The Happy Dentist Podcast

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Speaker 1
This is a two front podcast.

00:00:02:20 - 00:00:13:09
Speaker 2
It's the biggest fear in the world. Number one, over dentistry and over death is public speaking. Look at how one presentation turned your whole life around.

00:00:13:10 - 00:00:32:10
Speaker 3
I started as an international student and walking to NYU with big dreams, and I grew all the way from a student to a faculty program director. And now I'm like, in every step of that journey, told me something very important and powerful. And is that true? Growth doesn't come from clinical skills alone.

00:00:32:16 - 00:00:43:11
Speaker 4
Annabella was, when I first met her, preparing the stage to really create an amazing career in the academic educational world. At NYU.

00:00:43:17 - 00:00:48:15
Speaker 1
You actually got a lifetime achievement award from the president of the United States.

00:00:48:18 - 00:01:10:18
Speaker 3
Global reach is is a program that I oversee where we take a group of students, faculty and staff, and we travel around the world to offer oral health to communities in need. But it's not just that. It's also training the next leaders that are with us, training the next generation to take action and liquid compassion. You got a crooked smile.

00:01:10:18 - 00:01:20:24
Unknown
But that don't bother me much. You double over working double time, you double tough. The shine it up until the sun hits like a square diamond tear. I get the.

00:01:20:24 - 00:01:23:02
Speaker 3
Facts about the chair.

00:01:23:04 - 00:01:47:18
Speaker 1
Today we have Doctor Anabella Oquendo from NYU dental who is really revolutionizing dentistry in a very unique way. You're the first guest we've had on our show that's really looking at dentistry in a holistic way, fixing dentistry on a mission to fix dentistry beyond fixing teeth and really fixing our industry as a whole. So Doctor Anabella Oquendo, welcome to the happy dentist's.

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Speaker 3
Thank you so much. What a pleasure to be here.

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Speaker 4
I know, I know an since I don't I don't even know more than ten years. When I first met her, she was just starting her journey at NYU. And is one of the professionals that I know that is the most passionate about education. And that's something that connected us since the beginning. As you all know, I you know, I'm in education.

00:02:16:20 - 00:02:47:18
Speaker 4
I love education, that's my life. That's what I do for a living. And Annabella was, when I first met her, preparing the stage to really create an amazing career in the academic, educational world at NYU. And we're going to talk about the amazing things that, she achieved there. She's just growing. Every time I go back to NYU, she's in a higher position and just growing and growing and growing, becoming the boss there.

00:02:47:20 - 00:03:03:22
Speaker 4
And, yeah, it's going to be beautiful to understand better the projects that she's running. And where, dental education is going from the university standpoint, I think that's one of my main curiosities here to.

00:03:03:24 - 00:03:25:09
Speaker 1
To explore and honestly, so needed Annabella, you know, and we use also my alma mater and, you know, I think from month one of being there, I was like, there's a lot that can be improved here. So I wanted to start off by asking you, when did you realize that dentistry needed to be fixed beyond just fixing teeth?

00:03:25:11 - 00:03:50:22
Speaker 3
Well, that realization came through, I would say experience. As Chris and said, I started as an international student. I walk into NYU with big dreams, and I grew all the way from a student to faculty program director, and now my team and every step of that journey told me something very important and powerful. And is that true? Growth doesn't come from clinical skills alone.

00:03:50:24 - 00:04:18:07
Speaker 3
It comes from becoming a well-rounded individual. And that was crucial because it makes me realize that we need to develop not just the hard skills that we're pretty good at. It, right? But also the soft skills that are going to shape who we are as professionals and as people. And that's what really drives me as an educator. And you skating away from that reactive model or with a clinical approach into something a little bit more holistic shaping.

00:04:18:07 - 00:04:40:15
Speaker 3
These individuals are resilience that are amazing leaders, effective communicators. They can see beyond the mouth, and they are able to connect all the dots and they understand business. That's also very important. And that's exactly what I do every day here, trying to implement all these, you know, ideas. And again, it's about the hard skills, but also the soft skills.

00:04:40:20 - 00:04:44:19
Speaker 3
So we shape these well rounded individuals.

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Speaker 4
You you definitely have amazing soft skills. You know you dealt with so many big egos, tough people. You know the academic environment is not friendly whatsoever. Unfortunately, even worse for women. And we always talk about this, that we need much more amazing, powerful women at the top in these environments. How it was for you to start as a student and then grow all the way to the position that you are first, you know, did you know since always that academics was your path?

00:05:23:05 - 00:05:36:10
Speaker 4
Did they happen by chance? Was at NYU that you found this passion for education and academics? How did it start and how did you grow in this journey?

00:05:36:12 - 00:05:59:18
Speaker 3
No, that's that's a good question. I think it took time. And that's that's a great point. I never knew I was going to be in a vocation or teaching or a leadership position. I was a very clinician, like, into clinics a lot and patient care, but as I said before, it was, you know, every step was teaching me and was helping me to grow.

00:05:59:20 - 00:06:21:24
Speaker 3
And I think the end of the day has to do with the type of leader you are. And I'm always investing in my self leadership so I can be the best possible leader, right? So lifting people, building communities and leading with a vision, but also hard. And at the end of the day, as you said, yes, it's a difficult environment, but you just have to model it.

