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Holiday Cheer and Gift Ideas for Dentists
13 Plays25 days ago
About the Hosts:
Dr. Savanah Craig and Dr. Ronnetta Sartor are passionate voices in the dental community, dedicated to supporting fellow dentists through their early career experiences. Dr. Savanah Craig is known for her engaging insights on practical approaches in dentistry while balancing personal passions. Dr. Ronnetta Sartor is recognized for her emphasis on work-life balance and community building within the dental field. Together, they co-host the "Beyond Graduation" podcast, focusing on life and career growth after dental school, providing invaluable perspectives and guidance to new graduates.
Episode Summary:
In this festive holiday episode of "Beyond Graduation," Dr. Savanah Craig and Dr. Ronnetta Sartor delve into the joyous season's unique dynamics in their dental practices. Highlighting the shifts from dental school to professional work life, they cherish festive family traditions and share insights into balancing professional obligations with personal celebrations.
As the holiday season approaches, dental practices navigate the complex dance of festive spirit while managing year-end patient demands. Dr. Craig and Dr. Sartor touch upon the quirks of holiday scheduling and the impact of patient insurance timelines. Their engaging conversation includes personal anecdotes, detailing how they infuse holiday cheer into their offices with decorations and themed dress codes. They also discuss the importance of taking time off to recharge and savor family connections amidst a bustling schedule.
The hosts also provide insightful gift ideas for dentists, ranging from practical items like massage guns to whimsical teeth-themed trinkets. Highlighting some favorite gifts, they talk about neck pillows, travel gear, heated blankets, and the essential role of relaxation in a dentist’s life. This episode is a delightful listen for anyone interested in understanding the intersection of holiday joy, professional responsibilities, and personal well-being in the dental world.
Key Takeaways:
- The holiday season in dental practice involves balancing festive activities with professional responsibilities and year-end patient demands.
- Decorating the office for holidays can uplift team spirit and enhance the patient experience.
- Taking time off during holidays is crucial for both mental well-being and maintaining strong family connections.
- Thoughtful gift ideas for dentists include practical self-care items, creative dental-themed gifts, and travel accessories.
- Engaging with patient communications throughout the year can smooth the influx of dental appointments at year-end.
Connect with Us:
- Savanah Craig, DDS: @savanahcraigdds
- Ronnetta Sartor, DMD: @dr_sartor
- FutureDentists Beyond Graduation: @futuredentistsbeyondgraduation
- Dental Residency Guide and Beyond Graduation eBooks: https://ignitedds.com/subscription-resources/
Tune into this festive and insightful episode as we blend the holiday cheer with dental wisdom. Engage with our joyful banter, creative gift ideas, and heartfelt conversations about life beyond graduation. Stay connected for more enlightening discussions in our series!
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Transcript
Introduction & Host Holiday Experiences
00:00:00
Speaker
Join Dr. 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. There's a reason it's called practicing dentistry. All right. Welcome back to this special edition holiday episode of Beyond Graduation. I'm Savannah Craig.
00:00:25
Speaker
And I'm Renata Sartor and we are in the holiday spirit. Yes. Um, so we wanted to do something a little bit different, a little more fun and talk about holiday times in our offices, in our life, um, and give you maybe some gift ideas for the special dentist in your life.
00:00:50
Speaker
um So Renetta, what does the holiday season look like for you, for your practice? um Has that changed throughout? Well, obviously in dental school, we got a heck of a lot more time off than we do now, I'm sure. For sure. Yeah, so it meant relaxation and finally decompressing from exams and stuff in dental school. Um, but now it looks like, um, in my house we decorate for Christmas, like starting like now cause we have lots of Christmas decorations. So it's an exciting time in the season. Um, outside of the house has fall decorations, but, um, the inside will be a,
00:01:40
Speaker
Christmas Wonderland by the time um Christmas gets here um for the office. um Right now and it's fall decorations on the outside and inside and it's exciting. It's um festive and um it's really fun because I get to get my nieces involved and they help out with it.
