Dr. Jossen Gastelum joins the podcast to discuss his journey as a dentist and the importance of representation for Latino dentists. He shares his experience of graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges he faced transitioning into private practice. Dr. Gastelum also talks about his passion for esthetics and the impact of social media on his career. He emphasizes the need for open conversations about burnout in the dental profession and the importance of an abundance mindset. Dr. Gastelum concludes by discussing his future plans, including the possibility of owning his own practice.
About The Guest:
Dr. Jossen Gastelum is a practicing General and Cosmetic Dentist currently based in Scottsdale, Arizona. A graduate of the 2020 class at the University of Louisville’s School of Dentistry, but originally from Tucson, Arizona—Dr. Gastelum practiced at home in the Tucson/Marana area for over two years before making the move up to the Phoenix area for a new opportunity. His interests in dentistry range from Cosmetics, Biomimetic/Minimally-Invasive Dentistry, to injectables such as Botox.
Better known as @DoctorJossen on Tik Tok and Instagram, Dr. Gastelum has successfully used social media as a way to connect and network with fellow dentists and current dental and pre-dental students, as well as to share educational content with the general public. A proud Latino dentist, Dr. Gastelum also frequently shares content relating to his journey as a Latino and First Generation graduate. His goal is that by sharing this content he will help to increase visibility and representation of Latinos in dentistry in hopes of inspiring more future Latino representation in the field. As a dental student, Dr. Gastelum was heavily involved with student organizations including the Hispanic Student Dental Association where he served as President. He also served as the Social Media Chair for the Louisville Chapter of the American Student Dental Association where he began his interest in creating content and learned about the power of social media networking.
Key Takeaways:
1. Graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenging time, but Dr. Gastelum found support through social media and connecting with other dentists.
2. Dr. Gastelum's passion for esthetics led him to pursue certification in Botox and fillers, which has opened up new opportunities for him.
3. Burnout is a common issue in the dental profession, and it's important to have open conversations about it and support one another.
4. Social media has been a valuable tool for Dr. Gastelum to connect with pre-dental students, dental students, and potential patients.
5. Dr. Gastelum sees ownership as the future of his career and believes it will allow him to have more control over the type of dentistry he wants to practice.
6. Being Latino in the profession and serving as a mentor to fellow Latinos is a passion for both Joseen and Tanya Sue.
Connect with Jossen Gastelum on IG: @drjossen
Connect with Jossen Gastelum on Tiktok: @drjossen
Connect with New Dentists on the Block: @newdentistsontheblock
Connect with Tanya Sue Maestas: @tsmaestas.dds
Full video on Youtube