00:06:22:04 - 00:06:42:18
Speaker 3
You just lead by example and is cultivating a culture where people feel seen, they feel supported and, you know, they feel challenged to grow to. And being the leader is not about being the loudest or being the boss. It's about impact and how many people you bring along. And that's when you start, you know, growing and true change really happens, right?

00:06:42:18 - 00:07:06:03
Speaker 3
People feel that, you know, you create teams where you have a shared vision and there is open communication and they feel empowered, they feel inspired, they feel motivated, and, you know, it comes together. But it's hard. It's hard because requires a lot of growth, constant, constant development like that. Self leadership is something that I put a lot of effort into it.

00:07:06:05 - 00:07:10:01
Speaker 3
I'm always striving to be better, always reading. Yeah.

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Speaker 4
So I came from Venezuela to study at NYU.

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Speaker 3
Right.

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Speaker 4
And your plan initially was to do your program at NYU and go back to Venezuela.

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Speaker 3
That's right.

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Speaker 4
That was the plan. Exactly what happened that made you stay.

00:07:27:04 - 00:07:53:18
Speaker 3
Okay. So actually, I was planning to go back exactly as you said. I had my clinic up and running north is not a clinic. But enough is waiting for me with the esthetic skills that I came to learn. But as I started growing in this program, as a as a whole, I gave a presentation. It'll be happened that I gave a presentation and the dean happened to be there, and I was school.

00:07:53:18 - 00:08:12:10
Speaker 3
After the presentation, and he offered me to stay. And I remember saying to the person of that moment that was running our program. So I said, yeah, but I'm a clinician. If I stay here, how can I practice? And he told me, okay, you will have your practice. We have an and will you faculty practice and you stay and you'll be teaching.

00:08:12:12 - 00:08:41:08
Speaker 3
And I actually took the opportunity now because I, I didn't know this was going to become a passion teaching and education. It was because of Venezuela, the way things were going in Venezuela. So I said, this is an opportunity that I should just take it and go. And that decision I ever made, because I discovered my true passion, which I think is making this wider impact through education and through patient care.

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Speaker 4
So this initial program you came, you went to NYU for initial program. What was it, two years.

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Speaker 3
It was two years, one year of full time esthetics. And then I became the fellow, the chief fellow of the program. And that's when this opportunity opened up.

00:08:56:22 - 00:09:01:09
Speaker 4
And that this next opportunity was for how many years more.

00:09:01:11 - 00:09:12:20
Speaker 3
Okay. Then it was a faculty. Then after about two years, I became the program director of the program. That gave me so much. So I became the head of esthetics. And there was really a good.

00:09:12:20 - 00:09:17:06
Speaker 4
But one moment you decided, you know what? I'm not going back to Venezuela.

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Speaker 3
Exactly.

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Speaker 4
In what moment that happened.

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Speaker 3
It was so difficult. I remember keeping my office open. It was so hard to let it go. And maybe two years into the process, it was a phone call. And I said, that, said I, it can hold it up. I know I'm not coming back.

00:09:32:07 - 00:09:52:00
Speaker 1
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00:09:52:00 - 00:10:07:05
Speaker 1
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00:10:07:07 - 00:10:30:06
Speaker 2
When presentation can make such a big difference. You know, this is something that I'm I'm trying to instill in my nieces and nephews is the power of public speaking. And when you're on stage, when you command a room, no matter what topic you're on, but that is powerful. And look at what it can turn into, you know, I mean, it's the biggest fear in the world.

00:10:30:09 - 00:10:41:11
Speaker 2
Number one, over dentistry and over death is public speaking. And it is so powerful that look at how one presentation turned your whole life around.

00:10:41:13 - 00:11:14:20
Speaker 4
And since you mentioned that when people talk about the importance of being good at presentations, they think about, conventional, traditional presentation. You lapped up a projection and an audience when in fact you have many situations in life where you're giving a presentation. If it's in the corridor of a building, you know, a business conversation that somebody important is giving you five minutes to talk, you know, an important meeting, or a casual meeting on a social event.

00:11:14:22 - 00:11:15:08
Speaker 4
Yeah.

00:11:15:09 - 00:11:33:01
Speaker 2
I mean, that's why I love or Annabella said is like, first of all, I just love how you said it's so much more than clinical dentistry. And that's so nice to hear, because I am harping on that over and over and over again. Because every dentist that I know is putting 100% of their effort on clinical dentistry. And then they come to me saying they're burnt out.

00:11:33:01 - 00:11:50:13
Speaker 2
And I'm like, well, you're not going to get better at the other things unless you're putting time, effort and money into it. So I love hearing that from like a high level in the university, too. It's going to really going to help start out a lot of our students on the right path. I tried to do this. I taught at university for nine years.

00:11:50:13 - 00:12:09:14
Speaker 2
I taught at USC, and I always tried to instill some of that in there, but I didn't have any power. You know, I was I was, you know, part time faculty. So having someone that has some power and some influence coming from the top, I mean, you're going to save so many lives with this.

