“I remember when I was in dental school or even before going into dental school, in my mind I could do it all,” Dr. McGuire said. “I’m still the same kid who doesn’t see a barrier of being a female versus a male. You’re a doctor. I don’t see a barrier because of age. I don’t see a barrier because I’m mixed-race compared to a Caucasian or an African-American. I don’t see any of that. The biggest thing is not having those barriers in your own head.”

Dr. McGuire, who practices at Stonecreek Dental Care in Kettering shared her thoughts as part of a Women in Dentistry (WinD) panel with three other North American Dental Group (NADG) supported female clinical leaders. The virtual event – Challenges, Opportunities, and Growth Within Leadership Roles – was held in late March and capped NADG’s celebration of Women’s History Month. WinD is an initiative started by NADG in 2019 to empower women in dentistry and advocate for equity.

Dr. McGuire was joined by Dr. Anna Warnock, of Complete Dental Care in Shadyside, OH and Dr. Mary Ann Hollis, of Grove Dental Associates in Lombard, IL as panelists. The event was moderated by Dr. Farah Kar, an orthodontist at Braces Braces in Atlanta, GA, who shared her own insights for an audience that included doctors, hygienists, and dental students. The women covered a variety of topics during their discussion from what advice they would give to young women considering careers in dentistry to how best to balance work and raising a family.

The comments from the women come amid a developing crossover in dentistry.

While the profession is still dominated by males, the number of licensed female dentists has steadily risen over the past two decades and is currently at an all-time high. Last year, 35-percent of the 201,000 dentists in the United States were female, according to the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute (HPI). Compare that to 16-percent in 2001.

“It is amazing when you look at a timeline and you look at the last 5, 10, 15, 20 years and how suddenly there’s been such a huge change,” said Dr. Kar. “Obviously, we need more change, but it has been amazing to watch.”

And there is reason to expect that there will be more change with data revealing the majority of students in the pipeline to become dentists are women. In 2020, nearly 52-percent of pre-doctoral dental students in the U.S. were women and about 51-percent of the class of 2019 dental graduates were women, according to HPI.

As the number of female dentists increases, so too does their voice in shaping the future of dentistry and role as leaders in dental service organizations (DSO). Dr. McGuire and Dr. Warnock are both NADG partners and regional dental directors. Dr. Hollis is an NADG partner and dental director for her group in the Chicago-area. And Dr. Kar is an NADG partner. NADG’s non-clinical executive team also features two women leaders – Chief Marketing & Advertising Officer Teresa Hammond and Chief Operating Officer Kristen Kerns.

Dr. Hollis believes women approach dentistry differently than men and encourages future female dentists to not shy away from their instincts.

“I think we are very relationship oriented. I’m not saying we care more (than men) but we get more involved with our patients and we get to know them, we get to know their families, and we get to know what they want,” said Dr. Hollis. “I think sometimes people are hesitant and would think we don’t want to know. But that’s the most exciting part of dentistry for me, knowing my patients.”

Dr. Warnock says another benefit of the profession are the flexible hours that supports time away from work to raise a family.

“We do have the luxury of being in a profession where there is the ability to have balance. And when we get out of balance, more often than not it is self-inflicted,” Dr. Warnock said. “We put that pressure on ourselves. All of these things are jumbling in your head and let’s face it, as a new mom you are exhausted.”

Her advice.

“Enjoy the journey. Rest when you need it. Give yourself a break. Don’t expect too much from yourself. And take the help,” Dr. Warnock said.

Dr. Kar adds that if you wish to see improvement in the office or at home, be the change you want to see.

“It’s modeling. If you want to be a compassionate person then you need to model that,” Dr. Kar said. “If you want to be someone who is approachable and relatable, and you want your staff to be loving and caring then you need to model that.”

Watch the discussion here.

What Inspires You? When Did You Know That You Wanted to Pursue A Career In Dentistry? What Is Rewarding About Your Career?

