ArNelle Wright, DMD, MS – From Associate to Owner: The Realities of Practice Ownership

Practice owner and dentist Dr. ArNelle Wright joins Dr. Michael Jerkins for an honest conversation about what it really looks like to acquire and lead a dental practice. Drawing from her firsthand experience, Dr. Wright shares the financial surprises she encountered post-acquisition and why mental preparation is just as important as due diligence.

The discussion explores how thoughtful patient communication can make or break a transition, from personalized outreach to humanizing leadership during times of change. Dr. Wright also reflects on her commitment to mentorship, building strong team culture, and leading with intention in an increasingly corporate dental landscape. Together, they examine how legislative changes, student borrowing caps, and economic pressures are shaping the future of dentistry and why financial literacy is no longer optional for today’s doctors.

What should future dental owners know before taking the leap? And how can leadership, adaptability, and mentorship shape a more sustainable path forward?

Dr. Wright closes with reflections on her non-traditional journey into dentistry, balancing ownership with motherhood, and her vision for empowering the next generation of dental leaders.

Here are 5 main takeaways from the discussion with Dr. Wright:

1. Embrace Technology in Practice

Dr. ArNelle Wright emphasizes the importance of integrating modern technology into dental practices. She highlights how technology can streamline operations and improve patient care; despite the initial financial challenges it may pose.

2. Effective Patient Communication

Personalized communication is crucial for patient retention. Dr. Wright shares her approach of using personalized messages and videos to connect with patients, which helps build trust and loyalty during practice transitions.

3. Leadership and Mentorship

Leadership is a cornerstone of Dr. Wright’s practice philosophy. She discusses the value of mentoring young dentists and fostering a culture of leadership, which she believes is essential for the growth and development of the dental profession.

4. Adapting to Industry Changes

The dental industry is evolving with the rise of corporate practices and technological advancements. Dr. Wright and Dr. Jerkins discuss the need for dental professionals to adapt to these changes to stay competitive and meet patient expectations.

5. Navigating Financial and Legislative Challenges

Dr. Wright highlights the importance of being financially savvy and aware of legislative changes affecting the dental profession. She stresses the need for strategic planning to manage economic pressures and ensure long-term success.

Transcript

Dr. ArNelle Wright:
Corporate offices are taking up a lot more space in dentistry. There are still private practices around, but now we hear a lot more conversations like, “We have this corporate office” or “that corporate office.”

Dr. Michael Jerkins:
We’re back with another episode of The Podcast for Doctors (By Doctors). I’m Dr. Michael Jerkins, flying solo today without the one and only Dr. Ned Palmer. He’s in lovely Colorado, but that hasn’t stopped us from having another great episode.

It’s been a little while since we’ve had a dentist on the show, which I always love. I’m especially interested in understanding the journey dentists go through in school, the decisions they make afterward, and how they ultimately choose to practice. There’s often more variability compared to physicians, especially around practice ownership and entrepreneurial opportunities, and I think that’s really interesting.

Today’s guest is also a much better and far more accomplished podcast host than I am, so this is a double win. I’ll stop rambling and get to the interview.

On today’s episode of The Podcast for Doctors (By Doctors), we’re joined by Dr. ArNelle Wright. We’re so happy she’s here. She’s a University of Florida graduate, a wife, a mom, and the owner of Aura Health and Wellness of Ovita. In addition to practicing as a general dentist, she’s deeply involved in organized dentistry at all three levels and has received several awards for her leadership contributions to the dental profession.

She’s also a co-host of the Dental Sound Bytes podcast, which I can personally endorse as a great listen. Her approach to dentistry and mentorship inspires peers and students to value their role as leaders while delivering excellent patient care. Outside of clinical dentistry, she lectures on culture-driven leadership and spends time with her family. Dr. Wright, welcome to the podcast.

AW:
Thank you so much for having me. It’s truly an honor and a pleasure to be here.

