She Said Yes Before Anyone Else Did. Here’s What It Cost Her - and What It Built

0:00Hey. Welcome to Foundation Dental podcast. I'm your host, Doctor. Jim Arnold. And today's guest is a very good friend of mine, somebody I'm really excited to see here in Chicago for the Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting. Dua has become very near and dear to my heart. But she's someone who represents the next generation of dentistry, intelligent, intentional, and unapologetically original. Doctor Dua Farhud is a New Orleans born aesthetic dentist with dual degrees in neuroscience and public health, a growing digital presence as at doctor.dua, and a bold entrepreneurial vision for her future. She blends science, culture, motherhood, and modern branding into a career that looks very different from the traditional path. She was the very first dentist to say yes to our Dubai Luxury Dental Retreat last summer, a decision that sparked a powerful friendship and an even bigger vision.

0:49Dua, I'm so glad that you came to Chicago this week and that you're sitting down with me to have this conversation. I'm so excited to be here. Thank you for that introduction. That was beautiful. Absolutely. I mean, it's it just doesn't even scratch the surface of what an extraordinary human you are. That is so sweet. Our friendship means a lot to me. And so I'm excited for our our listeners to get to know you a little bit. Just who you are and and what you do and just in my mind, what makes you just really extraordinary and special. Thank you. I'm ready. I'm gonna let's get into it. Let's get into Yeah. So if someone is just meeting you for the first time, tell us who Dua is today beyond the degree and the white coat.

1:29Well, first of all, I'm a mother. You did mention that. That's something that's the most important thing in my life is being a mother to my four year old, almost five year old daughter, and just being that role model model being that role model for her is the most important thing. Besides that, I love, you know, traveling, meeting new people, meetings people like you, growing my career, and just really growth in general might You love to get out and meet people who kind of elevate the way you think and the way you see your career and the opportunities in dentistry? Yes. Yes. And basically just getting out there and representing Muslim women, single mothers, just showing them that you can be whoever you wanna be as long as you put the work in.

2:21Absolutely. And, you know, one of the things I love about you is just how how genuine, how authentic you are, and just, you know, not just proud of your heritage, but proud of, I guess, your even your upbringing in New Orleans. Right. You know, it's such an interesting background. Isn't it? Growing up Palestinian American in New Orleans Yeah. How did that shape the way that you relate to patients? Oh, well, you you I ended up being a minority wherever I go. You know? So, like, a woman in hijab in New Orleans. But also when I go back to Palestine, I'm also a minority there too. So you have to kind of you you start relating to everyone that is also a minority. You start being a little more empathetic, just being more aware of everybody's going through something or everybody has their thing Yeah.

3:12And just using that emotional intelligence to connect with people. I I think that's such a good point. I think that anyone with sort of a an interesting and sort of eclectic background. I mean, let's be honest. There aren't a lot of Palestinian Americans who grew up in New Orleans, and that's just whole sort of culture. So we do we do have a good bit of a Palestinian community there. No kidding. It's actually nothing like Chicago, though. There's a lot of people Palestinians here. So many. Huge huge population. Absolutely. In New Orleans, we do have our little our little community. But as I, you know, started gaining education and gaining experience, as you go up in those levels, there's less and less people like you. Yeah.

3:54And so I ended up being, a lot of times, the only one in hijab in at Tulane. I think there was, like, something, like, 13,000 people, and there was, like, maybe one or I maybe saw one another one. Yeah. So it was I was always like, okay. That's that's her. And then obviously in dental school, I think me and my my big we call it, like, my mentor in dental school. Was just me and her, and we were the first two women in hijab who had ever been to LSU dental school. And so it I guess we inspired some people because as we after we graduated, a lot more Muslim women started, you know, enrolling in dental school. Fantastic. Yeah. And I have a lot of people a lot of girls reach out to me and say, hey.

4:37How can I how can I be like you? How can I do what you're doing right now? That and that's really cool. I mean, you're in a position where you can be a role model to a lot of young Muslim women. Yeah. And, you know, I think your your microphone through social media and just kind of the the brand that you're building as as a human, as a dentist, as a Muslim woman in America. I mean, these are things that I think that a lot of people can identify with. Mhmm. And anybody who feels marginalized for some reason Right. Because they're a minority or whatever. I think that these are super valuable lessons for people to learn. I think so too. And it just makes me feel so fulfilled in life because I wish I had that growing up.

5:17I wish I had a role model to to. Yeah. But I wasn't it was always just me, like, kinda clawing through, kinda just trying to make it work and seeing, like, what sticks. Yeah. You know? My parents, they didn't finish college, and they came to America a little later in life. And so they didn't know all the rules. They didn't know how to apply to college. They didn't know, you know they're they're immigrants, and I'm for first generation. And so a lot of first generation kids can kinda relate that, hey. We we just have to make it work and Mhmm. Try to make our parents proud at the end of the day. Yeah. That's amazing. I love that. What a what a wonderful story. Kind of an origin story.

5:55Yeah. You know, even your educational background is really interesting. Mhmm. Before you got into dentistry, you were studying neuroscience, public health. I mean, those are I did dabble in business too. And I was like Okay. Well, I mean, I look at that and I think what a fantastic background for a dentist. Something that most dentists never even touch Right. While getting their education. And, you know, all that having been said with that interesting educational background, how does that impact, like, how you diagnose and communicate with patients? I mean Right. It's gotta come into play. Oh, does. And I don't realize how much it does until I really sit down and think about it. So, like, public health, obviously, is what community what the community needs from the government or from community leaders and how we can make it better for the community as a whole.

