Sisters Tejal and Nehal Doshi explain why they have set up a dedicated space for female dental professionals to connect and share their successes.
My sister and I both work in general practice and though days vary immensely, we have one constant. That constant is us calling one another at the end of our clinic days for a debrief. We always know we can pick up the phone and ask for an opinion or advice, without judgement. What we didn’t know was that we had taken having a sibling in the same profession for granted. Somebody who understands the profession, its challenges and is willing to listen and guide.
We would routinely talk about dentistry-related issues but also nudge each other to go for it. We realised we were extremely fortunate and the thought of not having each other to lean on made us suddenly realise how isolating working in the dental profession can be if there aren’t good people supporting you, rallying for you and cheering you on.
The other aspect is our love for enriching conversations, which is why we host our podcast, Roots and Resilience. We love connecting with colleagues over meaningful conversations so we decided to hold space for women to come together for an informal but intentional gathering focusing on connection, growth and shared success.
Enter: our monthly EmpowHer coffee mornings for female dental professionals.
Drinking coffee is absolutely not a prerequisite. Neither of us drink coffee in fact – but ‘hot water mornings’ just didn’t quite land the same way!
What we have discovered
Clearly, we are not the only ones who feel this way! Colleagues who have attended have valued this concept immensely, demonstrated by their feedback and booking on to attend coffee mornings again, month on month. There is no obligation to join monthly nor a fee and through this we have seen women who are GDPs, to therapists to specialists, to practice owners join us.
The energy in the room is so infectious, every one of us leaves feeling nourished and inspired, with a spring in our step. Speaking to attendees we have also discovered women like our small group format as they feel able to share openly without feeling conscious or nervous. Thus, we have purposely limited the spots to ensure each voice is heard and everyone feels seen.
Why these spaces are important
It is important to share. Having a safe and non-judgemental space really is a key requirement to allow people to be vulnerable to open up. We feel this is so important in order to thrive and flourish. While we advocate for this to be part of the general work culture, change takes time and it is hard to find like-minded people who want to do the same. It is also so much easier when you are surrounded by people who just ‘get it’. To find that you are not alone with whatever you are feeling, thinking or experiencing is hugely powerful and reassuring.
One colleague has now built the courage to have difficult conversations with their principal, another has started posting more on social media and somebody else has connected with other business owners to help their journey as a practice owner.
Who are the mornings for?
We welcome all female dental professionals – whether you are a dentist, dental nurse, dental therapist, dental hygienist or specialist. We are currently hosting in person in Watford, Hertfordshire – but may consider other locations or online in the future.
Why are they so crucial for women in dentistry?
At times in our profession we have to adopt a more masculine energy to match our colleagues and patients. This is often not our ‘natural’ or ‘default’ way of being. Having a space where you can be fully in your feminine is something we didn’t realise before our monthly meetings we really needed!
What happens at the coffee mornings?
It is very simple. We introduce ourselves, celebrate what is going well and have an open conversation about the things the group has identified as areas needing support.
Everyone contributes to collectively share our knowledge and wisdom. That has been another beautiful result: people sharing wholeheartedly as they genuinely want to help, support and uplift others. One colleague has now built the courage to have difficult conversations with their principal, another has started posting more on social media, and somebody else has connected with other business owners to help their journey as a practice owner. There really is a spirit of camaraderie amongst the ladies, many of whom are meeting each other for the first time!
Collaboration over competition culture
The reality is that in order to get into a competitive course, we are all geared to be competitive creatures. However one of the biggest shifts we have made is to have an understanding that the biggest and only competition you have is with yourself. Are you that bit stronger, fitter, wiser, better year on year? We truly believe there are more than enough resources, patients and opportunities to go around. Believing in and adopting an abundance mindset allows greater growth for everyone. Collaboration is absolutely the way forward.
We would love to connect with you if our story resonates. If you would like to join a future EmpowHer Coffee morning, please register your details via https://linktr.ee/drtejaldoshi.