MJ:
We’re excited to have you. Let’s jump right in. I’m going to start with practice ownership. What has been the biggest surprise since owning your own practice?

AW:
We’re jumping right in.

MJ:
No easing into it.

AW:
Nope, let’s just rip the bandage off.

I recently acquired a practice, and I want to emphasize that it was an acquisition rather than a startup. We may get into that later. I’ve been practicing dentistry for about eight and a half years, and the biggest surprise has been that, no matter how much due diligence you do, there are still unexpected expenses.

That’s important to talk about, especially since this is at least partly a financial discussion. Every provider does things differently, and I’m very technology-focused. The practice I acquired didn’t have much technology built in, so I had to implement, purchase, and troubleshoot a lot of new systems.

For me, it was important to do that from the very beginning. I like to front-load the heavy work. This was the slowest I was ever going to be and the most time I was going to have to figure things out without patients feeling like everything was on fire. When patients sense chaos, they start asking questions.

So the biggest surprise was realizing there will always be something unexpected. You have to be mentally prepared for that, roll with the punches, and not panic.

MJ:
That’s huge. And that doesn’t even include patient retention. I recently had my own dentist sell their practice. I got a letter, then later a text from someone I didn’t recognize saying I was due for a cleaning. I honestly wondered if I should find a new dentist. How do you handle that when acquiring an existing practice?

AW:
I love that question. It’s a great segue into patient retention and acquisition. One reason I chose acquisition was to avoid some of the challenges of a startup, though my perspective on that has evolved.

As soon as the acquisition was finalized, one of my first priorities was introducing myself to every patient. We sent letters and text messages, and I recorded a personalized video. I reached out not only to active patients but also to patients who hadn’t been in for years. Anyone who had ever stepped foot in the practice heard from me.

I asked them directly to give us another try. I approached it from a consumer mindset. If I were a patient and saw a transition, I’d want to see a face, hear a voice, and get a sense of who this new doctor is. Video helped humanize the transition.

That made a big difference early on.

The biggest setback was insurance credentialing. The previous owner was in-network, but my credentialing wasn’t complete yet. I didn’t realize it doesn’t automatically carry over, even if you’re credentialed elsewhere. That delay frustrated patients who wanted to stay but couldn’t schedule yet.

That’s a big lesson learned. Start credentialing much earlier, because delays can cause you to lose patients on top of the natural attrition you already expect.

I also clearly communicated my practice philosophy, which is reflected in the name Aura Health and Wellness. I focus on overall health, and patients really resonated with that. I invited them to follow us on social media and feel like they were part of the journey. I didn’t want it to feel like, “I’m the new owner, take it or leave it.”

MJ:
That makes total sense. Going back to credentialing for a moment, if you could do it again, how far in advance would you start that process before seeing patients?

AW:
Okay.

AW:
Excellent question. I definitely would have given myself at least six months. I would have started the credentialing process six months in advance. But here’s the thing, and I unpack this all the time. During those six months, you also have to budget for it. It needs to be part of your timeline and incorporated into your plan from the very beginning.

There are also financial implications tied to credentialing. I used a credentialing service because I didn’t want to do the arguing and negotiating myself. I wanted someone who does this regularly to handle the heavy lifting while I focused on other things, like changing out all the forms and rebranding.

There are so many things happening simultaneously when you transition, whether it’s a startup or an acquisition. You can’t do everything yourself. You can have it all, but you have to delegate. You don’t need to be the person doing everything.

I would have started six months in advance. The apprehension I had, even though I knew credentialing would take time, was not knowing for sure that the deal would go through. People say it takes about 90 days, but in my experience, it took closer to six months to be fully credentialed with all the plans I wanted.

I was hesitant to invest that money before the paperwork was signed. I had to decide in real time whether to move forward with credentialing before officially acquiring the practice or wait until everything was finalized.