6:42Mhmm. In America, we're so individualized and focused on the individual. But, really, people to be healthy, we need the community to come together as a village Mhmm. And help people get better or help people succeed in life. You can't do it on your own. Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, I think that everything we do, it takes community. Know? It does. No no one should stand alone on an island. Right. I think in dentistry in particular, a lot of dentists feel that way. Mhmm. You know? I mean, you could be in a group practice and still feel alone on an island. A 100%. Yes. And then just people in society in general. Mhmm. I mean, I don't know about you. Actually, I think I do. But as a dentist, I always felt like, man, like, I may not have a lot in common with this guy or this woman or these people, but I think one of the things that that we do as dentists are incumbent upon us to do Mhmm.

7:29Is help put people at ease Right. And find that that that kinda common thread, that humanity that connects us Exactly. And and does make people feel like Right. They're they're being cared for. Yeah. And studying public health definitely opens your eyes to those disparities that people have to deal with to get regular decent care. Yeah. And, you know, dentistry, there's already an extra barrier to entry compared to just, like, regular medicine. Mhmm. So when when you have, like, a disadvantaged person sit in your chair, you're like, I I know what this person is going through. Yeah. Whether they come from a place that doesn't have access to dentistry in general or they don't have insurance or you you you become a lot more aware and you become a lot more gentle with the patient that's in your chair.

8:15That's it's so great. And I think, you just said something that, really resonated with me because empathy is such a huge part of what we do as dentists. Yes. And without empathy, you can't lead. You can't lead people. You can't create a safe environment for for patients, for your team. But when you lead with empathy, and you kind of kind of put yourself in other people's shoes Mhmm. Then I think that that that kind of authenticity makes people feel much more relaxed in what can be, you know, an anxiety inducing situation. 100%. Yeah. And you can be the most perfect technical dentist. But if you don't have the empathy, you're not gonna succeed. You are gonna be patients just won't come to you. Yeah. I I said this before, but a lot of they used to say this all the time in dental school.

9:01You could have the most perfect margins. You could have the most perfect composite filling. But if you didn't make that patient feel comfortable That's right. That you didn't succeed. You didn't do what you needed to do as a provider for this patient. Absolutely. You know, you and I could do a full podcast just on that. I mean, it is such an essential piece that I I think that's to some degree some people have it more than others just naturally. Right. But I do think that it's a it's a skill that you can learn. I think so too. So many things that we don't learn in dental school unfortunately, which I think will start to see changing little by little. We do have access to those sort of life lessons, those life skills, and that all comes down to mentorship.

9:45But I want to change gears for just a second because you're not like a typical associate. Yeah. You know, again, I said you were the first one to sign up for the Dubai Luxury Dental Retreat last summer. I was so surprised when you told me that. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I was I was blown away because I I I was just I was pleasantly surprised because it's not typically something an associate would do. Right. But you as an associate who just kinda sees sees things and I think does things at a higher level than most. Like, if I was a young dentist Yeah. I came to shadow you for a day. Now what do you think I would see that you wouldn't see with sort of a typical young associate?

10:20Oh, that's funny. I think just taking more time with my patients than my colleagues do in the office and just really getting their their story and knowing exactly why, for example, they took so long to come to the dentist. Like, what what are their fears? What what is worrying worrying them about this appointment? And getting to the core of that early on in the appointment. Rather than just pushing through and trying to just diagnose, treat, drill, and fill, you really need to get the background to to have excellent treatment. Yeah. And then what else would they see? And just me, we would say, vibing with my assistants, with my patients, just having everything flow and not having this very cold, you know, you know, back in the day and, you know, the doctor was a doctor and the assistants were assistants.

11:11No. We I treat everybody on the same level as me. What's so important is I think it's more important now than it's ever been before in terms of culture within an office. Mhmm. I mean, since the pandemic, I think it's become more difficult to recruit and retain top talent than it's ever been. I agree. And so guess what? I mean, obviously, top talent, you gotta be able to pay them well or at least competitively, but you also have to create this culture that where that people are attracted to, drawn to, and when they come in, they wanna stay forever. Right? Right. And I think that's what these older DSOs and these older private practices are struggling with. They wanna hold on to that old culture so so much.

11:47Yeah. But this this new generation is all about being emotionally aware and and being more empathetic and being I hate to say the word woke, but that's that's what it is these days. And you just have to be just just a good person at the end of the day and just treat everybody with respect. You know, obviously, that's a great life lesson for everybody. But I think that it's even more important as dentists or as dental team members because of, again, the anxiety that a lot of people carry to appointments with them. Right. But, you know, you as a mother Yeah. You know, I mean, obviously, that's the most important role that you're ever going to have. But, you know, how did becoming a mother change, like, your career ambition and, like, how you see you like, I guess, your trajectory moving forward?

12:30Oh, I just I think it just 10 x ed everything. Yeah. I'm like, I was comfortable as an associate, you know, making my little per diem salary, going home, you know, just chilling at home after work, which is fine and great, and you're still doing better than most people in the world doing that. However, when you have a little girl watching you and watching every move you're you're making and Yeah. And just looking up to you and and just wanting to copy everything you're doing no matter what it is, you're like, I got I have to be the best version of myself Yeah. Because I have these little eyes looking up at me, and I They see everything. They see everything. They catch everything. Yeah.

