Summary
Hello and welcome to our very first episode!
I am Dr Tiffany Chen, founder of The Cusp Collective and host of Dental & meaningful. For this conversation, I sit down with Dr. Aovana Timmerman and am impressed at every turn by her passion for teaching and her approach to tackling difficult situations.
You might know her as the endodontist with an engaging Instagram presence, or the one who runs marathons in her spare time. But in this first episode of Dental & Meaningful, we go much deeper.
Here with Dr. Aovana Timmerman, specialist endodontist and educator, we unpack the journey that shaped her into the clinician, and woman, that she is today. From the subtle complexities of transitioning from general practice into specialization, to navigating burnout, and facing unconscious gender biases head-on, Aovana shares it all with honesty and clarity.
Her passion for supporting the next generation of dentists is palpable, and her resilience shines in the way she meets discomfort with curiosity and determination. We talk about teaching, lateral thinking, pre-empting burnout, and why social media isn’t just a tool, it’s visibility and connection.
This episode is full of grounded wisdom, and powerful insights on pushing boundaries, having courage to take action, and sitting with discomfort. Anything is possible, if you're willing to do the work.
Let’s get into it!
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:51 Teaching and Mentoring in Dentistry
06:08 The Role of Social Media in Dental Education
08:55 Personal Journey and Challenges in Dentistry
11:50 Transitioning from General Dentistry to Specialization
14:46 Experiences in Forensic Odontology
18:01 Life as a Specialist: Expectations vs. Reality
20:51 Building a Referral Base as a New Specialist
24:07 Navigating Professional Relationships and Competition
26:45 Conclusion and Future Aspirations
31:57 Building Connections Through Social Media
35:02 Gender Dynamics in Dentistry
40:29 Navigating Unconscious Bias as a Female Specialist
49:31 Finding Balance in Professional and Personal Life
53:52 Pushing Boundaries: Embracing Challenges
01:00:26 Reflections and Advice for the Future