MJ:
That’s a lot. And with a startup, there’s an additional layer of complexity. You’ve mentioned that in the future you might consider a startup. How do you know when you’re ready to open that second location?

AW:
For me, I need this practice to be profitable first. I need to make sure I can manage expenses, hire appropriately, and not rely on an excessive amount of debt. I know I’ll take on debt for another practice, but I don’t want the current one to suffer while I take on a startup, because that’s a completely different beast.

This time around, I didn’t have to deal with contractors, building dimensions, or finding a space. Everything was already in place. I’m glad I did the acquisition first, because I think I would have been extremely stressed otherwise. I needed to get up and running quickly and start seeing patients to feel confident in the decision.

There are certain financial markers I need to see, like profit and loss and cash on hand. It’s very financially driven for me. I’d love to hear your perspective.

MJ:
That makes total sense. I’m a little biased, of course.

What I’d add is that not every financial partner or lender is supportive of growth plans. That’s something to understand when you’re entering your first practice. If you’re successful, cash flowing, and proving your model works, you want to know if your lender can support your growth. Not all of them are ready to do that. Some are, some very special ones, but not all.

Now I feel like I answered my own question. I’m the host. Why am I talking so much? Sorry.

AW:
No, that was great. That’s actually one of the things that made me want to take this conversation further. I didn’t know that when I transitioned from associate to owner.

I’ve always known I wanted multiple practices. Not because I want to be greedy and own ten practices, but because I want a mentorship model for the next generation. I started my career in the corporate space, and it was a great experience. I thought I was going to buy in or partner there, but it didn’t work out.

A lot of my colleagues want that same route and don’t see private practice as an option. I didn’t either at first. I thought I’d buy into an existing entity.

I’m a first-generation college student, doctor, and now practice owner in my family. I want to use my experience to say, if I knew then what I know now, I would have done things differently. I would have made the jump sooner from being an associate. I definitely want to go that route.

MJ:
That makes a lot of sense. Dentistry seems different from medicine in that regard. I’ve heard that dental students are often told they won’t be able to own a practice, and that they should just work for a corporation instead. Do you agree with that?

AW:
Yes, I do. When I was transitioning out, I heard comments like, “Why would you do that? You’ll be married to the practice and never be able to leave.” But that’s actually why I wanted to do it. It’s like my baby. I want to build it and nurture it.

I looked at my reports over the last eight years, across two companies, and tracked my production, days worked, and patient flow. I realized I could do this for myself. I know it’s more challenging as the sole owner and revenue generator, but I’m still the same provider I was as an associate.

That messaging is definitely being shared with students. I think people should explore options and have more conversations. I didn’t have enough of those conversations early on, especially around finances. Money is often a taboo topic in healthcare, but as dentists, we can technically graduate and open a practice immediately.

Because of that, these conversations need to happen more often and in more depth.

Sorry, I got off track.

For example, when I was in training, we had an employment panel. I raised my hand and asked what their starting offers were, and it felt like such a taboo question.

AW:
Nobody wanted to say anything, did they?

Literally no one answered it. It was like, “What did this person just do?” And I’m sitting there thinking, well, I kind of want to know. That’s another example of how we’re almost taught that we can’t talk about money. And obviously, doctors don’t benefit from that. Everyone else does. Insurance companies, hospital systems, big employers. They don’t want us to know this information because then we’re fragmented and we can’t actually advocate.

MJ:
Right.

AW:
Yeah.

MJ:
That’s my own soapbox. Sorry.

AW:
I love this. We’re soapboxers.

Apparently, this is our own podcast now, The Soapboxers. So you mentioned that you could have graduated dental school and opened a practice on day one. How many years of clinical experience do you think someone should have before doing what you did and acquiring a practice?

AW:
Two to three years. I think it depends on the person. My initial answer is two to three years, but the reason I say it depends is because I was a nontraditional dental student. I was a little older than some of my classmates and had a lot of work experience before dental school.