As I walk down the hallway with my young patient to our ‘treasure chest’ of goodies, I smile to myself. That was me at 5 years old, seeing Dr. Bob as his little patient. The very same letters still hang over my head, “Grove Dental.” Back then, the walls were covered in a wallpaper with a palette of avocado green, maize yellow and burnt orange of yesteryear. I have fond memories of going to the dentist as a child but would have never imagined becoming a pediatric dentist at the very place where I was a patient.

My Chicago roots kept me here. I attended college at the University of Chicago and received my dental education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. When I was ready to be a pediatric dentist, joining Grove felt like the best fit. And after more than 17 phenomenal years, I am still here. Grove has served the Chicagoland community for over 50 years and is unique in that it was at the forefront of the multi-specialty, multi-location dental practice model. Grove’s origins began in 1968 with 3 dentists, eventually becoming 4 locations with over 30 dentists and 250 team members. In 2019, the group affiliated with North American Dental Group, with an even greater network of dental practices in the East and West.

Most of the time when people ask what I do, I reply enthusiastically with “I’m a pediatric dentist.” Oftentimes, the reciprocating facial expressions are of bewilderment. They say, “God bless you, why would you choose to do that?” Then I get to share all the reasons of why I absolutely love my job. Our days are filled with interacting with so many remarkable people and patients. This includes our many infants, children, adolescents and people with special needs and abilities patients. We have the privilege to follow our patients through their formative years and get to appreciate their distinct personalities, stories, and dreams. My youngest patient is just a few days old, and my oldest patient is in his sixties. One of the best parts of my job is the small but meaningful victories, such as helping a new patient get comfortable enough to sit in the dental chair for the duration of the first visit. When our team is able help the patient overcome some of their fears and anxieties (and their parents’ too), it is truly an incredible feeling.

Working with my team continues to be an incredible journey. Despite the challenges that. dentistry faced with the coronavirus pandemic, my team was able to navigate and adapt to provide the best-in-class patient care. This year will be forever marked in our memories, and we will remember that we got through it together, with care for our patients and each other as top priority. For this, I will be eternally grateful. We work together like a well-oiled machine. From our years of closely working together, we have developed the ability the communicate with quick glances, and sometimes without uttering a word. On occasion, we have been known to spontaneously belt out in unison, “The Brushing Song” in tune and in rhythm.  I am constantly amazed by the empathy and enthusiasm of our team. We love any opportunity to engage with the local community through volunteer events and to support each other during times of difficulty. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I say it takes a tightly knit team to deliver outstanding dental care.

At times, I come to work, fix my gaze on the “Grove Dental” sign, words that take me back to my childhood, but also represents something of my present self. It encompasses the years of change through the community that embraced me as a kid and has had a huge impact on my life. I am proud to say that Grove is a part of me, it is my community.

For Further Information Contact:
Reginald Fields
FieldsR@nadentalgroup.com
614-537-7943

Pittsburgh, PA (March 18, 2021) – The statement below can be attributed to North American Dental Group.

“North American Dental Group (NADG) strongly condemns acts of violence and harassment in any form. The overt and deplorable acts of racism, bigotry, and hate directed at Asians and Asian-Americans in our country must stop! We stand in support of people of Asian descent who rightfully deserve respect and freedom to lead their lives absent the despicable events witnessed this week in Georgia and over the past year across our country. At NADG we embrace diversity as a virtue of life and reject racism as a scourge on society. We strive to maintain and share an inclusive and equitable environment that is built on a foundation of empathy, compassion and humility.”

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About North American Dental Group

North American Dental Group (NADG), based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was co-founded in 2008 by Ken Cooper and Dr. Andrew Matta. NADG was created to transform the dental experience for patients, clinicians, and its support teams and today consists of a network of 250 supported dental practices across 15 states. The values of maintaining an emotionally intelligent approach, being thoughtful educators, and displaying a healthy bravado fuel its day-to-day patient care and operations. These founding values are alive and well as NADG celebrates its pioneering spirit by solidifying its partnership with Jacobs Holding AG. For more information, please visit: www.NADentalGroup.com.