13:10You don't real I didn't realize how much she was watching me until, like, a couple times she, like, mentioned things here and there. And I'm like, how how do you know that? And and she's only four. And I'm like, they they're they're really sponges and they soak it all up. It's just such a miracle. You know? Is. Like, they do that and how every conversation, every interaction just it's a a building block towards the the person that they're going to become. Mhmm. And I think I think she has a pretty good role model in you. I sure hope so. I'm No. She definitely does. It's something that keeps me up at night, for sure. I I just I hope I can I can do the best for her?

13:44So, you know, you refer to yourself as as an aesthetic dentist. And I love that I I was an aesthetic dentist while I was practicing, and I taught it and did it and was really passionate about it. It's so fun. It, like, changed lives. You know? Yeah. That sort of thing. But a lot of people just look at aesthetic dentistry. It's like veneers and whitening, that sort of thing. But to you, like, what what does aesthetic dentistry mean beyond, you know, veneers and whitening? Because it really whole face. Yeah. Encapsulates a lot more. Right? Like, you change somebody's smile. You change their their aura. You change how they feel about themselves. Yeah. We wanna get technical. We can get into, like, facial balancing and adding Botox and fillers and and doing lip flips and stuff to more tooth show, less tooth show.

14:26And that I mean, that's aesthetic dentistry in general Yeah. Which is great if we wanna go that way. But I I I I just like also aesthetics at the end of the day. I like making things look beautiful and pretty and but also functional. That's the most important part. You know what you know what I think is cool? You know, the teeth are almost like the picture. Right. Then the lips are like the matting. Right. Right. Face is the frame. Right. Right. You know, and if you really look at it that way, it's so much more than just the beautiful teeth. Right. You know, the whole smile, the whole persona. Like you said, the aura. The aura. And and look. We're all so impacted by what we see in the mirror.

15:00Mhmm. And we're all our own worst critics. Let's let's be honest. Yeah. But when you look in the mirror and you're not happy with with how your smile looks and that sort of thing, I mean, it really impacts how you relate with other people and how you interact. A 100%. Yeah. And patients will be surprised. Like, I say, I'll get a crown back or or some veneers back from the lab. Yeah. And I don't like the shade, but the patient hasn't noticed it. And they they're fine with it. Right. And I'm looking at it, I'm like, I don't like that. Yeah. And they're like, are you talking about? I'm I don't I think we should send it back. Yeah. And they're like, really? I'm like, yeah.

15:32I know you love it, but I think we can get it just a little better. And patients appreciate that They do. So much. They're like, thank you for being honest with me. And that I think that's the core of being an aesthetic dentist, just doing what you know is right Yes. For the patient and and their overall look. Because let's be honest with you. Patients don't necessarily understand some of the nuances when it comes to, you know, aesthetics, when you're talking about porcelain. But because of your experience and your keen eye for that sort of thing, you're going to hold those cases to a higher standard than patients are very often. And when you take pride in what you do and you want to change lives, you know, we really need to, you know, share our expertise.

16:14Because without that, they might be happy with it, but it may not be at a level that, you know, it would be otherwise. And then at the end of the at the end of the day, that's my reputation out there. Somebody's gonna ask, who did your veneers or who did your teeth? And if they refer back to me, then I want it to be the best advertisement out there. 100%. Yeah. Yeah. That leads right into my next question. You know, when you design a smile and I kinda I know the answer because, you know, I'm very passionate about this too. But what are you really designing? Is it confidence, identity, transformation? Yeah. All of it. All of it. All of it. I just my goal is for the patient to grab that mirror when I hand it to them and just just go silent.

16:54Because every time they go silent and stare at themselves, I know that we did a good job. I know that I changed their life right right there in that moment. That is, like, the the best part of being a dentist. That moment. Yes. That moment. And sometimes even the moment when they got their their temporaries. Right. You know, because, honestly, sometimes that induced even more tears because it was such a dramatic transformation over just a couple of hours. And then they get used to it for a couple of the temporaries is not I know. Right? Great. But it's still so life changing to them. And they're like, I could just go around like this. I'm like, please don't go around like that. Come back when I call you for your permanence.

17:28But, yeah, it's it's just it's just a surprise every time how good you can make that patient feel in a chair. Oh, it's that's amazing. It is it is one of the biggest things I miss about being Right. You know, a hands on, you know, practicing dentist. People think it's maybe, like, a little superficial to, like, veneers or what, but it's actually not. No. It is a It's your identity. Changing somebody's identity. It impacts it impacts your relationships. It impacts your career. Oh, yeah. And that sense of self confidence means that, look, you can bring more to other people. You can do more for other people. And more for your because of the way that you feel inside based upon what you see when you look good.

18:08You feel good. And you you put that out in the world. That's right. And they interact with you in a more positive way. Mean, it's all about, like, vibrating at the right frequency. Because what we think about, we bring about. And we're putting that energy out there and that glow and that aura Right. It all comes back to us through those interactions. It's magic, isn't it? 100%. It is. And when you have a patient that was already nervous to come to the dentist, already scared Yeah. And then you change their lives, and now they're telling their kids or their family members, no. You gotta go to the dentist, and now we're changing lives. And not just that life life in the chair, but all everybody else around them.

18:41Oh, no doubt about it. That's right. And, you know, one thing that's challenging, like, within a group practice to build a personal brand Mhmm. I mean, I mean, a lot of times a practice has an identity. Right. And dentists or team members within that practice, they kind of adopt that same identity. But for you, like, what boundaries or mindset shifts made it possible for you to create your personal personal brand within that practice? Right. So to be honest, for a while, I was kinda just blending in to to them. Just as a new dentist, I've been with the same practice for since I graduated, basically, for almost six years. Yeah. So in the beginning, you have to kind of take on their identity to kinda fit in and learn the ropes and kinda gain experience.

