Grit

Just when I needed inspiration, it came by way of a phone call. And I’ll explain a little later.

So, I’ve been a private dental practice owner since before LeBron was born but I’ve never experienced anything like the last 18-months.

The leadoff three months or so was like spring break times fourteen with a survival theme. Like Kwai Chang Caine in the old TV series Kung Fu, my activities were walking the land (Pasadena)…and looking at worst case scenario spread sheets. I hung by my hands from doorways while breathing deeply (checking my respiratory prowess) and found myself glued to CNN and the New York governor every morning hoping I could remain “Rose City tough.”

When late June arrived, I began wondering if science could generate a vaccine for non-drug related personality change reversal. Back in the Sixties, the Buffalo Springfield observed, “Paranoia runs deep, into your life it will creep…” Hmmm.

And after bringing in the New Year with a televised attempted coup d’état, I virtually attended a special winter meeting coming straight outta the Gaylord, just outside of Denver. And it wasn’t just any seasonal meeting, it was the American Academy of Clear Aligners (AACA) Presidents/ KOL gathering. FYI, the AACA is the top producing Invisalign group in the world.

Our leader and founder, Dr. David Galler, is the foremost Invisalign educator on the globe. I wound up being the president of my group when nature called, and I returned to find thirty colleagues who couldn’t make eye contact.

The winter meeting sets the tone for the new year and exploring vision, goals, and purpose. And while Dentistry and the rest of the world settled into a survival mode in 2020, the AACA vowed to survive and thrive. While 2021 promised only uncertainty, we sought to stay in our bubble and manage only what we could control and how we could grow.

The winter meeting also presents an opportunity for collaboration with other like-minded organizations and the chance for creating synergy and lasting relationships.

One of the presenting business owners was a Registered Dental Assistant from San Francisco. Jannet Ly and her mom had started a business from the family kitchen. I hadn’t heard of THEPULTOOL.

Starting back in 2012, Jannet’s device had rescued Invisalign patients from countless potentially fractured fingernails, streams of expletives, and future bad attitudes generated by varying degrees of difficulty during the removal of orthodontic clear aligners. Facing a sometimes-tough audience, Jannet’s grit melted my heart…all the way from Colorado to the friendly stay-safe-at-home confines of Pasadena.

I later ordered removal tools and Fizz Me packets (the Fizz Me cleansers keep aligners fresh and clean.) I noticed THEPULTOOL had expanded beyond the removal tool to offer an array of super-helpful products.

As 2021 progressed, Dr. Galler (the heart and soul of the AACA) tasked presidents to stretch their responsibilities and look for passion as fuel for the missing fire. I wound up helping out with the AACA Journal, writing a quarterly column, and sharing inspirational quotes with close to 3,000 members Monday through Friday.

I pitched Galler the quotes because I was already opening our daily morning huddle with a quote…and hopefully, a message. I offered clues and even prize money for the first team member identifying the author. Actually, since returning in June 2020, I felt like I was suffering from Covid-19 PTSD. I needed inspiration for me to share with my team.

About a month ago, I saw a patient who hadn’t managed to remove his Locator-supported upper full denture in a year. I grabbed THEPULTOOL removal tool, and the patient had the appliance out in seconds (We both jumped like we’d just seen the same ghost.)

Later in the week, Team Leader Dani (also an RDA) left me a post-it, asking for more Fizz Me packets. I conservatively ordered the packets and removal tools online. And within 10-minutes, I received a phone call…from THEPULTOOL Founder/CEO/RDA Jannet Ly.

Jannet helped me order far more effectively. I shared my admiration for her determination. But I really didn’t know Jannet’s story until I tracked her down on LinkedIn.

In Jannet’s article, titled “Nothing is Going According to (my) Plan” https://medium.com/@jannetly/nothing-is-going-according-to-my-plan-d75761e69bad, she shares her story, including a definition of “Grit” as “Courage and resolve; strength and character.” And yeah, having read the article published in April 2020 on the twentieth day of shelter in place, I learned the leader Jannet is...does define Grit.

I’m still sharing morning quotes. And whenever my grit comes into question, I’m inspired by Jannet Ly.