00:02:04
Speaker
And then literally as soon as Thanksgiving comes, that's when the office is transformed for Christmas. So all of the fall things are removed and we put up the Christmas tree and Christmas decorations and lobby and everything.
Office Holiday Traditions & Time Off
00:02:22
Speaker
It's a fun time we have a um our office is gonna have its first baby um and the baby is do around christmas time so that's gonna bring even more festivities to our office i'm sure i'm one of um our team members is having a baby that's exciting.
00:02:44
Speaker
And so it's kind of making the fall season cool too, because we're going to have a baby shower and do all that fun stuff. So, um, yeah, it's a exciting time and it's a time to reflect on what really matters. Um, our family and we take some time off the week of Christmas and the day before Thanksgiving. Um,
00:03:08
Speaker
My thought process is I know that my team, you know, we all have lives outside of work. And so I know that if they are at work, they are 100% thinking about being with the people that they love. And so rather than not being present, all of us not being present, I like for us to have that break to be with the people that we love and then reconvene because then we can be our best for ourselves and for our patients.
00:03:38
Speaker
What about you? What's this time of year look like for you? Yeah. Um, same family festivities. We, Adam and I are super lucky that our families are all super close geographically, but that makes things a little challenging. So trying, we've, we've been together for forever. So we're learning to split holidays and all of those things, but our niece and nephew are both December babies. So that adds an extra fun layer of
00:04:12
Speaker
birthday parties and Christmas get togethers and all of that. So it's nice this year, we'll be back closer to home in Ohio versus South Carolina made things a little challenging. So and that will be a lot of fun. And then in the office, the day before Christmas or the days before Christmas, we're allowed to wear like ugly Christmas sweaters and dress up. So that was very fun last year.
00:04:39
Speaker
Do you all dress up for Halloween, too?
Festive Dress-Up & Dentistry Challenges
00:04:42
Speaker
We do dress up for Halloween, too. So um I let my team pick. It's a Thursday, so it's a sedation day. So we had to come up with what would not be horrifying to wake up from sedation.
00:04:58
Speaker
So we've settled on the Cheetah Girls. Oh, that's cute. Yes. We're going to do Toy Story. That's cute. That's cute. are um business team is doing, our office manager is gonna be Cruella Deville and the rest of the business team is gonna be Dalmatians. oh I think that's really cute. Super cute. Yeah. um But yeah, so I have a um full like Christmas jumpsuit and then the front is like all these snowflakes and it it lights up. That's cool. Yeah, so that was that was the ah the star of the show last year.
00:05:38
Speaker
And I just think it's hilarious to be at the dentist and like we all look like goofy Christmas elves. I think that's so funny. Yeah, I think we need to step our Christmas swag game up after listening to you will do like the ah Christmas sweater one. um But I feel like I need a whole suit now. Yeah. Yeah. Mm hmm. Amazon always. OK. Looking as soon as we finish. It has a battery pack. it's a whole it's You can see me coming down the hallway.
00:06:17
Speaker
Hilarious. Yes. um I do think that Christmas is kind of a strange time in dentistry because people are trying to like use up insurance benefits before the end of the year and that sort of thing. so I feel like ah obviously I've only had one Christmas season in private practice so far, but I feel like there's this weird ebb and flow of some days are really, really slow because it is the holiday season and then other days are like chaotic because people are like, I want to get in. I want to, you know, before January. So has that been your experience or? It has been, I think it depends to like location and patient population. Totally. so
00:06:58
Speaker
When I worked in group practice and we accepted you know just about every insurance that was out there, Christmas looked super hectic um because you had people with from all walks of life and everything, just trying to get in to get stuff done. In the area that I'm in now, people want to maximize their benefits, um but I don't see it as much like in December thing, but it could also be too is that our office does constant reminders.