19:23And once you start gaining your speeding and finding your footing, then then I was like, okay. I need to branch out because this is not what I want. This is not all what I want from life. Yeah. So once I started seeing people like you on social media, other dentists on social media I mean, for me, even in dental school, building a brand is something I wanted. I it was just never the right timing. Yeah. But now I'm like, okay. This is fully me. I can do this all on my own, and I I know exactly what the vision is. Yeah. And right now, as an associate, you know, you kinda get some people like, why are you doing that? Like, that's kinda weird. Like Yeah.

20:01You know, they're kinda trying to talk you out of it, but you if you see the vision and you're set, you kinda cut have to just block all of that out. Well, you know, and that's, I think, a really good point because a lot of times we do let the noise or what other people's expectations are, like, impact how we present ourselves. And Right. And you can't do that. You can't. You know, when you do have that clear vision and you wanna present yourself in a certain way because that's who you are Right. And you wanna draw people to you that that vibe with that that sort of persona Mhmm. You're the only one who can control that. A 100%. You know, you can get input and all that sort of thing, but sometimes you do.

20:34You just gotta put the blinders on and and go. And as humans, we kinda have that we naturally slow down when people start telling. It gets in our head. It does. And so, like, I'm I'm if I didn't listen to anyone, then I probably could have had, like, so many so much more presence on social media years ago. I I tell you what, it's never too late. And and I've loved seeing your increased presence on social media over the last past several months. I mean, really since Dubai. I've seen you, like, kinda come out of your shell a little bit. Was actually Dubai was, like, kinda the trigger. Well, it's not easy. You know, when you're when you don't love being on camera Right. And you're just kind of shy about that sort of thing.

21:06It takes time to sort of develop that. But I've watched you. I've watched you grow, and I love that. And I Thank you. I always wonder, like, when you hit post on Instagram Oh, god. Like, I mean, what are you actually building with that? I mean, is it is it something that I don't know. Is is it, like, part of your your, like, attracting patients? Is it part of building community? All of it. Legacy? I mean, what how do you look at that? I think I think it's all of it. First and foremost, it's built it's building a brand, building a presence Yeah. Which you which everyone needs in this day and age. Are not looking they're not googling dentists anymore. They're actually going to dentists because of what they saw on TikTok or Instagram or whatever.

21:44But beyond that, I've always said, like I said earlier, it's building a community, being a role model, presenting myself in a way that represents who I am as a person Yeah. My faith, who I want to how I want to show up in the world, how I want my daughter to to view me and look up to me. It's all of that encompassed in in this one Instagram account, I guess. I I love that. And and, I mean, I've I've tried to do something similar, and I'm a little bit scattershot here, there, and everywhere. But you know what? That's kinda me. You know? And it and it's okay. I can't have just raw video of me on my phone, my hair all messed up, walking out of gym because it's it's me.

22:22It's you. And I love doing polished stuff because I'm all there's also that side. Do you really like to be professional? Like earlier, you were like, it doesn't have to be perfect. But for me, like, I'm just, like, more of the it has to look a certain way. And and sometimes I'll get on stories and act like a little, you know, less polished version. Sure. But it's just the the way I wanna present myself and show up in the world is just a little different than than your vision for your for your brand is. I think I think that's great. And, again, we're we all have our own vision. We all have our personal brand, and we should all feel comfortable Right. In our own skin and share what we want to Right.

22:56With with people. I agree. So what's one thing, like, young dentists often get wrong about building, like, a modern career? You know, you come out of school and Mhmm. Some people have a clearer vision of what they wanna do than others. Right. I didn't really have a vision at all. I was like, man, I just wanna pay back my student loans. Me too. But for you looking at, you know, not that long out of school Mhmm. Like, what do young dentists, like, really need to know, like, looking at ahead of their career in this sort of more modern era? Right. So it's because you learned a lot in five years. Yeah. You you do you do learn a lot. Once they just throw you out there after dental school, you you don't get you get a license to practice, but you really you really know nothing.

23:35It's basically day one on your own, and you're just like, nobody's watching me. What do I do from here? So, basically, there's no wrong answer. Mhmm. There's no wrong way to do dentistry. There's no wrong way to to build your career. If you wanna be a social media person, you can be that social media person. If you wanna go just to open a practice and just build a d DSO, you can do that. There's there's the beauty of dentistry and and being a dentist is you can do whatever you want. You don't ever have to practice dentistry after after you graduate. That's true. And and we're so blessed to have a profession that offers these options to us. I I agree a thousand percent. And one of the things I say often is there are 50 different ways to practice dentistry, run a dental practice, and as long as you do it in integrity with a patient first, and then your team That's all it is.

24:22All part of that and treat everyone with respect and just do the very best that you can. And, you know, you mentioned a minute ago just that perfectionism, which is a it's an affliction that lots of us suffer from. Analysis paralysis is something I separate from. It it really can be. But Yeah. You know, we it's incumbent upon us to really pursue excellence. Mhmm. You know, sometimes perfection can almost get in the way of excellence. So, yeah, it's just I think a lot of times we as dentists kinda get wrapped up into that and it's 100%. You know, can stifle growth a little bit. For sure. Like, before I post something, I'm, like, reading the caption a million times. I'm like, okay. Do I look good in this clip.

