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Who Do You Trust?
5 Plays47 minutes ago
About the Hosts:
Dr. Savanah Craig and Dr. Ronnetta Sartor are the dynamic hosts of the podcast "Beyond Graduation," where they explore the intricacies of early-career challenges faced by dental professionals post-graduation. With years of experience in the field of dentistry, both hosts bring an authentic and insightful perspective to the table. Dr. Craig is known for her commitment to patient care and dental education, while Dr. Sartor brings a wealth of experience in practice management and patient relationship building. Together, they aim to empower fellow dentists in forging their own paths by sharing personal stories, professional advice, and building a supportive community around the complexities of life beyond graduation.
Episode Summary:
In this engaging episode of "Beyond Graduation," hosts Dr. Savanah Craig and Dr. Ronnetta Sartor delve into the real-life challenges and personal experiences that have shaped their perspectives as practicing dentists. The episode kicks off with Sartor sharing her journey with a back injury and her ongoing quest to find the right chiropractic care. She explains the highs and lows of navigating healthcare, paralleling it with the patient experience in dentistry where trust and communication are vital.
Further into the discussion, the focus shifts to Dr. Craig as she explores the complex world of homeownership and financial decision-making as a dentist. Through this segment, the hosts discuss the intricacies of balancing decisions about practice ownership and personal investments such as buying a house. They highlight the importance of seeking expert advice, trusting one’s instincts, and the concept of "failing fast"—making informed decisions quickly to better navigate life's uncertainties. This episode is packed with practical advice and insights into making major life decisions with confidence and clarity.
Key Takeaways:
- The importance of self-advocacy in healthcare and patient care, emphasizing the need to trust your instincts and get second opinions when necessary.
- Navigating financial decisions as an early-career dentist involves understanding the implications of practice ownership versus personal investments like buying a home.
- Trust is foundational in both patient care and in personal decision-making; inconsistencies or lack of transparency can be a red flag.
- Failing fast is a strategy of making quick, informed decisions to efficiently adapt and overcome challenges.
- Validation of personal experience and intuition, especially in understanding one's body and life's priorities, is crucial.
Connect with Us:
- Savanah Craig, DDS: @savanahcraigdds
- Ronnetta Sartor, DMD: @dr_sartor
- FutureDentists Beyond Graduation: @futuredentistsbeyondgraduation
- FutureDentists: @futuredentists
- IgniteDDS and IgniteDDS Coaching: @ignitedds and www.ignitedds.com
Explore more about trusting your instincts, making sound financial decisions, and understanding your patient's needs by tuning into this episode. Stay with us for upcoming episodes where we continue to empower dentists and delve deeper into life beyond graduation.
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Transcript
Introduction and Hosts' Backgrounds
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, welcome back to another episode of Beyond Graduation. i am Savannah Craig and with me as always. is Renetta Sartor.
00:00:22
Speaker
We're happy to be back.
The Role of Experts and Personal Experiences in Patient Care
00:00:23
Speaker
so this week, I think we wanted to talk about some, you know, real things that are going on in our lives right now. And the idea of finding sort of experts and how we how how these experiences in our own lives have given us a new perspective um in patient care and building trust with our patients.
00:00:51
Speaker
So Renetta, do you want to share a little bit about what's been going on in your life?
Challenges with Trusting Chiropractic Opinions
00:00:56
Speaker
Sure. So um we've kind of talked about my back injury that I've had and um how it's been a journey to like get into a place where on a daily basis, I'm comfortable and able to do what I need to do for myself and for my patients.
00:01:17
Speaker
And so one of the things that's happened recently is I've been seeing a chiropractor for a couple of years. Initially, things were going great and then not so great. And so for the past sort of year, I've been advocating for myself and saying, hey, this isn't right.
00:01:35
Speaker
Like something feels wrong. And recently I decided to get a second opinion reach out to another chiropractor And I have been told something completely different than what the previous car.
00:01:49
Speaker
Well, not completely different. So diagnosis pretty much is the same, but analysis of what's going on and approach to correcting it is different.
00:02:01
Speaker
And so um it kind of puts you in a space where it's like, who do you trust? Right. And I think I have um probably experienced what a lot of our patients have experienced where they go to the dentist down the road and they tell them one thing and then they come in our office and we may tell them something a little bit different.