00:07:34
Speaker
Throughout the year like hey, you know, they get emails like if they have an outstanding treatment plan that we haven't done They also get emails like starting in September, you know use it or lose it Sure emails like hey just a reminder if you have benefits left You might want to try to maximize your benefits um And I don't know if it's because we're just communicating with them more or if it's just a demographic difference It's hard to know ah chicken or the egg kind of deal. yeah So um I think this year will be just the way Christmas and New Year's fell on the middle of the week is super weird. It's really weird. It's super weird.
Thanksgiving & Christmas Plans
00:08:22
Speaker
ah But yeah, trying to take as much time off as possible and spend time with family. but
00:08:30
Speaker
There will be many back and forths from Columbus to Pittsburgh to fit all the family in. Um, I'm really excited for Thanksgiving this year. We, uh, my mom keeps saying we're kind of collecting but the Island of misfit toys, but we, we have a very low key Thanksgiving, my family. So my, my pap app can't.
00:08:54
Speaker
wait to eat Thanksgiving dinner because we put it in a roaster. So you like smell it all night. So we usually start eating Thanksgiving breakfast at like 10 a.m. And we just eat all day long and it's nobody gets out of their pajamas and it's very chill. And so um a couple of my friends from dental school have started coming to our Thanksgiving. And then um one of my good friends from college is going to be in town doing an internship at OSU. So she's coming for Thanksgiving. Like we just keep adding more and more people. So I'm really excited to just have all of my people together as much as possible.
00:09:34
Speaker
I think that makes a lot of sense though, the, to the being in pajamas. Cause I know some families don't like dress up no for Thanksgiving, but if you go and eat all day, you really need something stretchy yeah sight in in the waistline, you know? yeah is So I, and just eat your Turkey, take a nap, eat more Turkey, take a nap. It's the best. I think that is genius. Shout out to you and your family. So Thanksgiving's my favorite cause we just,
00:10:03
Speaker
sleep and eat and be together and play cards and it' it's really good. That's cool. This year for Christmas, we're going to be at Disney, so. Fun. It'll be my first time being there for Christmas, so I'll have to keep you updated. Yes. You're taking the nieces, I'm assuming. Yes. So it'll be, they don't know that they're going yet, so it's going to be a surprise. Yeah.
00:10:32
Speaker
Oh, that'll be awesome. When do you are you going? Like, when are you going? Will you be there for Christmas Day? We will. Sweet. I can't remember is either we leave the day I think we leave to get there a day before. Okay. So we will spend Christmas Day there. That's so fun. I can't wait to hear all about it.
00:10:55
Speaker
Yeah, it'll be fun, especially because I don't know how we're going to tell them that we are going yet. Um, so yeah, that, that will be really, I think it'll be a different Christmas because I don't know. if We're just going to get in the car and just start driving. And when, we'll you know, when they wake up, yeah, like we're at Disney. Yeah. Merry Christmas. Oh, that'll be so fun.
00:11:22
Speaker
Yeah, I did um Christmas. My best friend studied abroad. um So it was her junior year of college, my freshman year. And her dad took a couple of us, and we did Christmas in Ireland. Oh, cool. um And so you know you miss being with like your family, but what a super cool experience. So I
Gift Ideas for Dentists
00:11:45
Speaker
think everyone's not. It's OK to shake up Christmas and do some travel or something a little bit different.
00:11:50
Speaker
For sure. So, you know, if you've been a good dentist this year, right? Or, ah you know, you made the comment of like gifts for the special dentists in your life. So let's just say that you've been a good dentist. What does a good dentist put on their Christmas list for Santa? Uh, I think you and I were talking ah very much about massage or You know, those little massage guns are coming down in price. Costco, Sam's Club, Amazon are your places to go. um Or massage gift cards we talked about. We were laughing about teeth-shaped gifts.
