Women in Dentistry: All in the Family by Drs. Abigail and Ashley Brier

As sisters, we shared a dream of becoming dentists, a dream that led us to the same dental program at Temple University's Kornberg School of Dentistry. Yet our journeys to becoming independent, successful dentists were very different.

Ashley: "I was immediately drawn to a dental support organization (DSO) because I didn't have to worry about marketing my practice since there was an already established patient base. I was looking for an environment where I'd have the support I'd need to help me develop as a dentist. It was easy to grow from a brand new dental school graduate to an associate to a lead dentist to a partner-owner in a short amount of time."

Abigail: "I thought there was no way I'd end up in a practice supported by a DSO. I was convinced I was only going to do private practice, focusing on the higher end of dentistry like cosmetic. But after working in a traditional private practice right out of dental school, I quickly realized it's hard to survive. As a new associate in private practice, I barely saw any new patients and only did fillings all day. I saw my sister on such a successful career path, and I decided to join her."

Even though we took different routes, we're now both happy and successful practice owners, serving as mentors to dentists fresh out of dental school. But getting to where we are wasn't always easy. We've learned from our growing pains and continue to course correct our career paths as needed. Here's what we have to share.

Build a strong clinical support system
As dentists affiliated with a DSO, we're fortunate to have a built-in network of dentists to rely on and tap into if we need advice on treatment planning or if we come across a clinical case we haven't encountered before. If you're on the solo practitioner path, you'll need to work harder to build or join a community of dental peers—that's what the message boards on Dentaltown are all about! We also recommend networking with people at dental trade shows and conventions, continuing education courses, and joining a local dental board.

Ashley: "I often attend Scranton District Dental Society meetings, where the environment encourages socializing and networking."

Find a mentor, and then become a mentor

We've always had each other to lean on and we teach each other as we learn new techniques or encounter new challenges. But we also found mentors immediately upon joining our DSO and were able to fast track our clinical skills thanks to their support.

Abigail: "When I first started, I was calling my mentor probably three times a day. I took advantage of the opportunity to ask questions and learn the best course of action from an experienced mentor. Fortunately, I don't need to rely on a mentor as much as I used to."

Ashley: "I believe that the clinical skills for a young dentist will come over time through practice. I've mainly kept in touch with my mentor more on a personal level. We share stories and insights about raising kids and how to juggle having a family and running a dental practice. We both initiate contact depending on what's going on in our lives."

Today, we're paying it forward and mentor dentists who are right out of school. With our DSO, there's an entire learning and development model focused on mentorship. We've learned that the key to being a successful mentor is to hire dentists who are coachable, confident and caring.

The clinical skills will evolve over time but it's critical that you verbally and emotionally recognize the efforts of a young dentist and consistently tell them when they're doing a good job. They need your help as a mentor to build their confidence. It's also important to encourage your team to treat them equally and for the entire team to encourage one another in order for the practice to run smoothly and be successful.

Keepers of the culture
As practice owners, we're the keepers of the culture in our offices, so it's in our hands to make sure our team and patients have the best experiences possible. We often have team lunches, celebrate birthdays and holidays together, and find time every day to have fun and laugh. The happier our teams are, the more satisfied our patients will be. The way in which a team member interacts with a patient is very telling if you have the right people in place and if you're promoting a positive work environment. It's essential that you keep your teams engaged. The more confidence that is instilled in your teams, the more competent they will become.

When we became clinicians, we were eager to jump right into practicing dentistry. But it takes time and patience to develop your clinical and leadership skills. Our patient mentors took the time to answer our questions without judgment. They taught us to put ourselves in the patient's position and to treat them all as if they were our parents; they guided us as clinicians and team leaders to learn from our mistakes and to become better doctors as well as to grow into effective managers.

As much as you need to care for your staff, you can't forget to care for yourself. The happier you are, the more engaged and productive your teams will be, creating a successful and profitable business.

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