍

#momlife #momguilt #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #metoo by @dr.dallas_

The more I learn, the more I realize how much the mouth can tell us. 🦷🤍

I’m so excited to officially begin working with @toothpillow_official ..let’s keep growing, asking better questions, and looking beyond the teeth to provide more comprehensive, prevention-focused care…especially for our littlest patients.

When we know better, we can do better. And I’m just getting started. 🫶🏼

#TheDentalDialogue #AirwayDentistry #PediatricAirway #WholeChildHealth #SleepAndAirway MouthBreathing DentalEducation PreventiveDentistry RootCauseDentistry AlwaysLearning DentistMom MoreThanJustTeeth by @dr.dallas_

Being booked out six months can sound like a flex.

“We’re so busy.”
“Patients love us.”
“Our schedule is packed.”

But from the patient’s perspective? Waiting six months for a hygiene appointment isn’t exactly a great experience.

Sometimes being booked that far out isn’t a sign of success. It’s a sign that demand has outgrown the systems, staffing, or capacity of the practice.

And I know finding hygienists right now is HARD. This isn’t about blaming the hygiene team…

It’s about asking a better question:

Are we measuring success by how full our schedule is…or by how well we’re actually able to take care of the patients in it?

One of the biggest things I’ve learned in my first few years of practice ownership is that a packed schedule and a healthy practice are not the same thing.

I don’t want my goal to be having zero openings.

I want enough demand to keep our schedule productive AND enough flexibility to provide the standard of care our patients deserve.

I’m curious where other dentists, hygienists and practice owners fall on this…

Dental professionals: what do you think? At what point does being booked out stop being a flex and start becoming a problem?

#DentalHygienist #DentalHygiene #DentistLife #DentalPractice #DentalTeam DentalBusiness Dentistry DentalProfessionals by @dr.dallas_