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Building Our Self Determined Futures
21 Plays5 days ago
About the Hosts:
Savanah Craig, DDS and Ronnetta Sartor, DMD are dynamic dental professionals sharing their post-graduation journeys through their podcast, Beyond Graduation. Both doctors have transitioned from academic learning to forging their own paths in clinical dentistry. Dr. Craig is currently in an exciting position where she's considering practice partnership, while Dr. Sartor has embraced the challenge of owning and rejuvenating a dental practice. Together, they provide insights into balancing personal well-being with professional growth, driven by their experiences in the dental industry. They are also affiliated with IgniteDDS, a community dedicated to dental community mentoring and coaching.
Episode Summary:
Welcome to another episode of Beyond Graduation, a podcast designed for those navigating through the early years of their dental careers. Hosted by Drs. Savanah Craig and Ronnetta Sartor, this episode delves into the concept of "self-determined futures" and how it shapes their personal and professional lives. Listen as they openly discuss the challenges and rewards of being young dentists aiming for a balanced future.
Throughout this episode, they guide listeners through the exploration of what a self-determined future means, particularly in the context of their dental practices. They share personal stories and professional insights on managing practice ownership, achieving balance between work and personal life, and the importance of sustaining physical health as a practitioner. The hosts also delve into delayed gratification and how it impacts decisions related to practice partnerships and personal life milestones, ensuring the content resonates with a diverse listener base.
Key Takeaways:
- A self-determined future involves aligning personal values with professional aspirations, allowing for a harmonious life both inside and out of work.
- Balancing personal health is crucial for long-term success in clinical dentistry; regular self-care practices are necessary for maintaining physical and mental well-being.
- Consideration of investments, both in terms of education and practice, requires strategic planning to ensure financial and life goal alignment.
- The transitional phase from dental education to practice involves confronting numerous life decisions quickly, such as partnerships and personal milestones.
- Continuous reflection on personal goals can adjust the trajectory towards a fulfilling, flexible, and financially secure future in dentistry.
Connect with Us:
- Savanah Craig, DDS: @savanahcraigdds
- Ronnetta Sartor, DMD: @dr_sartor
- FutureDentists Beyond Graduation: @futuredentistsbeyondgraduation
- FutureDentists: @futuredentists
- IgniteDDS: @ignitedds and www.ignitedds.com
Tune in to this engaging episode to gain deeper insights into managing your career path in dentistry. Stay connected for more enlightening discussions from Beyond Graduation and learn how to align your current actions with your future aspirations.
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Transcript
Introduction to Beyond Graduation
00:00:00
Speaker
Join Drs. Savannah Craig and Renetta Sartor as we navigate life beyond graduation. Real conversations about forging our own paths in our early years in our careers.
00:00:10
Speaker
There's a reason it's called practicing dentistry. All right. Hello and welcome back to another episode of Beyond Graduation.
Theme of Season Three
00:00:18
Speaker
i am Savannah Craig. And I'm always. Oh, I keep going really fast. I'm just so excited to be here. I'm Renetta Sartor, guys. Back again.
00:00:29
Speaker
um So like we said, season three, we are um a little more vulnerable and real with y'all. We've, I don't know if you'll like it or not, but we're just out here podcasting.
Ignite's Mission
00:00:43
Speaker
um But over at Ignite, we are sort of narrowing our focus a little bit more to focus our self-determined futures and helping People in our spheres helping dental offices get to their self-determined future. And that is a very broad topic. um what we What our goal is is like at Ignite is to build these self-determined futures, which allows people to align their interests.
Defining a Self-Determined Future
00:01:17
Speaker
values, drive their vision, and control their path forward into whatever that looks like for them. um So we thought we would share a little bit about our self-determined futures or what we hope those might look like and how we are working towards that, you know, today.
00:01:40
Speaker
So Renetta, what would you say um your definition of a self-determined future is?
