Meet Women in Dentistry speaker Dr. Sheri Doniger

Sheri Doniger, DDS, has a thriving practice; she's a long-time contributor to this publication; she has served as the president of the American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD); she finds time to be active in her community; and she's dedicated to her family.

If anyone should be a speaker at the upcoming Women in Dentistry conference, it's Dr. Doniger.

In this question-and-answer session, Dr. Doniger explores her evolution as a leader, what she learned during her time as president of AAWD, and what she tells younger dentists who come to her for career advice.

DrBicuspid.com: At what point in your career did you realize you wanted to explore leadership opportunities?

Sheri B. Doniger, DDS.

Dr. Doniger: I began the leadership track for AAWD when I became editor of the AAWD Chronicle more than 12 years ago. I worked with the executive boards throughout the years and contributed to many new and exciting concepts and programs to the organization. I had been leading from the sidelines for many years.

I was very happy working hard on the sidelines. I went to the board more than seven years ago and discussed the potential of our meeting being joined with ADA to allow our membership to have the opportunity to attend both meetings without having to make a choice about which meeting to attend.

After discussions with the ADA leadership, the plan was approved. That began my true leadership path as I became vice president the following year, then president-elect.

As president-elect of AAWD, what areas were you in charge of?

The president-elect is in charge of creating AAWD's annual meeting agenda. Since the meeting held in San Antonio was going to be the inaugural year of our meeting occurring during the ADA meeting, it was only natural I was the person in charge of the meeting, as I brought the idea forth to both organizations.

What were your goals as president of AAWD?

To work more with industry, as women are quickly becoming the new norm in dentistry. I also wanted to work more on collaboration between dentists and physicians for the good of our patients.

But it turned out that my main goal last year evolved to be finding a new executive director, as our former management company retired at the beginning of the year. We did accomplish our goal of finding an awesome new executive director and management company who will help lead AAWD toward our 100-year anniversary.

Did you enjoy your term?

My term was challenging because of the lack of an executive director and central office. It was also a great learning experience. My husband Bob, several women on the executive board, and I worked many hours on the administrative roles of the organization.

I did enjoy traveling and meeting with industry, discussing women in dentistry, as well as going over to London to meet with the British Dental Association to talk about the state of women in dentistry on the other side of the pond.

What surprised you and what did you learn the most as president?

The biggest lesson was the inner workings of our organization. We lived it. We personally spoke to members. We knew the financial numbers better than any other board prior (except for when Dr. Rise Lyman was president). I am so proud of the group of women on my board who worked tirelessly to hold the organization together while we searched for the perfect management company.

After a while, nothing surprised me. It was a great lesson in leadership, governance, and patience. I definitely learned that women are the new norm in dentistry and the future is bright!

Turning to the Women in Dentistry conference, what are you looking forward to?

Being a woman leader in a practice is an important role. We are in our offices seven hours a day. We need to have our team work together and work happy. If not? The results are abysmal.

I am so excited to discuss how to build, communicate with, and motivate our teams to succeed. There are so many nuances that happen in an office during the day. Read my Sheri's Solutions and you will see some of them! We need to all work together, on the same page, to have the hours we are at our practices be productive and stress-free. It will be a fun hour!

What do you say to younger practitioners who see what you do every week and ask you how to best manage their time?

The most important lesson I would give them would be to enjoy what you do. Take time for yourself in whatever schedule you create. Have a great life partner who will share your experiences and will be there for you every step of the way.

I also tell them to experience variety -- you don't always have to be chairside to be a success. Gauge where your interests are and focus a good segment of your time where you are happiest. And finally, find a mentor or two who will help guide you through the maze of both your professional and personal life. Mentors have been there. They will help you manage time and life. Honestly, I will say I have had all of these and it has made me appreciate what I do all the more.

What, right now, is your greatest challenge in your practice and for the profession as a whole?

The recession hit many practices hard several years ago. We are still working around the new world of dentistry. We all need to deal with a new type of busyness. The greatest challenge is patient loyalty. With many folks having no or limited dental coverage, patients are putting off not only preventive services but more extensive dental care. At some point, these patients will need care.

Working with the benefit companies is always a challenge. It takes a lot of education to explain to patients the difference between medical insurance and a dental benefit -- the small amount of money allotted to defray dental costs. We need to reinforce the reality that oral health matters to both dental and systemic health.

Regardless of challenges, I believe dentistry is still the best profession, and I am honored to be working in this outstanding field.