What are one or two of your greatest business and/or community achievements?

I have worked as a dentist in private practice in the Acadiana area since moving here in 2016, but in 2022, with a two year old and a nine month old, I bought my own practice in downtown Lafayette. Over the last four years, we have grown the office tremendously and have exceeded even my own lofty hopes and aspirations. Taking the leap to bet on myself and invest in my career and the way that I provide for my family was the scariest step I’ve ever taken, but it makes me proud of myself in new and wonderful ways and I am endlessly grateful for the support I have had along the way. Now we are proud to say we were named “Best Dentist of Acadiana” and “Best Cosmetic Dentist” in the Advocate’s Best of Acadiana awards two years in a row, as well as being a recipient of the United Way “Women Who Mean Business” award.

What’s your favorite thing about what you do for a living?

My approach is to always spend time with each patient so I can understand their goals and their hesitations. My favorite part of this process is how it can totally transform the way people view “going to the dentist,” and take what has potentially been an anxious or even terrifying experience to turn it into a positive, empowering, and comfortable one. I once had a young patient tell me that the way we helped him overcome his fears inspired him to pursue a career in dentistry, and that was one of the best moments of my ten years as a practicing dentist!

You bought your own practice in 2022 and nearly doubled output since while growing your team and receiving local accolades. What was the biggest learning curve going from clinician to owner, and how did you push through it?

The biggest learning curve in transitioning from practitioner to owner was learning to trust my instincts. I was comfortable with my clinical knowledge that I had accumulated from school and from other practices where I had worked, but making that investment in myself and putting not only my success on the line, but my family’s success as well, felt like a tremendous risk, and I wondered if I had the managerial skills needed to actually run the business side of the office as well as be the solo practitioner.

Every day I felt stronger based on the connections that I could build with my patients and my staff – my team.. When I put my trust in them and invested in them, I could feel it reciprocated back to me; that’s what helped me push through the periods of doubt. Building those relationships is a process that never really ends- every day I make decisions that I hope will enrich the ties with my community within the office and outside our walls. I could never do this by myself, and it’s only with the people who love and support me and work with me every day, and my patients who put their trust in me, that I can charge through each day.