That gave me a different perspective. I was very aware of time, debt, and life milestones. I was 30 when I graduated dental school. I hadn’t started a family yet, but I was newly married, and everything felt like it was happening at once.

I’ve always been big on systems and management. I liked partnering with my team, having morning huddles, and talking through workflows. Those things never intimidated me because of my prior work experience. When I became an associate, clinical dentistry wasn’t the part that worried me. I trusted myself there. What I wanted to understand was how the practice actually ran. Who answers which calls, who handles what, how the pieces fit together.

I wanted to understand the business side because I always knew ownership was a possibility for me. I think two to three years is plenty of time to see enough patients, understand team dynamics, learn how an office operates, and decide whether ownership is something you want.

MJ:
That’s such a good point. Everyone’s experience is so different. In a lot of ways, nontraditional students are often stronger because you haven’t spent your entire life just studying and taking tests. Eventually, it’s a job. You have to work with people, manage time, and deal with adversity. That’s hard to do if all you’ve ever done is answer multiple-choice questions and work on fake teeth.

That makes total sense. I’m really curious about this next question, and I’m sorry because it’s a tough one. You’ve talked a lot about the positives of ownership, which are huge. What is your favorite part about owning your own practice, and what is your least favorite part?

AW:
My favorite part probably won’t surprise anyone. It’s the autonomy. I don’t think I’ve ever experienced autonomy like this. I thought I had autonomy before, but this is different. Autonomy over my time, my schedule, patient selection, the cases I take on, my staff. There’s just so much freedom.

At this stage of my life, I’m a mom of three, I’m a wife, and I’m very busy. I need to trust my team and give clear direction. I need freedom of voice, time, and choice. That autonomy is my favorite part of being an owner.

My least favorite part is having tough conversations with staff, especially because I acquired an existing practice and inherited a team. It was really important to me to keep the existing staff for patient retention. I wanted to be the only “new” thing for patients. Of course, if it hadn’t worked out, that would have been different, but I wanted to give everyone the chance to come together.

Some of the hard conversations are around scheduling. I’m very fresh in the morning, so I don’t want all the challenging appointments shoved into the end of the day. I’ve had to be clear about asking better questions when scheduling patients.

Office hours were another one. I get up early and want to start seeing patients around 7:45 or 8:00. Those conversations weren’t easy. And those are the easier hard conversations. There are also discussions around time off, benefits, conferences, and who pays for what.

As an associate, I could only take things so far. I didn’t hire or fire anyone. Even if I was acting like an owner in some ways, everyone knew I technically wasn’t the boss, and that changes the dynamic.

MJ:
That’s what I hear most from practice owners. Someone calls off at the last minute, staff turnover, or someone leaves for two dollars more an hour down the street. That stuff is hard.

AW:
Luckily, I haven’t experienced that yet. Thank God. I’m very grateful.

MJ:
I still practice very part-time clinically, so I don’t deal with that. I show up, there’s a schedule, and I see patients. But I will say, if we’re running behind, I’ll go get the patients myself.

AW:
Same. Me too. I’m like, five minutes late? Come on. Our time is valuable.

MJ:
I’ll take vitals, review the med list, whatever it takes. I’ll knock on the door if rooming is taking too long. We value our time, and we value the patient’s time.

AW:
Why are we like this?

MJ:
I think it’s because we truly value time, both ours and theirs.

AW:
Yes, yes. I tell my patients that too. I always say, “Hey, I don’t like for you to wait too long.” Now the staff knows because I move very, very fast. I’m like, “Let’s close to open. Let’s reset the room.” It’s almost like making your bed.

For me, whether we have that particular procedure today or not, just reset the tray so we can grab and go. I love being fully set up because, frankly, a lot of the bread-and-butter dentistry we do doesn’t take that long, but it ends up taking way longer if you’re not prepared.