00:12:09:16 - 00:12:21:01
Speaker 1
Yeah, it's actually it's incredible. It's it's the reason that I found N.Y.U. so challenging. And then going into the real world so challenging because I had zero skills, I I'm so happy.

00:12:21:01 - 00:12:22:01
Speaker 2
And all the clinical.

00:12:22:03 - 00:12:46:01
Speaker 1
Skills and all the clinical skills, I made all A's. I was in the top 5% of my class, but it didn't make a difference. I graduated and I was so naive. I didn't even know how to open up a bank account. So, you know, I think something that I found was challenging at NYU is this fixed mindset where, you know, I think, Kyle, to your point, I suggested some things to my instructors.

00:12:46:01 - 00:13:01:11
Speaker 1
No. Like, yeah, yeah, yeah, but you're at the top now, like Christian said. So I'm curious, how have you cultivated a mindset shift at NYU to to make these changes, to promote soft skills and business skills?

00:13:01:13 - 00:13:19:07
Speaker 3
Well, one of the first one I implemented, it was probably speaking that realization, how important is the art of storytelling? And as you say, you don't have to be in the podium. You present to your patients all the time, all the time. So that was the first one. I said, I'm going to do something completely different and equal.

00:13:19:08 - 00:13:44:04
Speaker 3
Even the students attention sometimes, you know, it's challenging. Or I would said this holistic approach can be challenging because of their long standing mindsets. Not everybody's ready for a change, and even the students, sometimes they question the system and they tell you, why are we doing this? Why are we spending our time in prepping a tooth? But I do, you know, I wait, I just wait and they get it.

00:13:44:06 - 00:14:05:16
Speaker 3
Then you see how they light up because they were able to connect the dots, or because their life or our patient's life changed because they were able to see beyond the mouth. And as you guys say, I think that's exactly where the frustration and the burnout is coming from, because we train them to do just part of the work, just a little part of the work, which is the clinical skills.

00:14:05:16 - 00:14:31:23
Speaker 3
But we cannot solve everything with our hemp. We have to have all these hats. The leader, the entrepreneur there, you know, we have to build systems, we have to collaborate, we have to create a culture. And that's shocking because they go like, wait a second, I didn't sign up for this. And that's where the prostration comes. And that's what I'm trying to, you know, let's say change in public speaking was first in public speaking.

00:14:31:23 - 00:14:52:02
Speaker 3
After public speaking, we started teaching about I develop a whole business course, complete the whole year. They have to sit down all the programs together and it has nothing to do with it. Actually, when they present public speaking, the final work is like a tech talk, something similar. And I prohibited them to talk about dentistry.

00:14:52:04 - 00:14:53:14
Speaker 4
I know, wow.

00:14:53:16 - 00:14:57:05
Speaker 3
It's just your biggest passion and it has to be outside of what we do.

00:14:57:07 - 00:14:58:18
Speaker 4
That's very cool.

00:14:58:20 - 00:15:04:10
Speaker 3
Yes. So it was, Yeah. Go ahead. I get very excited.

00:15:04:12 - 00:15:22:23
Speaker 4
No, no, no, we want to program here. You give us a summary of all the projects that you were involved at NYU. You know, since the beginning, you said you started with the esthetic program. What were the program programs and projects that you were part of?

00:15:23:00 - 00:15:44:12
Speaker 3
Okay, so I started with the esthetic program, and after that, I was the director, right? First as a faculty, then a director of the program. And I started implementing all these changes. But it was very small. It was just a static program getting this type of, you know, input. And then I became a team, and part of my responsibilities as a dean was to oversee all the clinical fellowships.

00:15:44:14 - 00:16:16:13
Speaker 3
So we have implant dentistry, digital dentistry, which has been a great revolution. We have esthetics and we have oral surgery. And then on the top of that, I also oversee what we call global average. And that was also part of this transformation. That realization came from global average as well because global average is is a program that I oversee where we take a group of students, faculty and staff, and we travel around the world to offer world health.

00:16:16:15 - 00:16:42:14
Speaker 3
But it's not just that to communities in need. But it's not just that. It's also training the next leaders that are with us, training the next generation to take action and liquid from passion and doing this work. I realize that these communities, they don't just need our clinical skills because it's not sustainable. A patient that we eliminate a cavity to, they will develop another one tomorrow and we are gone.

00:16:42:18 - 00:17:10:24
Speaker 3
We're back in New York so that was unsustainable. And seeing that firsthand and starting, developing and implementing prevention systems as our strongest focus and education and also systems of support, partnering with the locals because otherwise it's not going to work. We go back and be alone. So partnering with the local governments, partnering with the local leaders and the health care providers.

00:17:11:01 - 00:17:36:11
Speaker 3
So in that way, we create a system that is long term, more sustainable, and we empower the communities to take ownership of the overall health. Because that's the other thing, dentistry and being, you know, inside the mouth and not thinking we're connecting with the rest of the body is another problem. So that's another pillar of my vision in dental education is connecting the mouth and the body.

00:17:36:13 - 00:17:58:23
Speaker 1
Anabella, I just want to shout you out real quick because the you talk about how you just wanted to make a bigger impact on the world really is what you've done to the point that you actually got a lifetime achievement award from the president of the United States for your global outreach program. So for our listeners, I just want everyone to know the impact you can make as a dentist.

