Exceptional Smiles @ Landerbrook

November 2019

THE HEIGHTS SMI LE Herald

Moments That Matter 5825 Lande r b rook Dr i ve , Su i t e 124 , May f i e l d He i gh t s , OH 44124 ( 440 ) 483 - 1003

How We Give Life Meaning

I can still remember my first day as a full- fledged dentist. When I walked in to treat my very first patient, they looked up at me from the chair and asked, “Are you sure you’re old enough to be a dentist?” I was taken aback. I had just finished my residency and hadn’t expected to get that kind of response from my patient. It created this chip on my shoulder that drove my career. Long after I forgot who had made the comment, I still remembered the words and was determined to prove myself. I may have looked young, but I knew I had plenty of knowledge and experience. Over the years, I have worked with specialists and taken a ton of continuing education courses to elevate my game. I never wanted to take that DDS degree for granted. A couple of years ago, I walked in to see a patient after their hygiene exam and they asked me, “Dr. Jason, do you remember the first thing I said to you?” I’d been treating this patient for over 15 years, so I honestly

Small moments make a big difference.

That was both the meanest and nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.

We’re not going to remember the specific car trip or cup of coffee after an ordinary day, but I’d like to think my girls will remember the feeling of spending quality time together. This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for the small moments — those I get to share with my family, my team, and all our friends who come into the office. The relationships I have in my life make each day so much more valuable, and those relationships are built on small moments. We might not remember those brief encounters today, but later on down the road, when we look back over our life, it’s the feeling of those moments that make us proud of who we are and what we’ve accomplished.

If that patient hadn’t commented on how young I looked on my first day, I might not have been so driven to constantly improve myself. Small moments make a big difference. This is true in our professional lives and in our personal lives. The holidays are coming up, which means lots of opportunities for big moments and grand memories with family. But even as we prepare for the holidays, I try not to forget the value of the little moments with my wife and kids. These days, there’s nothing quite as precious as picking one of my kids up from school. Being in the car together for 20 minutes, just the two of us, is a special time. We can sit and talk about whatever or share in the joy of listening to music together. Being able to get a cup of coffee with my older daughters is also a gift.

told them that I couldn’t remember yesterday, let alone that long ago.

“I asked if you were old enough to be a dentist,” they said.

“That was you?”

“Don’t worry,” they went on to assure me, “you don’t look that young anymore.”