00:02:23
Speaker
And so from that perspective, I've experienced the highs and lows that I've seen a lot of our patients go through. um and it's one of those things where I feel confident,
00:02:36
Speaker
that I made the right decision to find a new chiropractor. um The only thing I wish I had done is get the second opinion sooner.
00:02:47
Speaker
Yeah.
Motivation for Seeking Second Opinions in Healthcare
00:02:48
Speaker
um Do what, um
00:02:56
Speaker
I guess, what prompted you to get that second opinion? Was it a gut feeling? Was it not having progress? Yeah. What did that sort of look So I think it was all of the above.
00:03:09
Speaker
So part of it is, you know, they always say that doctors make the worst patients, right? So, absolutely you know, I would go to my appointments and like, I'd be like, I think we should get a radiograph.
00:03:21
Speaker
I think we need to get a radiograph to like, see what you're adjusting and see if the adjustments you've been doing have worked. Yeah. And so for me, it's like, okay, if I ask for that and then it keeps being obstacles to making that happen, yeah then I need to go someplace else where I can have what I need and get the treatment that I need. Um,
00:03:48
Speaker
one of the things that was happening is that I would get adjusted and instead of having relief, I would have more pain. And so my thought process was, well, darn, should I just stop getting adjustments?
00:04:01
Speaker
Cause I feel a lot better when I don't go, you know? and yeah when that starts to happen, you have to start thinking, okay, you know, this isn't working for me anymore.
00:04:12
Speaker
um And it's best that I figure out a way to move forward. And it's nothing against the previous chiropractor. It's okay. It's not working for me. And the same thing with our patients, right?
00:04:24
Speaker
It may be time season in our lives where we're the end all be all.
Developing Empathy Through Personal Medical Experiences
00:04:30
Speaker
You know, and it might be a period where they need someone more specialized to do something that maybe we're not equipped to do.
00:04:38
Speaker
Yeah. um So it's been very eye opening and I have um I think I definitely can empathize with our patients a whole lot more. Yeah.
00:04:50
Speaker
I think it always sounds so hokey, but going back to that trust your gut thing and and also, for patients who may or may not be probably not listening to us. But ah hum there's a difference between asking for something, like you said, a radiograph and being explained why or why why that may or may not be the best treatment versus being sort of written off. And so I don't, not that every dentist, not that I'm the right dentist for every patient and you're welcome to always seek a second opinion, but sometimes it's
00:05:27
Speaker
We might not be in alignment and there's a reason for it, but I'm would like to think I'm going to be the type of dentist who would explain to you why that is You know i mean? Right. So like for me, it's not a good enough explanation to say, that's just the way your back is.
00:05:43
Speaker
No, I need more. You got to tell me more because I know enough. Right. Right. To, to know when you're BSing me pretty much. Like, so that's what's been going on in my world. It's been a process. um But I think that the new chiropractor and I are on a good trajectory and I'm excited for what the future holds.
00:06:09
Speaker
So we'll keep you posted on it. Yeah. What's new in your world,
Navigating Homeownership and Financial Decisions
00:06:13
Speaker
Savannah? ah Apparently homeownership or the the potential for homeownership.
00:06:22
Speaker
So we're we're dentists. We're not trained in like business and all of that nonsense. So. been trying to figure out um in in the potential talks of ownership and different things that that looks like um potentially in the future, how do mortgages and house payments and all of those things sort of factor into that as well?
00:06:49
Speaker
And you it's harder to get that answer than you you might think. Yeah. Everybody has sort of a different opinion, it seems, on should a dentist buy the practice before getting a house and practice loans versus mortgages and...
00:07:08
Speaker
debt-to-income ratios and all of these things that I don't totally understand. um And so I've been really trying to talk with a variety of people and get different opinions and try to fully understand the implications of various decisions and how that might affect my self-determined future, but also current happiness and those sorts of things and the Happiness of my husband who wants a workshop or a garage. that has been um a lot of adulting and it can be very stressful when you don't fully understand these processes and things.