00:17:58:23 - 00:18:22:00
Speaker 1
And I also just have to shout you out because I think this is the power of female leadership. You've really brought so much. I can't even believe that NYU now has business and leadership programs. That is such a blessing for anyone in dental school that's listening. We didn't get that. Oh, we didn't get that. So you're very, very lucky.

00:18:22:02 - 00:18:28:10
Speaker 4
NYU has business and leadership in dental school. That's the difference. They have that in other schools.

00:18:28:12 - 00:18:52:23
Speaker 1
Yeah. Yeah, it's absolutely incredible. And I just want to kind of, stop for a second and reflect. You're talking about two pivotal things you've done, which is bring public speaking and leadership not only to NYU, but also to the world through your global outreach program. And I think this is something that Kristen Kyle, we talk about in almost every episode, indirectly.

00:18:52:23 - 00:19:17:19
Speaker 1
Right. But this is a first time that we really directly talked about these two things as skills that, you know, the whole tagline of our podcast is helping dentists get the f out of the chair. And so these are two things that I think are so important for our listeners to take away and realize and recognize that this can help you live a happier, more fulfilled, less burnt out life.

00:19:17:21 - 00:19:37:21
Speaker 4
The Anabella, you know, I think that we know the importance of these soft skills. I think that even the definition or the title, call it soft skills, is undermining the importance of the skills. It should be called the top priority skills, not soft skills.

00:19:37:23 - 00:19:39:01
Speaker 3

00:19:39:03 - 00:20:05:08
Speaker 4
You know, we know the importance of it, but we've been talking and many people are talking about the importance of these skills for dentists. Do you see students starting to already come with that perception that they know that it's not anymore just about clinical skills? Do you see that? Or for them is still a surprise when they graduate and they try to do something with their profession and they get, frustrated.

00:20:05:10 - 00:20:13:00
Speaker 4
How do you see the younger generation today? When it comes to perceiving the importance of all these skills?

00:20:13:02 - 00:20:39:24
Speaker 3
Well, when they come to the program and they realize we're learning more than teeth is talking, some of them I will said a small percentage already understands the importance of that, and they embrace it and they are very happy. But others, they are reluctant at the beginning. It takes time for them to connect the dots and to realize how much wider their purpose and the impact is going to be by embracing all of this.

00:20:40:01 - 00:21:00:09
Speaker 3
But at the end of the day, there is no a single student that graduates to tells you, thank you. What an eye opener. And then the stories of success is what fields meet that goal. When you hear that they became deans and the leaders and these nurses and here and there, and they are always in contact, and they go back to thanking you for those skills.

00:21:00:09 - 00:21:21:16
Speaker 3
More than anything, they don't call you back. And they said, thank you for teaching me to prep this beautiful margin. My kids are so happy you don't get those type of phone calls. It's more like the impact as well. Rounded the leaders, the communicators. That's the ones that they really, truly remember. And they see, you know, the light of.

00:21:21:18 - 00:21:34:12
Speaker 3
But still, there's still a lot to do, as you know, a lot of resistance. Not everybody's ready for a change. Longstanding mindsets. So it's difficult. But I'm going to keep rooted in the wider patient.

00:21:34:14 - 00:21:59:12
Speaker 2
And I think the hardest part, you know, being in education, like I said, was not changing the students minds because they're pretty easy and malleable. But it's changing the other faculty minds. I mean, even when I was teaching with Pascal Mania and we were teaching rheumatic dentistry, we still had dentists that were there for ten years that were, you know, we were teaching biometric dentistry for ten, 15 years.

00:21:59:12 - 00:22:20:20
Speaker 2
And they were like, why are we teaching this? This stuff doesn't work. You know, we just need to do crowns on everything. And so changing on the clinical aspect is hard, but I can't even imagine what it's like changing on the non-clinical aspect. You must get so much pushback from all of the, let's say, more seasoned dentists, that are teaching as well.

00:22:20:22 - 00:22:39:10
Speaker 3
Well, we are very lucky here in NYU because it's a, you know, the mentality is spread all around. We even has have an institute here for leadership for undergrad students. At the level more of PD students, these are dentists already, the ones that come to my program. But the people in undergrad is already working on it very hard.

00:22:39:12 - 00:22:45:22
Speaker 3
So thank God is not just me. Is is the school embracing these important changes?

00:22:45:24 - 00:23:05:16
Speaker 1
But you know what? Dental schools are so antiquated compared to universities. When I was at Harvard for my ortho residency, I really wanted to get a double degree in business, because at that point, I realized all these companies of Smiledirectclub and all these, you know, companies that didn't deliver quality care, quality dental care were coming out.

00:23:05:16 - 00:23:15:15
Speaker 1
And I was like, I've got to learn business. And they told me, well, if you were part of a medical school, we have a program where you can get a dual degree, but you're part of the dental school, and.

00:23:15:15 - 00:23:18:16
Speaker 2
Which is crazy because most doctors don't run their own businesses.

00:23:18:21 - 00:23:21:07
Speaker 1
Exactly. It makes no sense.

00:23:21:09 - 00:23:22:14
Speaker 2
And most dentists do.