00:12:39
Speaker
which I think is funny. There's so many, I mean, Etsy has so many different things now. So I think some cute little, I have teeth shaped planters. Um, I have teeth magnets. People really went all out for me when I graduated dental school. So those are fun, fun to have teeth. Ice cube trays are a really, uh, the talk of any sort of get together at my house. So,
00:13:09
Speaker
Have you ever seen those? I have. I have some myself. ah Yes. That is, I think, the dentist starter pack. Everyone must have a set of teeth ice cube trays. um And it just horrifies people when you pour them a glass of water and there are dentured ice floating in there.
00:13:30
Speaker
Whose are these? Right? we I keep talking about how I want to figure out a way how to like export my own scan. And I'm like, Adam, you're an engineer. like What's the research and development to make custom teeth ice cube trays? Oh, of your own teeth. Of my own teeth. Ooh. Watch out, Savannah's family. Research and development is underway. but
00:13:59
Speaker
What is about you? One of the best gifts that I've gotten is we always joke about like once I come home and I get in my relaxation clothes and everything, I like to go to my little corner on my couch.
00:14:17
Speaker
And what I love to do is snuggle up with a blanket. And so one of the best gifts that I've ever got was a heated blanket that was super for after long days. Some other gifts that I know some of my friends love have been like drink glasses for if you want to have a non-alcoholic beverage or alcoholic beverage.
00:14:43
Speaker
after the day and then I always joke, if it's been a really, really long day, um maybe get them some festive Kleenex in case they want to drown their tears in their Kleenex in there, i getting there um you know, with their wine glasses or drink glasses. We ah we love the the the combo set, the before patient coffee mug and the after patient you know, wine glass. It makes me think of our, our program director from residency and his before patient coffee mug that just was always around. I was going to say the other thing too could be, um, cause you and I talk about going to CE all the time or traveling, um, and learning something new. So if you're,
00:15:39
Speaker
Special someone who is a dentist travels a lot. Any type of travel gear would be an excellent gift. um Neck pillows or great IMS or great, any type of charging device or anything that helps with making the travel process a lot easier. Yes. Gifts, gifts to yourself, even of good luggage or I'm a TSA pre-check girlie and I never gone back.
00:16:09
Speaker
Yes. I just joined the club and I'm very, very happy that I made the dive. I'm so happy. Yes. Um, I think, oh, the other one we were talking about heated coffee mug. Those are yes and so excellent little splurge gifts. I think just any sort of,
00:16:35
Speaker
You know, you got to be caffeinated. you have Your body's got to be feeling good. Travel gear. ah Speaking of body feeling good, we always talk about giving back to yourself and we've talked about massages and spas and that sort of thing, but also gym memberships. Yeah. For people who, um you know, want to take better care of their body or just want to maintain where they are, that can be a good gift as well.
00:17:05
Speaker
Totally, totally. um Yeah, AirPods, you know, stuff, even as when I was a student, you know, iPads and things to help with studying are really awesome. There's there's a lot.
Conclusion & Audience Engagement
00:17:22
Speaker
don't forget Don't forget your favorite dentist this holiday season. And I am super interested because I think Savannah and I, we have really unique ways of celebrating the holidays. So I know that everyone out there has their own traditions. So if you have a family tradition, no matter what holiday it is, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, we want to know about it. So definitely let us know.
00:17:48
Speaker
oh what your family traditions or office traditions are and what you're looking for or to, you know, this holiday season. Thank you for an awesome year um and another season of Beyond Graduation. Let us know, um let us know what you think and yeah, let us know your fun holiday holiday season ideas. 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. Connect with us on social media, Savannah Craig, DDS, and Dr. Underscore Sartor. And remember, you are not alone on this journey. This episode was sponsored by the Dental Residency Guide and the Beyond Graduation eBooks. These eBooks can be found at IgniteDDS dot.com slash eBooks. Thank you so much for listening to the Beyond Graduation brought to you by Ignite DDS and Future Dentists.