Renetta's Journey to a Self-Determined Future
00:01:48
Speaker
It's a really good question. And I do think that it's evolved over time and I think it's going to continue to evolve as i get to be in different places of life. But right now my self-determined future is being in a place where i'm in harmony and at peace in healthy and happy
00:02:14
Speaker
And that's in every aspect of my life, but everything is connected just like the body. Right. So it would mean that as a new practice owner, because I bought, we call it a kickstart office. Right. So it's not so much a startup, but it's not one that was like doing its thing. Right. The the person that I bought the office from.
00:02:41
Speaker
He was in his retirement years and got hurt. So pretty much he was slowing down a whole bunch. So the early years of my practice and being an owner, I'm having to put in more work to ramp the office back up.
00:02:59
Speaker
Okay. And so with that being said, I know that on my world, on my road and journey to a self-determined future, it has to start with the office and it has to start with, um, getting the office to the vision that I see it to be.
00:03:20
Speaker
and that means, you know, reach reaching a certain production goal, but also reaching in having the team to have the support possible.
00:03:31
Speaker
and in doing that, I'm able to, um, get to, balance and that sort of thing on a personal level too.
Savannah's Vision of Balance
00:03:42
Speaker
It's almost like it's happening at the same time too, because in order for me to be able to ramp the office of it up and you and I were just talking about this, like my body has to be able to withstand it.
00:03:56
Speaker
And so one of the things that um I'm not sure if we've shared on a podcast, but i have a back injury that um I didn't know I had until maybe four years into practice And so for me, what eventually get to um my self-determined future, what that looks like is in order to go in my personal life and in my professional life is i have to have chiropractor appointments.
00:04:28
Speaker
frequently. I have to you know have massages done frequently. I have to you know do yoga and do things to be kind of my body frequently.
00:04:40
Speaker
have to eat well in order to do those things. But if I don't do those things, like we said, it's like A balancing act, right? If I don't do those things to keep myself up, then, you know, the office will not be able to sustain because I'm a solo practitioner.
00:04:59
Speaker
And so if I'm not there, what happens, you know, um my team can only do so much without me being there. Yeah. And so eventually it's the light at the end of the tunnel, having balance between those two worlds and seeing both, you know, me being able to do things in my personal life that I want to do, um with the people that I love, um, and doing it in a pain free and healthy environment.
00:05:31
Speaker
Um, what about you, Savannah? Ooh, um, I think right now, and
00:05:44
Speaker
life is always going to be this way, but I'm seeing
Rethinking Retirement and Balance
00:05:47
Speaker
multiple self-determined futures that, you know, culminate on something else. There's all these little like things that need to happen and work out to to achieve that bigger goal.
00:06:00
Speaker
I think... Right now, obviously, it's always going to change. But right now, my big self-determined future goal is having the flexibility and freedom to do what I want when I want. Sounds crazy, but um basically, right That's goals, though, right?
00:06:22
Speaker
Yeah, for everybody. Yeah, it's goals. And to shape my clinical practice to fit my life more so than the opposite way around, I think, is a a major goal, whatever that might look like someday.
00:06:39
Speaker
um But it is all about balance. And we were just talking about Do you grind and go pedal to the metal right now so that in 10, 15 years, whatever can slow down completely? or is there is there a way to find that balance sooner rather than later?
00:07:06
Speaker
I think ah a conversation I've been having a lot with Adam and family and things. As a society, we have this vision of retirement and we're just done working and all of these things.
00:07:21
Speaker
But how do you, when you've spent all of your life going to school, working, if you don't have these hobbies and skills to relax and do these other things, the day you suddenly start work, stop working, you're not going to know what to do with yourself.
00:07:41
Speaker
And I've watched relatives and family members do these things where they worked so, so, so hard to retire and then retirement happens and they're watching TV all the time and they're not doing all of these things that they wanted to do.
00:07:58
Speaker
And like,
Work-Life Balance Challenges
00:08:00
Speaker
The idea that I would just put my nose to the ground for the next 30 years and not do anything enjoyable so that at 65 I can live this crazy life.