00:23:22:20 - 00:23:32:06
Speaker 1
They told me it would take two years to petition to try to get a dual degree. So what you're doing is just so incredible because it doesn't exist for dentists.

00:23:32:08 - 00:23:40:12
Speaker 4
So let me understand. If you are in medical school, you could do business in parallel, but if you are a dental school, you cannot.

00:23:40:14 - 00:24:13:05
Speaker 1
It didn't exist. It doesn't exist. Isn't that wild at Harvard University? Right? Like so, Annabella, what you're doing is just. I really love that you're tying education to impact, because that's what it is. It's you are making a huge impact by implementing these changes at that, at the university level. And I'll just share a quick story, which is I transition from private school in New Orleans when I was in high school to boarding school, in Andover, Massachusetts, my senior year of high school.

00:24:13:10 - 00:24:40:22
Speaker 1
And I went from one great school. I was very blessed, very, very blessed to an incredible boarding school. And that boarding school changed my perspective of how big of an impact I can make in this world. I went to school where, like George Bush got taught and like all these incredible people. And so I do think that you have the opportunity literally single handedly to impact how dentistry is shaped by changing these young minds and cultivating them.

00:24:40:24 - 00:24:47:04
Speaker 2
And, Abella, I know you do something like a Shark tank kind of competition. Can you tell us more about that?

00:24:47:10 - 00:25:12:04
Speaker 3
Oh, that's so much fun. It's a very fun, high energy, Shark Tank style competition, like Peach Tank, where we take the students outside of the clinics into the spotlight and they have to pitch their great ideas. Amazing. The ideas they come up with, and they present their ideas to a panel of judges, the experts, we call them the chalk, and it's a very hands on go and do it.

00:25:12:06 - 00:25:30:24
Speaker 3
Get it done type of mentality. And that really sets the next generation apart. So it has been a lot of fun because at the end of the day, it's not just about being creative and having ideas. That's not going to get you any worries, how to plan it, how to test it, how to make them happen, all the steps needed.

00:25:31:01 - 00:25:48:22
Speaker 3
So we teach them during the year to spot needs or to spot solutions or sorry, problems that we have, and then we help them map out the solution. The value proposition, all the steps needed. And who knows, maybe some of those ideas will take off and it'll be good.

00:25:48:22 - 00:25:51:04
Speaker 2
People invest in these.

00:25:51:06 - 00:26:15:24
Speaker 3
Well, right now I'm partnering with the Leadership Institute in NYU outside of the school. So the head is coming. He's going to be one of the sharks. We have the competition next week. So he's one of the sharks. And he's been investing at least time, a lot of time teaching the students from, you know, his point of view and his knowledge on how to get all of this done, how to map it out, how to plan, how to test.

00:26:16:01 - 00:26:22:09
Speaker 3
And again, some of them start like, oh, why do I have to do this? You're getting me away from the clinic floor.

00:26:22:11 - 00:26:24:19
Speaker 2
Everybody does this.

00:26:24:21 - 00:26:26:16
Speaker 3
Yeah. I'm sorry. They have no option.

00:26:26:18 - 00:26:29:11
Speaker 2
They have to do it. Wow. That's cool.

00:26:29:13 - 00:26:49:09
Speaker 3
How do you do it? And we even have, let's say classes and sessions on how you're going to do the pitch. How are you going to address what is going to be that big moment when you walk in the podium? You cannot just present an idea. It has to do also with the presentation itself. Right. That can be great, but if you don't know how to sell it, I'm sorry the judges won't pick it.

00:26:49:11 - 00:26:50:08
Speaker 4
So amazing.

00:26:50:10 - 00:27:06:15
Speaker 1
Surveying. You are cultivating an environment of Denzel. Entrepreneurship like that is incredible. Like, every person applying to dental school needs to know that. Like a I'm the one who would say.

00:27:06:15 - 00:27:26:00
Speaker 4
That makes a huge difference. When you compare the top dental schools in the US, you know you're really helping NYU stand out. I believe. You know. You know, that's something that makes a huge difference. We I didn't I didn't know about that. You know, you need to talk more about it.

00:27:26:02 - 00:27:44:04
Speaker 3
And then then that's the fun part. And that's really the fun part, you know, to kind of summarize it, I really call it the seventh Adventure Adventures. They are like key pillars that really helped me shape these individuals. And we always said, okay, the first one, the clinical skills obviously they are essential. No way. You know what? There's no other way to go.

00:27:44:04 - 00:27:44:07
Speaker 3
Yeah.

00:27:44:07 - 00:27:45:06
Speaker 2
That's the baseline.

00:27:45:11 - 00:28:08:22
Speaker 3
Is like yeah, still grounded in evidence, guided by ethics and delivered with empathy. That's the most second one is a interdisciplinary mindset. They must collaborate with all their disciplines. I love how Christian Cole said. You call it collective intelligence. That's the only way to really come up with treatment. Plans are like here delivering the highest standard of care.

00:28:08:24 - 00:28:31:20
Speaker 3
The third one is connecting the mouth to the body. We are not doctors. That's that's not true. We are oral health physicians. We play a key role in the overall health of the patient. And, you know, we don't practice it enough. We need to collaborate with other health care practitioners. And that's key in this well-rounded growth. Then number four is that want that individual.

