447: How I Built Mommy Dentists in Business - Dr. Grace Yum - a podcast by ACT Dental

How I Built Mommy Dentists in Business

Episode #447 with Dr. Grace Yum

Being a mom is hard. Being a mom, dentist, and business owner is even harder. You can't do it alone, so Kirk Behrendt brings in Dr. Grace Yum, founder and CEO of Mommy Dentists in Business, to help dentists who are moms find the community and support they need online. As the old saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. To find your village that can help make your life better, listen to Episode 447 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

There will be some sacrifices being a dentist and a mom.

Find or create your “village” if you don't have one.

MDIB is a great resource to find a community.

It’s okay to not feel okay as a new mother.

If you're overwhelmed, hang in there!

Quotes:

“Nothing in life that's worthwhile is easy.” (7:52—7:56)

“You have to figure out who are the people that are going to help you because you cannot do this by yourself. It’s just a lot of work. So, whether it’s a part-time nanny, full-time nanny, whether it’s the grandparents, it takes a village. That expression is very true, and you need to figure out who your village is. And that support network is crucial to your success and your happiness.” (15:38—16:07)

“There are days where the school might call, ‘You need to pick up your kid. She’s got a fever,’ and you're in the middle of a procedure. So, you're going to have to send a dental assistant to go pick up your kid and bring them to the office. So, there are some modifications that we all have to make and do, and sacrifices, in order to be able to do both dentistry and be a mom.” (16:30—16:57)

“A lot of mothers have this feeling of guilt like, ‘I'm not there enough for my kid,’ or, ‘I am not present enough,’ or, ‘If I was a stay-at-home mom, my kid might be better off.’ And those are all emotions and feelings that a lot of mothers feel. That's normal. And you just have to do what's best for you. There are people like me that, I wouldn't be a good mother if I was a full-time mom. I just am not cut out to be a full-time mom. And God bless the full-time mothers because I think that's a harder job. For me, it’s easier to go to work — I have full control of my workspace — than it is to be at home full-time. And for me, I'm fulfilled, personally, with dentistry as my career, helping patients, seeing my patients and my team. That fulfills me. And if I didn't have that, then I'm not sure if staying at home while the kids are at school, I'd find something in lieu of that that would be fulfilling.” (16:58—18:01)

“What I found was that there wasn't really a space for me to ask questions such as, ‘Oh, I just got back from maternity leave. Did your schedule change?’ or, ‘My hygienist who’s working for me, she just got back from maternity, but she needs a place to pump or nurse.’ And the comments from the men — they think they're funny — were not helpful at all. They would say things like, ‘Well, tell her to pump in the car — and clock out, by the way,’ or, ‘Tell her to not come back to work until she’s done with that,’ just things that were very short-sighted or not helpful. Not that they aren't being polite or professional. It’s just, they don't get it.” (20:28—21:17)

“As a mom, you're at work and thinking about, ‘Okay, what am I making for dinner tonight?’ or, ‘Oh my gosh, Jimmy’s got his school play tomorrow. What do I need prepped for that?’ or, ‘Oh, the birthday party is this weekend. Did I buy the birthday gift? I need that wrapped. Oh, Christmas and Hanukkah. Oh, the play. The school.’ So, there are a gazillion things going on in a mom’s brain while she’s at work. And then, when she’s at home, she’s thinking, ‘That temporary crown that was rocking a little bit, I hope it stays on for the next two weeks. That patient who had a dry socket, I hope that he’s...

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