‘It’s all about the growth’: Elevate equips dentists to succeed

ADA announces 10 Under 10 winners at conference

Innovate. Lead. Succeed. 

These are the actions that Elevate, a leadership conference hosted by the ADA in collaboration with Entrepreneur magazine, prepared its attendees to take in their professional and personal lives. The inaugural conference, which was held March 28-30 in Washington, D.C., equipped participants with practical leadership strategies and connected them with like-minded dentists. 

Speakers included Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine; Tessa West, Ph.D., author and New York University professor of psychology and expert on the science of interpersonal communication; Dave Kline, adviser, writer and co-founder of the MGMT Accelerator, a leadership development program; and Richelle DeVoe, marketing strategist and founder of The Growth Guides, which helps companies strategically grow.

ADA President Brett Kessler, D.D.S., told ADA News that Elevate was designed to help participants sharpen personal leadership skills and strengthen connection with both themselves and those around them. 

“It’s so they can connect better with their goals and dreams, their family’s goals and dreams, and then translate that into how they can connect better with their patients and lead their practice in ways they weren’t as skilled in before. It’s all about the growth, hence the name ‘Elevate,’” Dr. Kessler said. 

During the Opening Session, Mr. Feifer encouraged the dentists in attendance to embrace and harness change. Mr. Feifer, who led “Use Change to Your Advantage: Lessons from the World’s Smartest Entrepreneurs,” shared personal anecdotes and tactical lessons to arm participants with practical tools that will help them navigate uncertainty and maximize their individual strengths to excel amid the ever-evolving dental landscape. 

“In an uncontrollable situation, there’s actually only one thing that is controllable. And that is how we relate to others: how we show up, and how we show them that we are ultimately there for them, that we are transparent and honest with them,” he said. 

Participants attended breakout workshops led by Elevate speakers. In “Leading the Patient Experience: How to Speak to What Matters Most,” Ms. DeVoe taught attendees how to communicate more clearly, go beyond surface-level understanding to reveal the true needs and motivations of patients, and create experiences that keep them coming back.

Dr. West presented in “Straight Talk: Mastering Direct Communication in the Workplace,” a step-by-step guide to promote direct communication in common social situations in the workplace. Her session included an interactive component whereby participants practiced putting these skills to use with one another. 

With “High-Velocity Leadership: The 5 Skills to Effectively Manage Any Team,” Mr. Kline equipped dentists with a foundational playbook for implementing skills and tactics to effectively manage their team. These include aligning on clear team expectations, empowering employees with delegation, supporting the team’s performance, giving feedback that drives change and improving through iteration. 

The ADA also announced its 10 Under 10 Award winners at Elevate. This award recognizes 10 dentists who graduated from dental school less than 10 years ago and have made significant contributions in the areas of science, research and education; practice excellence; philanthropy; leadership; and advocacy. 

“I’m certain that the best is yet to come for this dynamic group of changemakers representing dentistry’s next generation. The future of our profession is in great hands,” Dr. Kessler said before honoring the award recipients. 

This year’s winners are Sara Ehsani, D.D.S., from Dallas; Adam Lowenstein, D.M.D., from Framingham and Wellesley, Massachusetts; Craig Mckenzie, D.M.D., from Pittsburgh; Kathryn Pawlak, D.D.S., from Buffalo, New York; Eddie Ramirez, D.M.D., from Portland, Oregon; Allison C. Scully, D.D.S., from Indianapolis and Marion, Indiana; Lyubov Daniilovna Slashcheva, D.D.S., from Fergus Falls, Minnesota; Akshay Thusu, D.D.S., from San Antonio; Yi-Chu, D.D.S., from Columbus, Ohio; and Lauren C. Yap, D.M.D., from Philadelphia.

Dr. Yap said receiving the 10 Under 10 Award was “a dream come true,” noting that the recognition has only motivated her further to keep striving toward excellence as a practitioner, educator and leader. 

“It’s really exciting that there are leadership workshops within the ADA to help us become better leaders, whether it’s on a local level or even on a national level, because leadership is a journey. It’s important for us to keep homing in on that craft,” Dr. Yap said. “I’m excited to take back to my students and to my residents the different skills that I’ve learned from this weekend, especially in communicating as well as in personal development.”