Women In Wellness: Dr Patty On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing
An Interview With Candice Georgiadis
Continue educating yourself, no matter how old you are. Our world is ever changing and it’s important to keep up with the latest trends, developments, methods and techniques. There are so many ways to prevent your smile from looking dulled out or aged, and it all starts with our oral hygiene. For example, in order to ensure that I’m up to date with the latest trends in dentistry, I take courses on how to use the latest tools and implement new techniques into my practice.
As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Patty.
Dr. Patty is the CEO and Founder of Dr. Patty’s Dental Boutique & Spa and Dr. Patty Miami. Over the past decade, she has created an award-winning destination for cosmetic dentistry and luxurious experiences in South Florida.
In 2012, at the young age of 32, Dr. Patty opened her private practice and the first dental spa in Florida, Dr. Patty’s Dental Boutique & Spa, an award-winning destination for cosmetic dentistry and luxurious experiences in South Florida. Over the past decade, her office has changed the perception of going to the dentist and redefined it as a tranquil experience through Dr. Patty’s untraditional business concept. After being featured on “Good Morning America,” she became a national sensation, garnering clients from all over the country. This year, Dr. Patty opened her second concept, Dr. Patty Miami, Miami’s first upscale cosmetic dental practice combined with a cosmetic medical surgical facility. Designed as an epicenter of opulence and modern day glamor, Dr. Patty Miami provides surgical and non-surgical cosmetic services, and features a cafe and bar, an open-air rooftop for lounging and hosting special events, and a restorative steam hammam to further boost the immune system, rejuvenate the body and relax the mind.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?
My name is Dr. April Patterson, but everyone calls me and knows me as Dr. Patty. I am a cosmetic and restorative dentist in South Florida. A decade ago, I opened my first private practice and the first dental spa in Florida, Dr. Patty’s Dental Boutique & Spa. This year I opened my second concept, Dr. Patty Miami, Miami’s first upscale cosmetic dental practice and cosmetic medical surgical facility near the city’s famous Design District. It’s an epicenter of modern day glamor featuring the most popular procedures in surgical and non-surgical cosmetic enhancements, from Brazilian butt lifts to rhinoplasty, to dental services including veneers, implants, all-on-4 same day implant dentures and more.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?
I never envisioned being a business owner and starting my own practice. When I first started my career, a coworker told me one day she thought I would make a great leader and hoped to be working for someone like me in the future. Little did she know that her words would make such an impact on me. So much in fact that I decided to start my own practice.
I think one of the most important things I learned from that moment is that successful businesses start from within, meaning the people who make up the business. If you want your company to prosper, you must surround yourself with people who strive for greatness, people you can trust, and who share your vision and mission.
Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
One mistake I made before starting my business was not hiring someone to help me run different parts of my company. I avoided asking for outside help because I thought that I should be the one to manage all aspects of my business. This resulted in me splitting my time between too many roles while still seeing patients full-time. I think it’s important for business owners to realize that asking for help is not a weakness and can actually help you focus on what’s most important for you and your clients to grow in a positive and profitable way.
Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?
While many people don’t see dental health as something that impacts an individual’s overall wellness, I believe otherwise. It’s easier to see the immediate health benefits of coming in for a routine cleaning, but many people may overlook just how one’s mental wellness is also affected by their smile. I see so many patients who lack self-confidence as a result of having an imperfect smile, crooked teeth, you name it. Research has shown that having a nice smile impacts one’s self-image, one’s happiness, and one’s overall health. That’s why I’m proud to be changing lives, one smile at a time.
Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.
1. Continue educating yourself, no matter how old you are. Our world is ever changing and it’s important to keep up with the latest trends, developments, methods and techniques. There are so many ways to prevent your smile from looking dulled out or aged, and it all starts with our oral hygiene. For example, in order to ensure that I’m up to date with the latest trends in dentistry, I take courses on how to use the latest tools and implement new techniques into my practice.
2. Start your day earlier to get more out of the day. I find it so much more rewarding when I get an early start to my day. Morning hours are great for setting your intentions for the rest of the day, or even just to sit down and create your to-do list, set goals and an action plan to tackle them.
3. Meal prepping is a must. I know meal prepping can be time-consuming and with so much going on throughout our days it’s much easier to eat out or order food. But when we fall into this cycle of constantly ordering food, we forget to truly feed ourselves with nutritious meals (and we tend to overspend money too).
4. Disconnect after the workday. I find it so extremely important to set boundaries in our lives. There needs to be a healthy work/life balance. Something I’ve begun doing is putting my phone on “do not disturb” the moment I leave my office so that my family has my undivided attention when I’m at home. Work will still be there when we wake up in the morning, so it’s important to give yourself some down time to recharge and foster relationships with your family and friends.
5. Schedule time to develop relationships in and out of the workplace. For many of us, we spend most of our days at work rather than at home. It’s important to create a strong bond with your colleagues, because they essentially become family. I’ve made it a habit to create team-bonding opportunities for my staff to create special moments and memories together.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?
If I were to start a movement, I would create a kindness mirror that displays daily positive reminders and inspirational quotes based on your mood. In my office, we have a mirror that patients typically look at themselves in after a cleaning or procedure. With my movement, I’d encourage clients, staff, and even myself to look beyond our own image and read these kindness reminders and practice more self-love. We’re often harder on ourselves and our appearances than those around us. It’s important to be kind to ourselves. Being so hard on ourselves is draining — emotionally, physically, and mentally. I want people to know that they are more than what their mind may tell them, they are more than just what they see, or think they see in a mirror.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?
- Get out there and network. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to do so. Networking allows for collaboration. It also allows for a fresh perspective and an exchange of ideas, challenges, experiences and even goals. Similarly, networking opens doors to opportunities you may not have had otherwise. It welcomes the opportunity for relationships to be fostered, which can end up being mutually beneficial.
- Surround yourself with genuine people. Starting a business is always overwhelming, but starting it with the right people by your side makes such a difference. You want to surround yourself with people who share your mission and goals; people who are just as passionate about your business. When you have genuine, trustworthy, smart, and talented people on your team, it accelerates growth, it invites positive transformation in your business, and creates a healthy work culture.
- I wish someone had told me how complex small business taxes can be. Filing taxes for a business is completely different from filing personal taxes and there are many categories business owners need to be well informed about. For example, I didn’t know when I first started my practice that even if you own your equipment and paid taxes on it upon purchasing it, you still need to file taxes on it every year.
- Stay up to date on what’s happening in and around your industry. It’s important to educate yourself on the latest advancements in your field that may impact how you provide services and to whom. Our world is ever-evolving, and if you don’t stay informed, it can be easy to fall behind and that can affect your business. Study trends and market research and speak with peers in your industry. This could help you anticipate the next big disruptor or innovator that will shape your field.
- Create a healthy work/life balance. Running your own business can consume all of your attention and energy, especially when you’re starting. It’s so important to set time aside to check in with yourself, otherwise your life will be dominated by your work which results in quick burnout. Taking time for yourself doesn’t mean you don’t value your business, it just means you value taking care of your own health and well-being.
Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?
I find that taking care of our mental health is of the utmost importance. Poor mental health affects overall happiness, productivity and absenteeism. I’ve always aspired to be an entrepreneur who genuinely cares about her team, not just for the sake of the business. If your mental health isn’t doing well, the work you put out will reflect this. I take the time to check-in with my employees, family members and even myself. I also think it’s important to set boundaries for ourselves and find a healthy balance in life.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
Dr. Patty’s Dental Boutique & Dr. Patty Miami and Instagram.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Women In Wellness: Dr Patty On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.