00:07:52
Speaker
what banks are looking at and what is quote good debt versus bad debt. And it's, it's been super overwhelming. And I just like in my relationship dynamics, I'm the one to like make those phone calls and try to figure that stuff out. And I do feel like, because I'm the one sort of compliment, complicating our financial yeah Picture, I feel like I have to take the ownership in some of those things. um
00:08:23
Speaker
And my husband's so just like laid back that he's like, well, whatever. It's fine. We'll figure it out. And like, Adam, but focus.
00:08:35
Speaker
So that has been, um it's just challenging when you don't, like you said, I can empathize with the patients because i am not the expert in any of these areas I'm not I don't I don't understand bank loans. I don't understand mortgages on a very deep level and what things change. And you got to send all of your bank statements. And i'm like, all of these things are like fluid, right? Like money comes in, money goes out.
00:09:08
Speaker
And we were laughing, trying to find all of your friggin accounts and logins. And oh, yeah. And was like, do you think my grandparents just like showed up somewhat and was like, promise you I've got money. And the person that owned the home was like, it sounds good to me. And they just like bought a house on a handshake.
00:09:32
Speaker
Versus like, I have to find 700 logins to like, I don't know. It's a lot. It's a lot. I think it's going to be a fun and interesting journey for you though.
00:09:46
Speaker
It is. It is. But like I said, Adam's just like, yeah, this is have a garage. I'm good. and I'm like, bro, there's more to it than that.
00:09:58
Speaker
Yeah, I think.
Buying a Practice or Home First: Exploring Options
00:10:00
Speaker
And then I'm like the worst person for you to ask advice to because like, you know, everyone pretty much says that you get the practice first and then the house and then you're like, well, Renata, what did you do? And I'm like, I definitely didn't do that.
00:10:14
Speaker
But I think part of it was because i i mean, it was a time when interest rates were like little or nothing. Absolutely. But I've been talking to all of these banks and they're telling me that you should do the mortgage before the practice because of when you become, I guess, an owner.
00:10:34
Speaker
Your income is looked at as owner income and they sort of ignore any previous work history. And please, people, if you're listening and you're in banking and you act can explain these things to us, please chime in um But yeah, so they were saying if you wait until you're an owner, you have to almost wait two years to prove your income.
00:11:03
Speaker
I got it. um And so they were like, it's basically before you buy anything or buy into anything, Or like two to three years after.
00:11:19
Speaker
would make sense though, because from a practice standpoint, like I bought my practice almost three years ago. a lot of times banks love to see two years worse worth of historicals once I've taken over. Right. Because to them, like what the previous owner did has nothing to do with me. Right. Right.
00:11:42
Speaker
Um, so I definitely can see that, but you're right. How, how are you supposed to know? Like, what if you were waiting in the good part is that you were making those phone calls and talking to people.
00:11:55
Speaker
So you have like more of a clue of what's going on and what to do. But just imagine if you, you hadn't, and let's just say your rent fingers crossed, it doesn't, but let's just say it goes up tremendously like next year. And you're like, Oh, I should have Right.
00:12:12
Speaker
Right. Yeah. Which is why I'm a crazy person who makes all these phone calls and my husband's like, it'll be fine. And I'm like, Adam, it's only fine because I called a thousand people to get the answer.
00:12:26
Speaker
i mean, it's fine for him, right? Yeah, right. Yeah, he's right. He's right then. He's chilling. Yeah. But yeah, so I thought that was super interesting because many people...
00:12:37
Speaker
so many people Even in our Ignite group chat, we're like, no, no, no banks want to see you get the practice first. And I understand that from like a location standpoint, right? You're not going to want, if you're not sure where you're going to practice, you don't want to buy a, necessarily buy a house And then be like, oh, shoot, I'm going to actually practice an hour and a half from here.
00:13:03
Speaker
But no, I guess no, in theory that you're going to have to like wait a while, i guess. I don't know how true it is, but I can think my thought process too is a lot of people assume that when you transition from being the associate to the owner, your income is going to go up too.
Financial Assets and Liabilities: Homes vs. Practices
00:13:26
Speaker
Right. And so you have more opportunities for houses that you may not have been able to look at as an associate.
00:13:37
Speaker
So that may be another aspect of it. But I think a lot of it has to do with that financial sheet that the bank wants you to fill out. Like the office is an asset. Right.