00:08:17
Speaker
I just don't think that's realistic. I would rather find the balance and do you know, your your health and and physical health is not going to be the same at 65 as it is right now.
00:08:28
Speaker
You always see the meme of like, um I always see the meme of it's like an older couple that's finally in France. Yeah. Like in um in the water, in the little boat, and they're both sleeping.
00:08:42
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And that's the thing. you If you want to do, goal is to check off all the national parks. We're not going to be able to hike Angels Landing in Zion At 70. I hope so. But you know.
00:09:01
Speaker
um And so. Trying to figure out all of that. Balance. Is part of my self-determined future. To.
00:09:14
Speaker
You know. Live in the moment. But also prepare for the future. okay the other thing. I've been talking about a lot. With a variety of people. In my life.
00:09:27
Speaker
there's this opportunity to partner into the practice that I'm in and I'm very excited about that. And then also, you know, buying a house at some point and all of these different decisions.
00:09:45
Speaker
Grown up decisions. Grown up decisions. um And do they're going to impact the future. They're going to, but you gotta, you gotta decide now.
00:09:59
Speaker
i don't It's just there's too many things all all at the same time, all the time, and trying to find what is the right
Fulfillment in Dentistry and Mentorship
00:10:07
Speaker
answer for you. do you Like we said, do you grind and save for retirement and then who knows what retirement looks like? Or do you do a little bit here and now and everywhere?
00:10:20
Speaker
yeah I think for me, it's a balance of both, right? Yeah. um A balance of both. And I think there's going to be certain times in your life where work gets more than, you know, personal.
00:10:35
Speaker
um But you don't want it to get so much that you get burnt out, you know, like looking in the future. i don't foresee a time where I would completely retire from dentistry because I love it so much, you know? Yeah.
00:10:50
Speaker
um I don't know that anything could replace the relationships that I build with my my patients, you know, or, you know, just the feeling that you get, like just knowing that you help someone in whatever way possible, way whether it's smile transformation or, you know, just getting them out of pain. Yeah.
00:11:13
Speaker
I think gardening feels that way for me, but it's a it's not the same, you know? Yeah. Because I can be out there in my garden for hours, but by myself. Yeah. Just me and the plants. I talk to the plants and that's it. Absolutely.
00:11:28
Speaker
But, um you know, it may be where I cut back. ah you know, in the, in a very like long future, you know? Yeah. um But it's, it's interesting because, you know, i could see a future where I cut back, but I'm also there in kind of mentoring and, you know, creating that community. So if, you know, my nieces or if one day I have children and they want to be dentists, like, I think it would be really, really cool to like,
00:11:59
Speaker
Had that generational type mentorship, but like community. And I think that would, I think, keep me young and want to keep practicing, you know?
Life Decisions in Your Thirties
00:12:10
Speaker
Yeah. I think another piece of this is... this idea of delayed gratification when thinking about your self-determined future.
00:12:22
Speaker
and i think this is where I was trying to go with the practice in the, in the house is a lot of people are like, why are you doing all of this like right now all at the same time? And it's like, well, I'm finally in a position that I can do these things and,
00:12:40
Speaker
um I'm about to be 30. And not that that's like, you know, it's fine. But you think about your friends who just did a four-year degree, not just, but did a four-year degree and started their careers.
00:12:55
Speaker
I'm really five years later in starting, you know, my first real job and those sorts of things. So it makes sense that some of these things are now a little bit more accelerated because i spent my twenty s in school.
00:13:15
Speaker
And so I do think there's that balance with being in this type of profession
00:13:23
Speaker
where you who can finally now do these things, but how much of it and how quickly and how will that impact your future?
00:13:35
Speaker
And do you just... Adam and have had this conversation. just keep renting? Should we just delay the whole thing even further? And he's like, please, please let me have a workshop.
00:13:49
Speaker
You know, I don't know the answer. and Nobody does, but... I think we're all just trying to do what we think is best and trying to find balance on our way.