25:00Does this look okay? I drive the guys crazy saying, hey. Can we do this? Can we do this? Yeah. Right. But it is something I'm working on for sure. But as as you practice, it's something you practice too. As you realize, it's just just put it out there. Nobody's noticing these things that you're noticing. Perfect sometimes. Right? Sometimes. Sometimes. Yeah. I know. Right? You know, I Right. Right. I'm just Most things do have to be perfect in my eyes, but but you're doing good enough. You're doing better than most people Absolutely. When you have that eye for things. You know, I I'm gonna change over for a second here. I wanna talk about Dubai a little bit. Yeah. Let's talk. You know, you as I mentioned before, you were the first dentist Yeah.

25:40To sign up for the Dubai Luxury Dental Retreat last summer, which, by the way, was just the first of many because it's such a special place. So excited. But what what is it that made you, like, so confident and for you to sign up so quickly? Why why did you do that? I had actually just come back from Dubai for another trip. Mhmm. It was a leisure trip for, like, a couple days on the way to another location. And in Dubai, I'm like, okay. This is the aesthetic of who I wanna be as a dentist. Mhmm. I want to eventually the thought was at the time to move out of The States, go to Dubai, and do my thing there and build my personal brand in that way.

26:18Wow. And I actually, like, you know, I started researching, googling, like how can I get there? Mhmm. And, you know, I don't know if you do this, but like you get on chat GPT and you start planning your life and you're like, okay, five years from now, I wanna be this. What are the steps? When I grow up. Right. And then I have this, this, and this to do. How can I, you know, achieve that in this time? And so that's that's kinda where it started. And as I was googling, somehow your dental luxury retreats showed up on my one of my searches. I think it was actually a Facebook ad. Okay. I'm like, this is exactly what I need. How how can I get there?

26:59And like, you know, I clicked, I filled out the form, and I found you on Instagram. I'm like, okay. Let's do it. And just talking to you for the first time, I'm like, okay. This is a person I need to be in the same room with whenever I can. Just just you're so you're so warm. You're so giving. You just wanna pour into the people that that you work with. And then you're so well connected as well. And you're you're so generous with your time, and you're generous with with your connections. As soon as I say something, you're like, I got somebody that can help you with that. And I'm like, oh, Jim, you just made this, like, 10 times easier. You know, we just close my own.

27:36You know, you kinda see everything. You just know a lot of people. I agree. But you also there's people that are that have, you know, that have had the same experience that you have, but they're not gonna be as generous with those connections or those tips. So, I mean, when I look at back at my career, I had so many great mentors. I mean, I was so fortunate, so blessed. I really I did like, I was very intentional about that. Yeah. You know, I saw people doing things that I wanted to do Right. And who are already really good at it. And I thought, you know what? If I go and learn from them, spend time with them, I'm not only going to learn from them directly, but I'm gonna learn from them indirectly just by being Right.

28:11Around them. Orbit. That's how I feel I mean, we're we're all what a a product of the five people we spend the most time with. That sort of thing. Love that quote. But, like, elevating your thinking, your mindset, just being in that room with people, thinking at a different level. Even if it's not something direct, just that sort of vibe is something that I think helps. A 100%. Yeah. And when you go from being in a in a room that doesn't have those people and you're thrown into a room where you you seek out that room that has high level thinkers like you and everybody else that was on on that trip Yeah. You're like, oh, this this feels like home. Right. You go back after and you're like, oh, god.

28:46And seeing other people's enthusiasm and passion, like, just elevated, like, everything about the way I looked at our profession. Right. And, I mean, let's be honest, there's a lot of negativity out there. Right. You know, there are lot of dentists who are just really unhappy with what they do, and they do kind of walk around like Eeyore. Yeah. You know, just like, woe is me, and oh, it's so terrible, and the insurance and patients and all the problems. And look, those things are all legitimate because we all deal with them. By the same token, if you spend time with people who are just so hyper focused on that, it drags you down. Oh, yeah. If you wanna be a 10, like, be in a room full of tens who, you know, are are trying to look at all of the positive.

29:23You know, dealing with a negative, dealing with a challenge. Dealing with it. But, like, if they've gotten through a lot of those things, that's another just great way to fast track your success. And and being in that room with you, doctor Rasner, doctor Buskey, Elijah Yeah. Everybody and and the other the other attendees, you realize, like, okay. The only way to succeed is to be positive Yeah. Is to look on the bright side. Yeah. There's not there was not one negative person in that room. Isn't that amazing? Not one negative person. And then you you start thinking, like, okay. That's that's why they're successful is that they they can see the light at the end of the tunnel and they're just working toward that. Not that their lives are easy, but Yeah.

30:02They are working through those hard times. So tell me this. Like, you know, you've been to a lot of different CE in your short career and everything, but how does the the weekend in Dubai, like, compare to traditional CE, like a typical course you go to? It just, on a it was on a different level. Not only did we have, like, great conversation, we had amazing food, fine dining. We were talking about anything and everything, and just every part of the trip, I gained something from. Whether it was like a new friendship or a new connection or a new contact that I had through one of you guys or just just being in an environment that was so high level in all ways Yeah. With the high level thinkers, with the beautiful atmosphere, with the beautiful hotel that we were in.

30:49It was just like, this is what I want my life to look like for the rest of my life. Love that. And that's exactly I mean, it's music to my ears because that was my vision. Yeah. You know, it took a year to kind of make that vision a reality, and I I just decided I'm not gonna compromise. Right. Curate the room, make sure we have a room full of positive people who are thinking, you know, about things on, you know, the level that elevates one another as opposed to takes anybody I told you guys the first night, that first dinner. By the way, I was very confident that it was all gonna go that way because I spent hundreds of hours putting it all together.