So I’m always like, can we just set it up so everything flows smoothly? And if I have to troubleshoot midway through, then I actually have time to troubleshoot. You know what I mean?

MJ:
Do you go for your own dental care to someone you know, or is that weird?

AW:
You know, I used to. I actually haven’t done anything in a while. I know. I had a baby, so all of that happened. I’ve been busy. But yes, one of my colleagues who I graduated dental school with, he was in my class, he’s my dentist. So yeah, I go see a friend.

MJ:
You’re busy.

I know some people who are very against that. Maybe dental care is different from medicine. I don’t know if there’s a difference. I’m being very authentic here. I had a lot of cavities as a kid. And I remember going to residency. By the way, I was also 30 when I graduated medical school, so I was a little older.

AW:
Really?

Look at us. Oh my God.

MJ:
Yep. So I’m in residency, and we’re practicing exam techniques. The program director, who is one of the best doctors I’ve ever seen, is doing an oral exam and looks at my mouth and says, “Michael, you’ve got Tennessee teeth.”

I had never heard that phrase before. It didn’t have a positive connotation. That really stuck with me. It made me think I didn’t want to go see anyone I knew for my dental care. If things aren’t exactly how you want them, you don’t want someone you know seeing that. But somebody still has to see it.

Yes, I’d rather be a stranger. Maybe that’s why I should go to the new practice owner. I don’t know him. Now I’m sold. I’ll call him today.

Let me switch gears a bit. You have such a great perspective on dentistry. You work a lot with the American Dental Association, you lecture all over. What are people asking you the most when they see you? Beyond ownership, what topics are you most passionate about?

AW:
It’s interesting, especially in this social media era. A lot of people are concerned about debt, even though it has nothing to do directly with dentistry.

We know dentistry is changing. Medicine is changing. There are legislative things coming down the pipeline, or that already have, that impact how we practice and our business models. Depending on where you are, whether you’re an associate, still in school, or a practice owner, we all have debt and families to think about.

So everyone is trying to find additional streams of income or revenue. Social media isn’t what it used to be, and people ask me all the time, how are you going to conferences, speaking, collaborating with organizations, and being compensated for it while still working?

Leadership is another big topic. How am I leading my team? Whether you’re an owner or an associate, you still have to have skin in the game. You can’t just say you don’t care, because there are so many people who represent you.

I talk a lot about leadership, communication, and the journey of becoming a dentist. I had a nontraditional background. I didn’t even know a single dentist before deciding on this career. I didn’t grow up with a lot of dental care, so I really had to feel my way around this profession.

Pre-dental students ask, “How did you get where you are?” People already in practice ask about additional income streams.

MJ:
That triggered a thought about how things are changing. In fall 2026, we’re going to see annual borrowing caps of $50,000 for dental students. There’s a recent paper from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia that looks at borrower financial attributes.

Basically, about 45 to 50 percent of medical and dental students will need to borrow more than $50,000 and will have to go to the private market. About a third of those students have a credit score below 670 or no credit score at all.

That means some people may not get approved or may need a cosigner, which not everyone has. Last year, about 6 percent of medical and dental students needed private loans. That could jump to around 46 percent.

So you could have people who tap out federal loans and then can’t get additional funding, or they take whatever loan they can get with high interest rates and bad terms. That pressure on dentists could get worse if we don’t find a good solution.

I think what will happen is schools will still fill classes, but they may look different. You’ll see more students who didn’t need loans at all, which could lead to a more homogenous workforce.

AW:
That’s really important for anyone listening. Even if this wasn’t the main topic today, people considering health professions need to know this. It impacts decision-making.

I love dentistry, but I wish I had more insight into legislative impacts before choosing this career. I think there should be some introduction to these topics before or during training, even though dental school is already short.

MJ:
It’s hard because things change so fast. When you say dentistry is changing beyond debt, what else do you see changing?

