March 6th is National Dentist’s Day—and we know we wouldn’t have healthy teeth without all of the amazing dentists out there. These are the inspiring stories from just some of our amazing Brand Ambassadors we’re celebrating today.
Name: Dr. Joyce K.
Profession: Owner of boutique dental practice in Costa Mesa, CA & Assistant Clinical Professor at USC’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry
Why did you become a dentist?
I was always inspired by my mother, who was a dentist and practice owner. I saw the flexibility of owning a dental practice. She would close up her practice for a couple weeks of the year to go on dental mission trips, and I remember thinking that some day I want to be able to help people all over the world as well.
What advice would you give to an aspiring dentist?
Learn as much about the field as possible before entering school. There are so many resources available on social media now. Look past the glamour of it and into the nitty gritty: Is the profession a good fit? Do you like to work with your hands? I get messages all the time from prospective dental students and I applaud them for reaching out and connecting.
What inspires you at work?
I am inspired by my staff. No matter what is going on at home, they come to work with their A game and they take care of the patients needs first.
What is a career aspiration of yours?
One day, I want to do more global outreach mission trips. It was one of the reasons I started to begin with. 🙂
Name: Dr. Matt A.
Profession: Doctor of Dental Surgery
What inspires you at work?
I’m inspired at work every day because my patients trust me with their smile. Dentistry is a very humbling profession. We operate in a world of millimeters. There’s always ways to improve. There’s always new techniques, new materials, and new technology that has rapidly been transforming the way we treat patients.
What is a common misconception of dentists?
The most common misconception about dentists is that we will judge you and/or your teeth. We are highly trained professionals who have seen teeth in really really bad shape and teeth in good shape. As true professionals, there is no judgment involved. We are focused on providing compassionate, personalized care with a single goal — preserving your teeth to the best possible degree.
If you could give one piece of dental care advice, what would it be?
Get an electric toothbrush. You’ll never go back to manual toothbrush again.
What is a career aspiration of yours?
One of them is to become a speaker. Public speaking is one thing that scares me, and I think in life you have to go after what scares you.
Hear more from our incredible Brand Ambassadors here and here.