00:13:48
Speaker
One more asset that you had that you didn't have as an associate, you know? Right. Yeah. um Because they know, okay, well, she doesn't pay, you know, we can, you know, she should be able to borrow from the office or something to pay, you know. Right.
00:14:06
Speaker
And I don't know, again, I know nothing about banking, but I'm assuming the practice kind of looks like an asset and a liability, depending on your like loan position and debt on the office.
00:14:21
Speaker
hmm. Probably. Yeah, I can see that. I mean, it's is's kind of like how people talk about houses too. Like, is a house an asset or is it a liability? You know, like, especially if it's one unit that you're living in and not like... Renting out. Renting, yeah. Yeah.
00:14:38
Speaker
Yeah. so adulting is hard.
Trusting Intuition and the Value of Second Opinions
00:14:41
Speaker
um Who do you trust? How do you know who to trust? Exactly. Especially when it's ah oh oh how the tables have turned on we are now not the experts.
00:14:54
Speaker
Not that we've ever claimed to be the experts in chiropractic or banking. um And i do I do think it's back to that like gut feeling and of just who feels like the right fit for you. I think the other thing I've been talking a lot about with friends is the idea of like failing fast and like that sounds that sounds bad because these are big decisions and your back is important and these things but I think when you feel that gut reaction that you need to make a decision or call someone to get the information just do it and don't
00:15:38
Speaker
If you feel you need to get a second opinion, do it. If you feel like you need to call somebody else and get another idea of the lay of the land, do it and try to capture as much information as you can before you make an irreversible decision.
00:15:55
Speaker
hu Does that make sense? That was a long way to get there. No, it makes a ton of sense. it's I think that was a perfect way to sum up what we're saying. Because you're just like, we're not experts.
00:16:09
Speaker
We don't pretend to be. And then I thought about it. You know what? I am an expert of my body. I've lived here all of the years. so Ooh. who I like that. All of the years for as long as I can remember. Yeah, the whole time. yeah I've been in this body. So like, when it's not doing what it should do, even if I don't know what's wrong, i know what's not right.
00:16:30
Speaker
You know, who do you trust? You trust yourself. Yeah. First and foremost, you know what's best for you. you Yeah, because you mentioned trusting your gut.
00:16:44
Speaker
Nobody knows that gut feeling, that intuition, that thing that's telling you halt or press forward. Nobody knows that more than you do. And think the longer talked about being an expert in my body because I've lived here, but the longer we live in these bodies, I think that our gut, we learn to trust it a whole lot more.
00:17:10
Speaker
So that's really good. We answered our question this time. Who do you trust? That never happens. Yeah. All right. We need to save this one for
Listener Engagement and Shared Experiences
00:17:20
Speaker
the books.
00:17:20
Speaker
Like we actually answered the question. Yes. It wasn't rhetorical. Yes. we got to We got to end it there because we've we've had an epiphany and that's as good as we're going to do, people. So until next time.
00:17:34
Speaker
But before before we leave, um we would love to know what's going on in your life. Have you these situations that have occurred where you don't know who to trust?
00:17:47
Speaker
Who's telling you the truth? um One of my friends, she's so funny. She said it best. She said, you know, when you get those two letters before your name, that DR, it's almost like you're walking around with a dollar sign on your forehead.
00:18:02
Speaker
And it can make it really difficult, especially if you don't have the right people um that's guiding you and directing you or the right community of people to, you know, once you get a piece of information going and checking um to make sure, you know, that it's on par with what you believe.
00:18:24
Speaker
But in addition to that, trusting yourself to know that, you know, There are no wrong decisions. It's just, you know, picking on one that's best for you at that time.
00:18:37
Speaker
And so let us know what's going in your world as it pertains to who do you trust. And um if there's anything, if you are someone that knows about mortgages and banking, reach out to Savannah.
00:18:51
Speaker
he If we've somehow find our found our way to chiropractor Instagram, ah ah reach out. ah Right. Or if you have any exercises that has helped you to like strengthen your core or if you have experienced um back pain or any type of pain um and you've worked your way through it, I would love um any information or resources you all have.
00:19:15
Speaker
So on that note, until next time, we'll talk to you
Conclusion and Call to Action
00:19:19
Speaker
soon. 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.
00:19:34
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.