AW:
Corporate dentistry is taking up much more space. Private practices are still around, but corporate offices are heavily recruiting new graduates. Continuing education has also changed significantly. Since COVID, more content is available online, which has reduced attendance at in-person conferences because the same education is more accessible virtually.

AW:
So we’re seeing more corporate offices pop up right across the street from each other, almost like Walgreens and CVS, McDonald’s and Burger King. Those offices often offer a bit more work-life balance.

Dentistry is also changing in how patients see us as providers. I feel like patients interact with me more as consumers than as patients. It’s like, “I just want the cheapest price,” or they’re shopping around. They’ll have two, three, sometimes four consults, multiple opinions on sequencing, treatment, and options.

I’ve had patients say, “If your price is cheaper than this doctor’s, I’ll come to you. But if that doctor is cheaper, I’ll go to them.” And the treatment plans aren’t even aligned most of the time. In dentistry, we’re trained so differently. We have different sequencing, different philosophies, different approaches to what’s important.

So even if something is cheaper, it’s not apples to apples. A lot of times it’s apples to oranges. Costs are also changing because of supply chain issues. Workforce challenges too. There are probably ten different things we could list. It’s a lot.

Regardless of where you work, your practice setting modality, whether corporate, private practice, or an FQHC, these things are impacting you in one way or another. You might not feel the direct implications, but they’re still there.

MJ:
So if you go ten years into the future and look at dentistry, what do you think will be the biggest difference?

AW:
We’re going to be incredibly technologically advanced. AI is already here and will definitely leave its footprint. We’re already seeing companies that help with radiographic interpretation, making things simpler, even though a human still has to verify it.

Patients are also going to demand that offices keep up with the times and use AI. Patients now see their time as just as valuable. It used to be all about respecting the doctor’s time, and that’s still important, but patients now say, “What about my time? I took off work for this.”

They expect offices to run on time. They’re researching online, using Google, and they’re aware of improvements in the industry. So they’ll say, “You don’t have this machine? You don’t do same-day crowns? I have to wear a temporary and come back for another appointment?” And they’ll choose another office, even if it costs more, because they’re paying for convenience.

MJ:
We see something similar in medicine. Patients are more informed, or at least they have information. It’s not always accurate, but they have something. Is that happening in dentistry too?

AW:
Not in the same way. We don’t really have portals like medicine does. Patients don’t get lab values or trends they can check themselves. One of my patients actually said they wish there was a dental portal where they could see things over time.

Right now, patients have to take our word for it when we say, “You’re doing great,” or “Your gums look healthy.” Some corporate offices are starting to integrate medical and dental care, which allows for interdisciplinary conversations. We can see things like diabetes markers or medications without relying on the patient to remember details.

Dentistry isn’t quite there yet with having all that information readily available. There are some salivary screenings and diagnostics that can be tracked through apps, and I use those in my practice because I care a lot about wellness, especially for surgical procedures. But beyond that, I don’t know where dentistry is headed in terms of full portals.

MJ:
That’s really interesting. I’ve worked in places where medical and dental are together, and it’s great.

AW:
It really decreases uncertainty and improves access, especially for underserved communities.

MJ:
Alright, we usually wrap up with some true-or-false rapid fire. I’ll say a statement, and you tell me if it’s true or false.

AW:
Okay, let’s do it.

MJ:
If I wasn’t a dentist, I would have wanted to become a physician. True or false?

AW:
True.

MJ:
Dentists use AI more than physicians for clinical delivery. True or false?

AW:
I think true, especially from an X-ray perspective. AI helps interpret images and map nerves, and people are really adopting that.

MJ:
In medicine, there are apps like OpenEvidence that many physicians use. Is there anything like that in dentistry?

AW:
Not that I know of. We have companies like Pearl and Overjet. In my practice, my CBCT software has AI built in that maps nerves and traces arches automatically. I still verify everything, but it saves a lot of time. I don’t know of a free, evidence-based database like that for dentistry.