31:21But there's still that little, you know, thing in the back of my mind when I'm saying, look, at the end of this weekend, I want you guys to feel like you got way more value out of this than than what it cost to actually attend. And I told you that. I said, I I think I gained more way more than what I paid for this. And even though I know you're you're targeting not young dentists like me, I think you were targeting people a little further on in their career, but I kept telling you, I think I gained them I gained the most out of everybody that attended because I was so early, because I hadn't started anything. I was a a fresh slate. Yeah.

31:54I was thinking about opening a practice, and you guys just poured into me. And I'm like, okay. I could have made these mistakes on my own, but because I met you guys, I don't have to make those mistakes When when you talk about curating a room, I mean, for me, it was really about the individuals. It didn't really matter where they were in their their sort of practice or professional life cycle. Mhmm. And that's how I feel about the mastermind. You know, it's really just bringing great, like minded people together who all come at things from a little different perspective, different life experiences. And that's why I loved loved like, I mean, we're a very eclectic group. Mhmm. Now if you look at the photo of the 12 of us on that trip, we have all ethnicities and colors Passionate.

32:33Right. Backgrounds and we're different. Had specialists. We had general dentists. It was just we had an associate. We had practice centers. It was just a beautiful, like, compilation of everything dentistry could be. And, you know, so there's really no avatar. It's it's like if you come with an open heart and open mind Right. You're willing to not only take it all in, but to share of yourself, which you were, of course, and everybody else in that room was, magic happens. It it really did. It did. I was very emotional as you recall the last night. I mean, I get emotional about it now. It was such a beautiful like look back on that see how how kind of beautiful it all was. Right. Whether it's the education or the time together, you know, on a yacht or Yeah.

33:14Just the conversations that happened over dinner and sharing this sort of life changing experiences. You know, obviously, as a guy who sort of had the vision and organized it, I had a great sense of pride about that. But but should be more so so proud, Jim. Thank So proud. But more I just looked at all of you guys and thought, man, you know, they're like family. There's somebody who's gonna be part of my life for a long time. So And we did walk away with that. You and I, we we Yeah. That's Absolutely. Where we are right now. Was there, like, a specific moment, you know, in that trip that just changed the way you see your future? And I know the whole thing did.

33:46Was there a moment that just, like, stay light last dinner, like, when we were all just, like, sharing how our experience on that trip and just having the the cake for you and just saying, looking back, like, just standing back. Cry my eyes, though. Oh my god. So good. But, like, just standing back and just taking it in, like, I really just changed my life with this little trip right here. Something that I I did prey on it a lot. It was a lot of money for me as an associate to go on this. Absolutely. But that moment when we were I was just standing back and and looking at everyone and be like, wow. This was the perfect thing. This is exactly what I needed at this pivotal moment in my life.

34:26Because I was kinda lost for a little bit. I was getting bored of my associateship. Yeah. And I'm like, do I open a practice? I how do I like, do I wanna be tied to that? Like, how can I elevate my life? And and this just came at the perfect time. So, you know, timing is everything. It is. Know, sometimes it's not the right fit or it's not now, but maybe later, that sort of thing. But, like, for you, when you think about being in that environment, like, how did I mean, was there, like, a shift in your confidence, your vision, your clarity for your future? You guys really you guys actually did make my head big a little bit because everybody was like, you are so young and why are you here?

35:01How are you here? And I'm like, I'm just I'm just a dentist, y'all. I'm just a dentist. But you guys really did speak that into me. And Yeah. Actually, I went back and, like, a couple weeks passed by. She's like my mom she was like, you're a different person. Really? She really did say that. She's like, you've changed. And I'm like, what are you talking about? She's like, you it's just the way you carry yourself. Yeah. And and and then in that moment, I looked back. I'm like, that's because I had all these great people, all these people that were successful in their careers telling me that I I'm on the right path. Yeah. I had a moment with doctor Rasner, and he's like, I see myself in you.

35:38And I'm like, oh my god. What a compliment. Because he's amazing guy. And like somebody that's like completely different. Like, put us next to each other and we would we would probably have never talked in any other situation. Sure. We would, like, pass each other at mid winter or something and not even looked at each other's direction. But being in the same room as him, having those deep conversations, and realizing we are a lot more similar than we thought we were. Isn't that amazing? I call him my dental dad and his wife, my dental mom. Was just Aw. It was such a beautiful moment. And it was so it was that's when I think that that really shifted my whole perspective on on my life, on myself.

36:14Like, I really did gain so much confidence from from that. And I don't think I don't think I've I still don't realize how much it changed me. You know what you know what's cool about that duo is, you know, you were the youngest person in the room and I I agree. You got a lot out of it. And some of it's just conversations, relationships, feeling like just more confident and having a clear vision. But, you know, I want you to know that, like, we all felt that way. I mean, I know Steve walked away feeling like he got a lot of it. I walked away feeling like I got a lot of it. Beyond just the experiences and things we did, it was just the people with whom I was conversing on a daily basis.

36:48Right. So so that's cool. Like, obviously, it's a lot of money. It's a big it's a big investment because Dubai is not cheap. You know? It's not cheap. Seeing at the Ritz Carlton, Dubai, we're going to Michelin Star dinners, we're doing VIP activities, we're going out on a yacht and all these things that sort of elevate the experience. Did not compromise on one thing, and that's what made it perfect was, like, you promised and you over delivered. Like, I don't know how you can over deliver on something like that, but you made it happen, and you you just did. You over delivered, and I was just so pleased with how everything turned out. Well, I'm happy. That's how I try to comport myself in everything I do in life, whether it's a mastermind, whether it's Dubai, whether it's a practice transition, all of those things.

