Different Mindset vs. Dangerous Mindset

Episode #505 with Dr. Tracey Nguyễn

For an isolating and difficult profession like dentistry, you need a strong and positive mindset. But how do you begin to develop it? One way is through community. And to help you find yours, Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Tracey Nguyễn from ASAP Pathway to share tips on where to go, who to seek out, and things to focus on early in your career. Your mindset shapes your life — so have the right one! To learn how, listen to Episode 505 of The Best Practices Show!

Episode Resources:

• Dr. Nguyễn’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tracey.nguyen.9085  
• Dr. Nguyễn’s social media: @drtraceynguyen
• ASAP Pathway: https://www.asappathway.com/pediatric-airway-training-events  
• Subscribe to the Best Practices Show Podcast
• Join the To The Top Study Club
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Main Takeaways:

Find a purpose early in your career.

Seek out friends, mentors, and a community.

Think about the legacy you want to leave behind.

To become good at something, learn from the very best.

Work with people you respect, and whose work you respect.

Quotes:

“Early in your career, find a purpose. And once you find a purpose, and you find a goal, and you find what makes you happy, grab the people that will help you in that journey. I don't think that a lot of young dentists have that, but I think it’s important for us to seek that. And it’s also important for older dentists to mentor other dentists because we represent each other. At the end of the day, we represent each other. So, if one person isn't doing something right, it’s a reflection of the whole community.” (5:51—6:25)

“I don't think I grew as a dentist, as a person, until I joined the Kois Center, until I had that network of people to support me. When I look back, up until that 15-year [point], I was just working to get paid, working to pay the bills — and working to get paid really well. But I didn't really have a purpose.” (7:37—8:02)

“In the first track course, [Dr. John Kois] has a good 30 minutes to an hour discussion on tribe and the meaning of community and taking care of each other. And I think because he instills that in his students, the students do that for the other students. And I've never had that kind of relationship.” (8:30—8:51)

“The first Symposium after COVID-19, [Dr. Kois] ended it with, ‘Who’s got your back?’ And I thought this was so powerful that he said after COVID-19, he realized how many people had the Center’s back. And then, he said, ‘For as long as I'm alive, we will always have yours.’ And that was so powerful for everybody. And I took that, and I was like, ‘I want to do that for somebody else.’” (8:54—9:23)

“At the top of your career, it’s about your legacy. What do you want to leave back? And it’s interesting because you don't think about your legacy until you're doing well. But I think we should think about that right when you start, like with treatment planning, with the end in mind. How do you want to be remembered? What kind of life, what kind of journey do you want to have? And I feel like you should have that guidance in the beginning.” (9:39—10:06)

“I think what people don't understand is airway dentistry is doing dentistry with respect to the airway. So, it’s not like its own discipline. It’s really just straight dentistry but understanding how your dentistry can impact airway. I think that's where people are a little bit confused. But also, with airway management, the core of airway management is understanding the patient’s medical history, how they feel, what's going on in their life. And if you can connect with a patient on that level, it’s a different type of relationship. You will see the practice will grow.” (12:03—12:51)

“If you're looking at airway dentistry as, ‘How many full-mouth rehabs can I do?’ that's not what airway dentistry is about. Airway dentistry is about connecting with your patients, understanding the medical history, and guiding them throughout their entire treatment, their health treatment, and then including dentistry.” (12:51—13:10)

“When I introduce airway dentistry or that whole oral systemic connection, helping patients navigate through their whole medical history, they took it as, ‘Okay. You're not just someone that's going to fix my tooth. You're sitting here and you really care about me and care about how I sleep, how I feel, how I breathe. And, by the way, this is how my family is.’ And that's how my practice has grown. But airway dentistry isn't like, ‘I'm going to take an occlusion course and I'm going to do five rehabs.’ It’s a different philosophy.” (13:15—13:49)

“When you choose the practice that you work for, you should ask yourself, do you want to be like this person? When you pick a job and you're working for a boss, you should always be looking up to your boss. And so, when you pick a dentist, you're like, ‘Okay, would I want this dentist working in my mouth? Is this someone I really want to work for?’ And then, that person can also guide and mentor you in your cases, in your work, in your life.” (17:07—17:37)

“There's no growth in it if you're in a practice where you don't respect your boss, or you don't respect his or her work. And I think that “dangerous” is where you're just trying to chase the money. You're like, ‘This is a job. I need this job right now.’ But it’s not fulfilling if you don't like the door that you walk through.” (17:46—18:08)

“The worst thing that could happen is you fail, and you try it again. What's so bad about failing? You have to learn. Some of the best athletes in the world failed miserably before they got to where they are.” (19:37—19:52)

“I think we’re too focused on the quick and easy fix. The quick and easy fix is the money. And even when we talk about failure, not understanding why and self-acknowledgment, that's a big thing, not even recognizing what you're good and not good at and what to do about it.” (21:22—21:46)

“I was listening to Tony Robbins, and he said if you want to be good at something, find the person that's the best at it and go learn from them.” (21:48—21:56)

“We’re so focused on our skill. But how you communicate is almost more powerful than your skill.” (23:45—23:53)

“Find friends, find mentors, because I think this profession can be really hard on us, mentally.” (29:40—29:46)

“As dentists, we’re such perfectionists. So, when we have a patient that complains, it really takes us into a dark place. And you really need to find that support to get you out of it.” (29:55—30:06)

Snippets:

0:00 Introduction.

2:15 Dr. Nguyễn’s background.

4:50 Things to do early in your career.

6:27 The importance of a support network.

8:03 How the Kois Center creates community.

10:11 Airway dentistry requires a different mindset.

14:52 Find an office that will mentor you.

16:33 Don't just chase the money.

18:08 Failure is growth.

20:53 Learn from the best.

22:23 Learn how to connect and communicate.

24:58 About ASAP Pathway and how to get involved.

29:11 Last thoughts.

Dr. Tracey Nguyễn, DDS, FAGD, AAACD Bio:

Dr. Tracey Nguyễn, a.k.a., “Dr. Tracey,” received her DDS, Magna Cum Laude at the Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia. She pledges to treat each patient with the highest standard of oral health care.

Dr. Nguyễn is very involved in the local, state, and regional organizations, i.e., Loudoun County Dental Study Group, Northern Virginia Dental Association, Virginia Dental Association, and the American Dental Association.

Dr. Nguyễn is a member of the American Academy of Laser Dentistry, the World Clinical Laser Institute, and the International Congress of Implantologists (ICOI). She understands the importance of lasers in dentistry and was one of the first doctors that introduced the hard tissue laser dentistry in Loudoun County.

Dr. Nguyễn is also a Fellow of the American Academy of General Dentistry. She thus understands that providing great smiles and excellent oral health are the result of going above and beyond basic requirements.

Dr. Nguyễn serves as an editor for the AGD peer-reviewed research manuscripts. She also has continued to advance her dental and clinical expertise by completing thousands of hours of advanced training at the most prestigious dental institutions across the country.