MJ:
Someone listening is probably going to build it now.

AW:
You’re welcome.

MJ:
Most dental school graduates are ready for clinical practice and don’t need a residency. True or false?

AW:
False. It really depends on the curriculum. Some schools don’t have as many requirements in certain areas. I have friends who went to other schools and never did surgical extractions. When we’d talk through cases, they had no idea how to approach them and would just refer them out.

That creates more time and cost for patients. I went to the University of Florida and felt very prepared. I didn’t do a residency and felt ready to practice, but I was also older and had more work experience. That probably played a role in how ready I felt.

MJ:
I 100% think that’s a contributor.

AW:
You think that’s what it was?

MJ:
Yeah, definitely. It’s not the only thing, but it’s a big one. If you’ve only ever been a professional student, that’s what you know. You think, “I can still be a student. I’ve got a couple more years. I’ll just go do this.” Not knocking it, but it’s different.

AW:
Yeah, definitely.

MJ:
Alright, this is the last true or false question. True or false: success in dentistry comes more from endurance than talent.

AW:
I’m actually going to say false. I think talent is very important in dentistry, and not just clinical talent. Clinical talent comes later, but you have to be able to speak to people and connect with patients on a completely different level.

I’m not saying that in medicine you don’t need to connect with patients, but in dentistry, you’re drilling on their tooth. Patients are not happy to see us. There’s a level of skill required to reassure someone and say, “It’s going to be okay.”

I coach my patients through procedures. I’ll tell them to breathe, count with me while I’m numbing them and delivering anesthesia. Sometimes they’re crying, and I have to keep my composure and not get flustered if there’s a potential meltdown happening.

Endurance is necessary because these professions are hard, but I think endurance comes from having a really well-developed skill set. You’re able to endure longer if your skills help carry you through. That’s just my perspective.

MJ:
That makes sense. In medicine, if you don’t really want to talk to patients, you can go into radiology or pathology. Is there an equivalent in dentistry? If you don’t really want to deal with people, are there options?

AW:
Some people say endodontics, because you’re usually working off a referral, you’re behind the rubber dam, and there’s not a lot of talking. It’s basically, “Are you getting the root canal or not?”

People also say dental radiology. Oral medicine not so much, because you still have to talk through pathologies and findings.

MJ:
That makes sense. To your point, people have been saying robots are going to replace radiologists for 20 years, and it still hasn’t happened.

AW:
It hasn’t happened. So people can still go into those careers.

MJ:
Alright, last question. We always ask this the same way: what is one thing you’ve changed your mind about recently?

AW:
This is kind of the underlying theme of the whole episode: how I spend my time. Earlier, I mentioned that I’m a new mom for the third time. I have a young baby, and I just want to be with my children.

It’s not that I didn’t want to be with them before, but as I’ve gotten older and with this new addition to our household, I want to spend almost all of my time loving on him, being with my other two boys, just being in our house and feeling that love together.

It might just be the season I’m in because the baby is so new. We call him our little gift. He was a surprise, but definitely a gift from above. That’s a whole different conversation.

MJ:
I’m a pediatrician, so I have a lot of those conversations. Third-time mom, you already know everything.

Thank you so much. This has been amazing. Where can listeners find you and follow your journey?

AW:
They can connect with me on LinkedIn at Dr. Arnelle Wright, A-R-N-E-L-L-E W-R-I-G-H-T. And I’m most well known as The Daily Dentist on Instagram. Not famous, but I’m here with you, so I’m happy.

MJ:
You are very famous. This has been so fun. Thank you for taking the time. We’ve established how valuable it is.

AW:
Thank you so much for having me. This was such a good conversation.

MJ:

You can catch The Podcast for Doctors (By Doctors) on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and subscribe. Next time you see a doctor, maybe prescribe this podcast. See you next time.

Check it out on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, and iHeart.

Have guest or topic suggestions?

Send us an email at [email protected].