00:28:31:20 - 00:28:58:12
Speaker 3
We are, you know, creating this amazing leaders, effective communicators and students with a mindset to understand business marketing and the impact of influence. And then we have, well-being. That's another piece of the pie that I'm very invested on it is that well-being aspect. We need to teach them to take care of themselves mentally, emotionally, physically, because burnout is a growing challenge.

00:28:58:14 - 00:29:06:09
Speaker 3
And we need to create this resilience balance. You know, humans with self leadership prepare to heed the real world.

00:29:06:11 - 00:29:09:18
Speaker 2
Let's go deep into that. How do you do that then.

00:29:09:18 - 00:29:11:16
Speaker 4
And then complete the seven. Complete the seven.

00:29:11:17 - 00:29:12:12
Speaker 2
Okay. Sorry.

00:29:12:18 - 00:29:13:22
Speaker 1
We'll go back there.

00:29:13:24 - 00:29:42:03
Speaker 3
And then the other one is digital dentistry. I love it because it's a revolution. We are so lucky. And he's not here to replace us, is here to help us sharpen our skills, be more predictable. And in that way, we can focus on a wider picture. And then the last one is service. That's my global outreach heart. The last one is with all the skills and knowledge, the responsibility to give back to advocacy, service and caring for people in need is a must.

00:29:42:05 - 00:30:03:22
Speaker 3
And these seven dimensions, they create a space for identity, for purpose and real impact. And that's what I'm passionate about, and that's what I'm building every day. So going back to your point, how do we teach them? I don't stop talking about it is constant repetition. I even get to a class and said, who exercise this morning? What time do you wake up?

00:30:04:00 - 00:30:22:21
Speaker 3
Excuse me? What time do you wake up? Do you own your morning and nutrition? What do you eat? And he's constant. I could, I could actually be very annoying. You know they laugh with you more. I always, you know, carve his face for humor. But I don't stop I don't stop, and I teach them what are the implications.

00:30:22:23 - 00:30:50:01
Speaker 3
You think right now you have all the risks on your own, but is it you will accumulate it. Your greatest wealth is health, and you need to protected it and is mentally, is physically and emotionally. So I even talk to them about mindfulness, high performance habits. I'm a freak of high performance habits because at the end of the day, you have to be very, conscious about how you spend your time because it's not easy.

00:30:50:01 - 00:31:07:21
Speaker 3
It sounds easy, but we know it's not easy to build all these habits and be intentional about everything and anything you do. So I'm always talking to that talking before a lecture. We could be talking about porcelain veneers, veneers. But I start by asking everybody, what time do you wake up today? What time do you go to bed?

00:31:07:23 - 00:31:12:00
Speaker 3
What did you eat this morning? Do you exercise? Meditate?

00:31:12:02 - 00:31:17:04
Speaker 4
So you know, what is the definition of what you do being a real teacher?

00:31:17:06 - 00:31:36:23
Speaker 1
Yes, Christian. Oh my God. I'm literally sitting here and I'm like, this is what every human being needs. We all learn once we've been kicked and like we're on the ground and we learn of a desperation and we pick up the books and we listen to podcasts and we're like, why are and things working? And that's why we're here.

00:31:36:23 - 00:31:59:04
Speaker 1
But you're doing it at the university level. You're teaching people how to live like there's a study now or there's a there's a law in Canada that you can't prescribe an SSRI until you're eating healthy and you have a good sleep regimen, and that's what you're teaching people fundamentally.

00:31:59:06 - 00:32:24:10
Speaker 4
But yeah, but being a real teacher is for very few. You have instructors in life. You have people that explain you stuff right. But BM real teacher, example mentor for life. You know, the lucky ones are the ones that can meet 1 or 2 during a lifetime. So lucky the students that are having you, Annabella and.

00:32:24:12 - 00:32:40:20
Speaker 3
Thank you. And I was lucky to have three mentors. So it's also a way to give back. And the opportunities that I had, the mentors that helped me shape who I am today. Actually, you had one of them as a guess. Not long ago. Jonathan Levine, he's one of my mentors. He's very into all of this.

00:32:40:20 - 00:32:57:04
Speaker 3
And he kind of, you know, bring me on in the journey and tell me so much. And I remember looking at him in the lectures as a student 16 years ago, and I say, how does he do it? I want to speak like him. I want to speak like him and cultivate an audience just the way he does it.

00:32:57:06 - 00:33:12:11
Speaker 3
And I went and ask him questions and he saw that interest. And then, you know, he set it up. So great. Mentors in life are important. That's true. And it's a way to give back, because I was fortunate to have my great mentors here. And they were. You.

00:33:12:13 - 00:33:34:17
Speaker 1
You know, every most people are lucky enough to have teachers, and most people are not lucky enough. The way that I see it, to get great mentors, because it takes so much proactivity and it's it takes a lot of courage. And so I think the fact that you are able to influence hundreds of people a year is just so incredible that everyone has to see you.

00:33:34:23 - 00:33:45:22
Speaker 1
I'm curious for our listeners, you know, anyone who doesn't have the privilege of going to NYU, if there's a way, do you provide mentorship, like, can someone reach out to you?