37:23I just love sharing my experiences Right. And my knowledge and my relationships to hopefully Yeah. Help other people, like be successful more quickly You're doing that. More seamlessly than than I was. So, you know, obviously, again, back to the financial aspect, mean, $10,000 means a lot of money to go on all inclusive trip like this to, you know, do the education, have the experiences, build the relationship and everything. But so some dentists are like, wow. Well, I could do this for 10. I could do this and all these things. Like, what would you tell somebody who's reticent about spending that kind of money on the Dubai experience that's coming up this May? Right. So a 100%, it is worth it. It is worth the money, and I think it's it's actually worth more than what you're charging for it.

38:04I think it accelerated my career path at least five, if not ten years. It catapulted me. Just learning about, like, already before I even had a practice, you guys were, like, telling me, okay. Think about your exit plan. And I didn't even have I didn't even have a location yet. But you don't even have an entrance plan. Right? Exit plan. What are talking Exactly. No entrance plan, but already be thinking about your exit. Yeah. And it just changes the way you think. And you're already, like, telling me, look at this before you do this. Yeah. Go talk to this person before you do that. And it's just just shaving off that time, saving all that time that you can pour into other things and other passion that you have in your family because you're not focused and tied up in all the the nitty gritty of something that, you know, if you didn't if I didn't have you guys, I would I would be tied up with.

38:52I think that's one of the biggest lessons that that a young any dentist can learn or any human can learn, but it's particularly people early in their careers, beginning with the end in mind Right. And then reverse engineering everything back from that. Yes. But that takes getting some clarity about what you think Exactly. That that end is. And by the way, as we all know, that can change. You know, we kinda zigzag careers and, you know, maybe maybe this does end up being where we wanna go Yeah. But the path to get there is some somewhat convoluted at times. And as you grow and gain experience and you you start realizing, okay. I don't like this. I do like this. I feel more myself here and I don't here.

39:30And you start kind of just curating that that life for yourself. Yeah. But when you have other people that have experienced these things already and and giving you their their tidbits and their pearls Yeah. Then you you you start to create a more clearer picture of what you want your life to look like. And that's what Dubai, I think, offered for me. You know, looking at you and your five year career to this point, what's the hardest internal lesson you've learned? You know, just about yourself, about your profession, that sort of thing. Internal. So many things, but just not let listening to those outside voices and just knowing, like, what I'm doing is is is correct for me, is right for me. This is the life I wanna live, knowing why I wanted finding out my why, knowing why I wanna do this.

40:16Huge. Huge. Huge. Yeah. And just being able to articulating to articulate that and write that down and being clear on that. Yeah. And then, okay. What do I have to go do to get there? Yeah. And being really set in that, I think that's what's most important. Because like I said, growing up, I was always like the odd one out. I mean, I was always like succeeding in school and and but I was always different than everybody else. So that kinda at some point, you know, in middle school, you kinda just wanna blend in. You don't wanna be the the ugly duckling. But Absolutely. So that kinda, like, puts you in a place. Okay. Let me just blend in. And I've I've been I tried to blend in for so long just to kinda not rock the boat.

40:58I'm glad you're not blending in now too. I'm really glad. And so when I stopped blending in Yeah. That's when things started changing for me. Absolutely. Yeah. And I think that a lot of people I mean, everybody goes through those awkward years and some more than others, But Yeah. It's part of the human condition. Yeah. And we all share that kind of experience as we grow up. But some of us, like you said, you know, you feel like you've been a minority in every room you've been. That's what what was the most. Like, I was already like I said, I think I I started wearing my hijab around 16 years old. And already before that, you know, I'm I don't look like everybody else in my in my class in middle school and, you know, and so and then also religion wise, like, you're not like everybody else.

41:41So you're always different. And then in middle school, high school, you you would just wanna be like everyone else. Yeah. And so that you carry that through college and and then also dental school, I think I just still wanted to blend in. But knowing internally that that that's not who I actually am, like, do want more for my life than everybody else. I love that. And so when when you when you speak that into yourself and when you really start to take care of that part of your vision Mhmm. That's when things start changing. I love that. Yeah. Yeah. Let's talk about entrepreneurship for just a minute. What does entrepreneurship in dentistry mean to you right now? Has that changed, like, your view of what that means at all over the past five years?

42:24Yeah. For sure. I mean, like, you you hear that word for the first time. You're like, oh, that's like a businessman or a businesswoman just, like Right. On the go and making millions and but it's actually so much more than that. It's like putting in the hours. You're not seeing the direct reward for the work you're doing right now, but just having faith that that is gonna change. And, you know, I think that a lot of dentists struggle with that because, you know, we are we're in health care. It's all about taking care of the patient, putting them first. Right. So I think that there are dentists out there who almost think that profit is like a Right. A bad word or something like that.

42:59Right? Because we're always dentists are always looked at like, oh, you're just you just wanna take my money or like some some people think dentists are like scam artists or whatever. We just over treat. So we always have that kinda, like, that fear of being looked at as, like, money hungry or just looking to to make a profit. But Look. At the end of the day, it's incumbent upon us as dentists to be profitable because if we're not, then we can't get the great education for our team. Exactly. Can't pay top talent to stay. Exactly. We can't get the best labs. We can't get the best technology. Right. We can't create an environment We can't do the where people want to not only come and work, but want to come and feel comfortable as patients.

