This week on The Dental Download Podcast, Dr. Haley sits down with pediatric dentist and startup owner Dr. Abbey Elson to talk about the career path she never expected to take.
After graduating residency, Dr. Abbey was convinced she would remain an associate. Instead, she found herself building a pediatric dental startup from scratch, navigating the financial stress of ownership, growing a practice in a highly saturated market, and eventually balancing it all with new motherhood. Together, Haley and Abbey discuss the realities of startup dentistry, practice loans, marketing, burnout, maternity leave, childcare, and why success often looks very different than what we imagined in dental school.
If you're a dental student, new graduate, associate dentist, future practice owner, or simply trying to figure out your next step, this conversation is a reminder that very few careers follow a perfectly planned path.
Listen in to hear more on:
• Why Dr. Abbey never planned to become a practice owner• The realities of starting a dental practice from scratch• Managing financial stress and startup loans on top of personal life expenses • Growing a practice in a competitive market• Balancing motherhood and business ownership• Pediatric dentistry career insights• The challenges of burnout and uncertainty• Why your career doesn't have to follow your original plan• Advice for young dentists looking toward ownership and growth
Dr. Abbey's Instagram: hthttps://www.instagram.com/abbeyelsondmd/
Engage with the podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dentaldownloadpodcast
Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dentaldownloadpodcast
Haley's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.haley.dds
Haley's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.haley.dds?lang=en