00:33:45:24 - 00:33:57:19
Speaker 3
Well, I'm happy to help anybody. I, I don't know, I think Instagram a message. I'm more than happy to speak to people. But yes. Yeah. Happy to do so.

00:33:57:21 - 00:34:01:02
Speaker 4
Are study hard and get into NYU.

00:34:01:04 - 00:34:10:24
Speaker 2
An umbrella. I'm interested in how you know because I haven't I background how you guys are utilizing artificial intelligence in your education.

00:34:11:01 - 00:34:11:20
Speaker 3

00:34:11:22 - 00:34:14:08
Speaker 2
I actually because of the digital dentistry.

00:34:14:10 - 00:34:16:00
Speaker 3
I could use your help with it.

00:34:16:02 - 00:34:17:00
Speaker 4
I yeah.

00:34:17:02 - 00:34:42:10
Speaker 3
I think I it will revolutionize our preventive approach. I guess because of that early detection before the human might even realize gradual graph is can celebrate testing or biomarkers. And that's when we're going to start really, stopping the fixing mentality. But more how do I detect it earlier and how do I prevent it from happening then. And that's going to be a huge shift.

00:34:42:12 - 00:34:51:20
Speaker 3
We have more digital dentistry, right? Typical toys is counting on all of that. But I would love to hear your thoughts and get your help with AI.

00:34:51:22 - 00:34:53:10
Speaker 2
Yeah, sure. Happy and happy to help.

00:34:53:15 - 00:34:55:21
Speaker 3
Is a revolution.

00:34:55:23 - 00:35:09:10
Speaker 2
Yeah. I mean, you know, one of the biggest problems that we've seen with universities is that a lot of them are on legacy software programs that don't have any innovation. Like, are you guys on axiom?

00:35:09:12 - 00:35:09:24
Speaker 3
Yes.

00:35:09:24 - 00:35:32:03
Speaker 2
That's what most universities I think it's like 80% of the universities in North America are on axiom. The axiom just won't innovate anything. It's just like a dead software won't do anything. So that's been challenging. I know for a lot of AI companies to try to integrate into the system. And so yeah, that's one challenge that a lot of universities have.

00:35:32:05 - 00:35:54:10
Speaker 2
The ones that don't use it can actually do a lot of really cool stuff. You know, like at UCLA we have it implemented in their radiology program and it's been really cool. They're teaching. Their students are learning with AI together. I mean, they're starting their radiology training with artificial intelligence. And we've already shown that they're learning faster, they're getting better.

00:35:54:12 - 00:36:01:20
Speaker 2
And it's not that they're relying on the air, but they're actually improving. And so I think I think that's a big future with education.

00:36:01:22 - 00:36:27:19
Speaker 1
Isn't it wild that not everyone has that? You know, like I get orthodontists reaching out to me all the time, asking a orthodontist in residency, asking me about aligner treatment planning. And I just think it's a travesty that people go through three years of ortho residency, just learning braces, not learning aligners. Which brings me to my next question for you, Annabella, which is, you're making such an impact at NYU on these dental students.

00:36:27:21 - 00:36:39:03
Speaker 1
First of all, how many do we know? How many dental schools are there in the country? And I'm curious, is there a world where you bring your program to these other dental schools?

00:36:39:05 - 00:37:02:04
Speaker 3
I don't know how many schools. I know plenty, that's for sure. And, you know, I wait to collaborate is sometimes when you're getting the podium right, you get invited to different conference, different schools to go and give that talk. And that's a good opportunity. Or, you know, we don't have our official system of collaboration, let's say to, you know, share this ideas.

00:37:02:05 - 00:37:22:15
Speaker 2
Which is so surprising, you would think we need a mastermind of all the dental schools getting together and say, what's working for you? What's working for you? How are you getting the best students? What are your best students? Going back and saying that they enjoyed the most, what are the biggest mistakes we're having? It's like everybody's in competition.

00:37:22:15 - 00:37:50:18
Speaker 2
We're not working as a profession together. And I get it because people forget that most dental schools are just businesses, you know, like, and it is a competition. I get that there is a competition with it. Right? You don't want to share all your secret sauce about your competitors have everything. But you'd think like for the betterment of all of the dental professionals coming out of these universities, that we could have some kind of mastermind with the real teachers, right?

00:37:50:18 - 00:37:52:14
Speaker 2
The people that really care.

00:37:52:16 - 00:37:53:23
Speaker 3
Yeah, better for it.

00:37:53:23 - 00:38:17:17
Speaker 1
Sounds like an opportunity for one of your students, Annabella, at your shark tank to actually solve this problem in and cultivate that Elan, you know, open API, open source abundance mentality where it's like, hey, we're all in this together. Like we theoretically are competition, but let's work together, elevate our profession and, you know, let evolution determine who wins.

00:38:17:19 - 00:38:24:00
Speaker 2
There's 72 dental schools, by the way. I just looked it up. Oh 17 in the US. In the US.

00:38:24:02 - 00:38:30:04
Speaker 1
That sounds like not that challenging of an opportunity to bring together 72 directors.

00:38:30:06 - 00:38:40:15
Speaker 3
You know, out of those schools that say, ten every ten students that graduate, one comes from NYU. Imagine the power that we have to make an impact.