43:37Right. And so I stopped apologizing for being profitable a long time ago because if I wasn't, guess what? I'm gonna have to start cutting costs. I'm gonna have to start cutting corners. That's not as you know, that's not what I'm all about. Yeah. Is no compromise where they're going to Dubai and doing these great experiences, or you're my patient and my practice and I see you in exactly that same way. I feel exactly the same way. And that's why when you don't learn about business and dental school, it puts us at a huge disadvantage. You're working out of a feeling of scarcity, like Yes. A scarcity mindset. Yeah. But when you start thinking in an abundance mindset, then that's when things start changing. Yeah. It's As long as you're ethical, as long as you're about the patient and about the humans around you, do whatever you do.

44:19It's that simple. It's gold mine. Like, just do right by others. Exactly. You know? How do you wanna be It's really fun. And then the money comes. That's right. Once you start doing that, the money comes. Yeah. That abundance mindset attracts 100%. All of those things and 100%. You know, when you're creating value for other people and doing it the right way, then, yeah, the money typically follows, but that's not what you're chasing. You're chasing, you know, excellence. You're chasing that ability to create an environment that people wanna where they wanna be with you. So Yeah. I love I love that. I think it's really important, especially for young dentists, to kind of Yeah. Take that in and embrace it early in their career. There's a Arabic proverb.

44:57It's do good and throw it in the ocean. Just do good and throw it in the ocean. And and that's something I live by because every time I just think like that when there's no direct reward that I can see coming out of the good I'm doing Yeah. I'm throwing it into the ocean with the trust that it's just gonna come back to me, and it has come back every time. So that's just how I live my life, and I think it's it's done me well. So if we fast forward five to ten years, like, what does your life and practice look like? I mean, I know it's hard to predict. It's hard. Five to ten years. I mean, what what would you like it to look like?

45:30Just an environment that is comfortable Mhmm. For myself, my patients, my staff, my family. Something that inspires others to either be a patient, to to go to the dentist for the first time, or some also a place that being also being a person that my daughter can look up to as she gains experience and and graduates instead of be like, I wanna be like mommy. Yeah. And, like, getting getting those the the girls that I'm mentoring, like, seeing showing them that they can be they can do this too. Man, that that's music to my ears, and it actually brings the next question is ties right into that. Yeah. Because if your daughter watches this episode one day, what would you want her to understand about, like, how you built your career Yeah.

46:22And, like, just kind of the woman that you've become. Just that do god. You're gonna make me I'm getting emotional. You know, it's an emotional topic, and, you know, it's it's the most important thing in your life. Just that her mom is doing the the best she can and and doing the the most right by people that she can to to build this thing, to to inspire others, to to to be to fulfill my purpose as somebody in service to to other to to other human beings. Just being in service to others is just always been something I love to do, but but doing that in a way that I can incorporate my career Mhmm. My faith, my family, just bringing all that together in one, that's that's what I wanna show her that that she can do.

47:14I know she's I know she's little, but she's already proud of you. Yeah. Even if she's not aware of it all yet, I can't wait for her to watch this at some point. She really understands, like Yeah. Just the the beautiful human, great dentist, and just wonderful mother that that you are. And we're always becoming who we're going to be. But when you can combine all of those elements and see that as your priority in life, then you're going to have an impact not just on her but the other people whose lives you touch. So when people hear the name doctor Dua Farhud Mhmm. Five years from now, what do you want that to represent? Integrity, honesty, being just a good person, somebody that you can approach, somebody that's been successful in life and in career wise and in in my personal life, somebody that, you know, that you can just trust, whether it be, like, with your teeth or trust as, like, just a person to talk to to to to get advice from or to just sit with and and, you know, vent.

48:20That's that's the kind of person I wanna be. Well, I I tell you what, I see I see a really bright future for you on so many different levels. And, you know, I don't even think you see it fully. I don't think you see it as clearly as I do. Like, the the things that are gonna happen for you in your career. Tell me that a lot. I'm just like, okay. Makes me a little emotional because I'm I'm so excited for you. Thank you. I'm excited, again, for the dentist whose lives you're gonna touch. You know? And you're gonna be a part of everything that I do moving forward. I'm so ready. Yeah. Well, I'm I'm really happy. And, man, I'm so glad you came to Chicago.

48:51I know it's kind of a last minute trip. Right. You came and you got to be a part of the Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting. You know, when I got here the other day, it was 65 degrees. Yeah. Now it's like 25 degrees. I thought it was supposed to be nice. I know. Right? Right? That's Chicago for you. Yeah. But I really enjoyed the conversation. I did too. I mean, it's always fun to get together. But to be able to share a conversation with, like, like this with Yeah. Other people Yeah. You know, it's I think there's just a lot of value in that. I think there's a lot people will learn a lot from you and your words of wisdom and I hope so. You I think it's just the beginning of something really beautiful for you.

49:23Thank you. I appreciate You know, you're proof that dentistry doesn't have to be small. It can be expansive, personal, global, and deeply rooted all at once. I mean, this is my formal, like, outro for you because, like, I just wanna make sure we hit it on all cylinders because this is you. Aw. You know, from New Orleans to Dubai, from neuroscience to aesthetic transformation, you're building a career defined by identity, intention, and courage. If today's conversation resonated with you, our listeners, whether you're a dentist, a student, or someone who knows you're you're meant for more, take this. Take her life. Take her example as permission to be the best version of yourself because that's exactly what she's doing. So the rooms that you step into matter.

50:02The environments you choose matter. And sometimes saying yes, like Dua did last summer Yeah. Changes everything. So thanks for watching. Thanks for listening. Thanks for being part of the Foundation Dental Alliance. And I hope you tune in next week for the next podcast episode.