00:14:02
Speaker
Yeah, and I do think...
00:14:07
Speaker
Priorities are always going to change. What we need to do to get towards our self-determined future is going to change at different seasons. And what we want out of our self-determined future can change with different priorities. But one thing i think we were talking about very openly and honestly before we started recording is at the point we're in in our careers, we're
00:14:36
Speaker
clinical dentistry is still a huge piece of what we need to do to get towards those
Career Stage and Evolving Goals
00:14:44
Speaker
goals. um And maybe at some point, someday, other other things might come in that can be other income streams. But not only do we both really like what we do and like clinical dentistry, but We got to pay the bills, dude. but Yeah, I think you bring up a really important, ah important, like aspect, right? So like, we talk about investments and that sort of thing.
00:15:15
Speaker
well our dental education was a huge investment. Like, we were in school forever, it seemed like, right? And so that was a lot of money. Right, right. So a lot of money, lot of hours, lot of blood, sweat and tears um that we put into it.
00:15:34
Speaker
So it's like right now in our careers, we're both less than 10 years out of dental school. So it's not an option to not practice. Truly, you know, so it might mean, you know, if I'm having a bad back day.
00:15:49
Speaker
you know, I'm figuring some stuff out, putting some ointment on or, and hopefully praying it doesn't smell too bad and my patients don't smell it, you know, to, to make sure that I'm um being able to be present and do what I need to do.
00:16:05
Speaker
And not only for my patients, but to make sure that this baby practice that I just bought gets a chance to grow up, you know, and to take care of your family and your you know, your life well. My garden?
00:16:21
Speaker
Your garden. I need any need money to like... and Seeds cost money? Right. Seeds cost money. I've got to be able to have my tools to prune and all that kind of stuff. So... Yeah.
00:16:33
Speaker
Pierogi and gnocchi, they need toys. Do they ever? They got to eat.
00:16:41
Speaker
Yeah. i I think it's one of those things of We are well compensated as dentists and we work really hard for what we do, but that education wasn't cheap. We got to make, we got to, we got to spend that handpiece and make that money. And that's just what it is for now so that we can get to that self-determined future.
00:17:15
Speaker
You bring up some really good points. Yeah. This is ah quite the interesting time topic. um I imagine six months from now when we're on here talking, I'm sure that our self-determined futures will likely have altered slightly. Mm-hmm.
00:17:34
Speaker
But it's a very good talking point. So to our listeners, we are 100% interested to hear what your current self-determined future is. Do you know what it is?
00:17:45
Speaker
um Are you on the journey of figuring out what it looks like to you? If you are, that's fine. We just told you that um we're still trying to figure it
Mentorship and Guidance Offer
00:17:55
Speaker
out too. Yeah.
00:17:58
Speaker
And if there's anything we can do to help you know get you on that right path or in the right direction, at least, please reach out. If you are a practice owner or a new associate and you're trying to build your practice to get you pointed towards your self-determined future, please reach out to us, reach out to Ignite. We talk a lot about there being sort of three areas that have to be in alignment to get you in that right direction. So we talk about your people, your process, and your financial controls.
00:18:41
Speaker
um And so if you'd like to learn more about that or learn more about getting those things in the right shape to get you where you want to go, please um reach out to us or Ignite DDS. We've
Conclusion and Thanks
00:18:55
Speaker
got excellent coaches, mentors, and people to guide you towards what you want for your future.
00:19:03
Speaker
And if any of that sounds good to you, please feel free to reach out to me at Savannah Craig DDS. onre grant And me at Dr. Underscore Sartor. and Until next time. Thank you for joining us for this episode of Beyond Graduation. If you enjoyed this week's episode, be sure to share it with a friend.
00:19:29
Speaker
and remember, you are not alone on this journey. Thank you for listening to Beyond Graduation brought to you by Ignite DDS and Future Dentists. This episode was sponsored by Ignite DDS Coaching. We build self-determined futures. For more information, please reach out to the Ignite DDS team.