On this episode of Newly Erupted, host Dr. Joel Berg talks about the keys to avoiding burnout with Dr. Trudy-Ann Frazer. Dr. Frazer shares her three-step approach to mitigating burnout, particularly for female practitioners and what steps to take once you realize burnout has taken hold – either in yourself or your team. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Trudy-Ann Frazer has experience working exclusively with children. It is her goal to promote good oral habits to children and parents as a part of preserving beautiful, healthy smiles for a lifetime. 

She earned her DDS from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee as the Valedictorian, then completed her certificate in Pediatric Dentistry residency from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/ Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, New York. She is a proud graduate of Oakwood University in Huntsville, Alabama where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology. 

Dr. Frazer was born in Negril, Jamaica and grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia. She has dedicated much of her professional career to educating and serving children and participated in numerous outreach activities, which include several mission trips to offer dental services to children in Jamaica. She is also involved in various organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, American Dental Association, and National Dental Association, as well as a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She enjoys swimming, basketball, camping, traveling and spending quality time with her family and friends.

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Dr. Joel Berg is joined by cariology expert Dr. Brian Novy for a discussion on all there’s still to learn about dental caries. Dr. Novy delves into the importance for practitioners to understand the science of cariology, particularly when working with patients and families that may be opposed to traditional treatments, like fluoride. He also shares his personal path in evidence-based dentistry research and how this work has improved his approach to educating the future generation of dentists. 

Guest Bio: 

Often described as “The tenth dentist,” Dr. Brian B. Nový has faculty appointments at Virginia Commonwealth University and Harvard School of Dental Medicine. He served on the American Dental Association Council of Scientific Affairs from 2010-2014, and in 2016 was appointed the consumer representative to the United States Food & Drug Administration Dental Products Panel. His papers are published in various journals including the Journal of the American Dental Association, the Journal of Dental Research, the Journal of Evidence Based Dentistry, Dentistry Today, Inside Dentistry, Dental Economics, Compendium, the National Academies of Medicine, and the International Journal of Equity in Health

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On this episode of little teeth, BIG Smiles, host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by Dr. Brittaney Hill, the 2024 recipient of the AAPD Jerome B. Miller “For the Kids” Award. As an up-and-coming practitioner, Dr. Hill shares her experience as a mentee and the impact her mentors had on her career trajectory into pediatric dentistry and the public health sphere. She also delves into how those experiences have impacted her relationship with students as the Pediatric Dentistry Post-Graduate Residency Program Director at UIC. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Brittaney Hill earned her DDS from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry. She then completed a Pediatric Dentistry Residency at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she earned her Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry, an MS in Oral Sciences, and an MPH in Health Policy and Administration. Upon completion of her residency program, Dr. Hill immediately transitioned into full-time faculty at UIC and now serves as Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program Director. Dr. Hill is involved in service and leadership in numerous organizations including the Chicago Dental Society, American Dental Association, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.

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Dr. Suzie Bergman joins host Dr. Joel Berg for a discussion on her Ted Talk, “Why is healthcare disjointed” and why evidence-based treatment is imperative for unique issues like temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Dr. Bergman shares her perspective as a dentist who also suffers with TMD and what she learned from various treatments prescribed under a “one size fits all” approach. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Suzie Bergman is a dentist with experience spanning clinical care, post-doctoral education, research, advocacy, and infrastructure for patients suffering from temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Dr. Suzie, as she is commonly called, is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Pacific Northwest University School of Dental Medicine. She is President Elect of the American Association of Women Dentists and a mentor for students through their Bridge to Brilliance program. She also serves as a mentor with Diversity in Dentistry. Dr. Suzie is a Selection Chair and Fellow of the TMJ Foundation’s online fellowship program. She lectures internationally as an orthodontic instructor and a TMD expert. Currently, she is very active in her role as Director of Dental Education at Immersify Education

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Dr. Lauren Yap joins host Dr. Joel Berg to chat about the upcoming AAPD Pediatric Oral Health Advocacy Conference (POHAC) in Washington, DC. Each year, hundreds of early career pediatric dentists visit the nation’s capital to advocate for the issues impacting the profession and optimal oral health of all children with congressional staff. Dr. Yap shares her experiences as a previous POHAC attendee, as well as how she encourages her peers to seize any opportunity to be a strong voice for themselves and their patients, whether it be in the operatory to the state or national level. 

Guest Bio: 

Lauren C. Yap, DMD, MPH, is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Pediatric Dentistry and serves as the Assistant Program Director for the Postdoctoral Pediatric Dental Residency Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She earned her dual degree in Dentistry (DMD) and Public Health (MPH) from the Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry and College of Public Health in 2019 and subsequently completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry Certificate in Hawaii, followed by a Pediatric Dentistry Certificate at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA. 

Board-certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Yap is an active leader in the field, currently serving as the Pennsylvania Public Policy Advocate for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and as a member of the Committee on Scientific Affairs. She is also a recent graduate of the ADA Institute for Diversity in Leadership (2024) and proudly serves as the Third District Representative for the American Dental Political Action Committee (ADPAC). 

Before pursuing her dental education, Dr. Yap worked as an elementary school math teacher and served as a research assistant at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within the Center for Asian Health.

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Host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by fellow Iowan and pediatric dentist Dr. Casey Goetz to discuss the importance of access to care for children in rural areas and the benefits to early career practitioners for setting up practices in these areas. Dr. Goetz shares his experience as a private practice pediatric dentist in rural Missouri serving a majority of patients with Medicaid and how he uses his own experiences to encourage peers and new graduates to consider a similar path. 