00:38:40:17 - 00:38:45:10
Speaker 2
Yeah. Because you have over 300, people at the dental school, over 300 students.

00:38:45:10 - 00:38:50:12
Speaker 3
And 10% of the people that graduates come from NYU.

00:38:50:14 - 00:38:51:19
Speaker 4
A 300 per year.

00:38:52:00 - 00:38:53:07
Speaker 3
And 72.

00:38:53:09 - 00:38:54:06
Speaker 4
Now total in.

00:38:54:06 - 00:38:55:00
Speaker 3
Schools.

00:38:55:02 - 00:38:56:06
Speaker 2
How many students per year.

00:38:56:07 - 00:39:00:15
Speaker 3
Undergrad, undergrad. Yes. It's about class of 400, 300 something for a year.

00:39:00:19 - 00:39:02:19
Speaker 2
Yeah that's including international students right. Yeah.

00:39:02:20 - 00:39:09:02
Speaker 3
So it's a lot of students. Yeah. Wow. A lot of impact that we can you know, we have a great opportunity.

00:39:09:04 - 00:39:21:06
Speaker 4
Now on the Shark Tank thing. Can you share some some of the top interesting or funny ideas that students suggested?

00:39:21:08 - 00:39:25:20
Speaker 3
It will be revealing a secret is going to happen next week, but okay.

00:39:25:20 - 00:39:28:14
Speaker 4
Oh, the first one is going to happen. Never happened last.

00:39:28:14 - 00:39:33:11
Speaker 3
Year. We believe during the school year. This is is this is one of the newest initiatives.

00:39:33:11 - 00:39:36:06
Speaker 4
Okay. That's the first one where.

00:39:36:06 - 00:39:39:04
Speaker 3
We are going to feel MIT and we're going to post it at parking.

00:39:39:10 - 00:39:39:19
Speaker 4
Okay.

00:39:39:19 - 00:39:43:12
Speaker 3
Yeah. They are great ideas. They are great ideas. There is one. Okay. I'll tell you one.

00:39:43:14 - 00:39:46:23
Speaker 2
This won't come out until afterwards. So you should be okay.

00:39:47:00 - 00:40:10:12
Speaker 3
Okay. I should be far. Well, some of them are focusing on products that we need in the clinic. So as esthetics that people in the esthetic, dentistry program, they realize that preparing the inner surface of the veneer is very challenging. So they developed this, you know, sophisticated little machine that will do all the processing. You program the machine to say, I'm going to do Emax.

00:40:10:14 - 00:40:22:05
Speaker 3
So the etching process is x amount of seconds and all of that. That's pretty cool and pretty neat. Others, instead of using loops, they want to use the same technology as the Apple glasses.

00:40:22:07 - 00:40:22:16
Speaker 4

00:40:22:20 - 00:40:47:05
Speaker 3
And also they are they want to develop a software that will be very useful for teaching patients in a very three dimensional way. Another one. What is another one. Oh I know what they are designing. Like a call center for people that has emergencies overnight or maybe the weekends so they can it's a subscription type of thing that they can partner up with dentist.

00:40:47:07 - 00:40:57:21
Speaker 3
So they answer the phone calls for simple, simple emergencies and many more then I don't remember. Yeah, but nice. Nice idea. Yeah. Yes. Yeah.

00:40:57:21 - 00:41:22:03
Speaker 1
Nice ideas. I mean that's so incredible. And this isn't I mean we I think you're, you're recording number 25, I believe. And these are some of the ideas that we've been talking about, not at the university level. So it's so incredible to hear that you're bringing this to students where they need it most. And they have the most opportunity to prevent so many the problems down the line.

00:41:22:05 - 00:41:35:08
Speaker 1
So thank you so much for coming on to our show and sharing everything that you're doing. For anyone who would like to reach out to you and seek some mentorship or have some questions about NYU, where can they find you?

00:41:35:10 - 00:41:58:15
Speaker 3
I think the channel I use the most is Instagram and is another double L op, and also NYU. All our pages, they can show you showcase everything that we're doing. We're trying to post as much as we can so that we show exactly what's happening in here, how much fun we're having, empowering them to step into the spotlight and have a lot of fun in the process.

00:41:58:17 - 00:42:13:17
Speaker 3
So we are happy, you know, reach out. Anything. I'm happy to answer any questions. Or as you said, any advice, I'll be more than happy to do so. I hope you guys can visit me soon. I know Christiane is going to be coming by often now.

00:42:13:19 - 00:42:14:11
Speaker 4
I hope.

00:42:14:13 - 00:42:17:20
Speaker 3
But I'm happy to welcome both of you. All set to come.

00:42:17:22 - 00:42:19:03
Speaker 2
Thank you very much.

00:42:19:05 - 00:42:22:12
Speaker 1
Thank you. I will definitely take you up on that next time I'm in New York.

00:42:22:14 - 00:42:26:05
Speaker 3
Please, please me. Tap has been really a pleasure.

00:42:26:07 - 00:42:30:06
Speaker 1
Thank you for inviting me. Thank you Annabella.

00:42:30:08 - 00:42:31:10
Unknown
Thank you. Thank you.