Guest Bio: 

Casey Goetz is a pediatric dentist and practice owner in rural Missouri. After graduating residency from the University of Iowa in 2019, he started his practice from scratch and grew it to a five chair, seven-figure collection practice in just the first year… all while serving a heavy population of kids with Medicaid. He’s an advocate for rural pediatric dentistry, startups, and finding ways to serve the kids from challenging backgrounds in his communities while still running a profitable practice. He created an online lecture series “little smiles practice mastery” that provides a step-by-step guide teaching students how to start a pediatric dental office from scratch.

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Host Dr. Joel Berg is once again joined by Dr. Clarice Law, this time to discuss her recent move after two decades at one institution and her advice for others determining what their next steps may be. Dr. Law shares the multiple ways her career has evolved over the past three decades. Emphasizing all the opportunities the shift to academia has provided, she discusses the appeal of formally studying new tools and information impacting direct patient care and building up the next generation of pediatric dentists as a mentor. For those clinicians considering a shift to academia – or simply weighing if it may be for you – this is a great listen. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Clarice Law, DMD, MS is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Community Oral Health at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Dr Law received her DMD from Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1995. She completed specialty training in Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics in 1998 at UCLA School of Dentistry and the MS in Oral Biology in 2000. She is Board Certified in both specialties. Dr Law was full-time faculty at UCLA School of Dentistry, teaching both disciplines to dental students and residents, until her transition to UTHSC in 2022. Dr Law has enjoyed involvement in both specialty communities, recently completing a two-year term of service on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists. Within the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, she has served on the Inservice Exam Committee, the QE Prep Board Review Course, and the Behavior Guidance Clinical Practice Workgroup. Dr Law is married to filmmaker Ian Eyre and has two children, a 17-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter, who have influenced both her orthodontic and behavior guidance practices immensely.

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Newly Erupted host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by Dr. Marilyn Sandor for a discussion on the bright future for virtual care in dentistry – or “teledentistry.” With both practitioners and patients looking for convenience and efficiency, virtual care can set a practice apart. The conversation emphasizes the vital role communication plays in all patient care, but particularly when making the shift to more online visits. Dr. Sandor also shares how virtual care can resolve some of the barriers impacting access to care, like distance or mobility. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Marilyn Sandor is a pediatric dentist, entrepreneur, and innovator with a passion for transforming the patient experience in pediatric dentistry. As the founder of Naples Pediatric Dentistry, a top-rated practice in Naples, Fla., she has built a reputation for blending compassionate care with advanced technology. Dr. Sandor’s innovations include the Zooby® prophy angle, a globally successful tool in pediatric dentistry, and GoodCheckup®, a mobile platform that connects patients with their pediatric dentists in minutes, providing access to care, anywhere™️. GoodCheckup was named to the Polsky10’s 'Start-Ups to Watch' list. 

A dedicated leader in her field, Dr. Sandor is also an active member of several professional organizations and was named to Doctor-To-Doctor World’s Top 100 Class of 2024 for the USA. She is committed to inspiring change and improving pediatric dental health on a global scale.

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Dr. Harlyn Susarla joins Newly Erupted and host Dr. Joel Berg to discuss the importance of embracing leadership opportunities, along with strategics risks, for early career pediatric dentists to effect positive change. She shares her firsthand experiences with exiting her comfort zone and how those situations built up her confidence in her own expertise and ability to ask the right questions – including one that saved a child’s life. 

Guest Bio: 

A board-certified pediatric dentist, Dr. Harlyn K. Susarla is committed to preserving, protecting, and promoting high quality, equitable healthcare for every child. Dr. Susarla is currently part of a multi-disciplinary team at Seattle Children’s Hospital, where her clinical practice focuses primarily on children with complex medical conditions, developmental or behavioral differences, as well as those requiring emergency care. Dr. Susarla is also an Affiliate Assistant Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Washington School of Dentistry. She previously worked in a private practice environment, and at the Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, which provides medical, dental, behavioral health and nutrition services to children, regardless of a family’s ability to pay. 

Dr. Susarla completed her undergraduate education at Wellesley College. She then completed a Master of Public Health degree at Boston University, dental degree at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and pediatric dental residency at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and the American College of Dentists. 

Dr. Susarla has had the privilege of being an advocate for pediatric dentistry and public health at the local, regional, and national levels. She is Immediate Past President of the Seattle-King County Dental Society and serves on the Washington State Dental Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workgroup and Nominations Committee. A past president of the Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Susarla is President-Elect of the Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry, a Trustee of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Foundation, Vice President of the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Chair of the AAPD Committee on Early Career Pediatric Dentists, the Western Representative for the AAPD Council on Scientific Affairs, and a consultant on the AAPD Consumer Review Committee. Dr. Susarla is also involved in her local community. She is a member of the Junior League of Seattle and serves on the board of her children’s school.

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On this episode of Newly Erupted, host Dr Joel Berg is joined by Ellie Wetzel to discuss the integration of therapy animals into dental practices, highlighting the legal considerations and benefits of establishing in-office therapy animal programs. Wetzel emphasizes the importance of choosing the right animal, understanding the differences between service and emotional support animals, and the role of the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals in supporting professionals interested in bringing this service into their practices.

Guest Bio:

Ellie Wetzel and her dog Winnie serve as a therapy animal team, visiting with clients ranging from families at a children’s hospital, teenagers at a juvenile detention center, children in foster care, and students at colleges. In her professional life, Wetzel is an attorney. Through her involvement as a

volunteer therapy animal handler with Pet Partners, she developed an interest in animal

accommodation law. She has led continuing education sessions for attorneys on legal issues related to service animals and emotional support animals, as well as presentations for professionals on incorporating therapy animals into their practice.

Wetzel serves on the board for the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP), an organization that focuses on empowering professionals to responsibly integrate the healing power of therapy animals into their practice. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband, Kevin, their cat, Cooper, and Winnie, a Great Pyreness

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