17. Purpose-Driven Dentistry: Leaving a 7-Figure Practice to Practice Whole-Body Dentistry with Dr. Anthony Vu

🔗 Learn more at thewellnessdentist.com

There is a moment, if you are honest with yourself, when you realize that success on paper and fulfillment in your body are two completely different things. Dr. Anthony Vu knows that moment well. He built a thriving seven-figure dental practice, had every marker of achievement, and still found himself sitting in a nice restaurant feeling hollow. This episode is about what it takes to actually do something about that, and why the mouth, the body, and the way we lead are all connected to the same root.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• Why dentistry's traditional "fix and fill" model creates burnout not just in patients but in the providers treating them, and what a prevention-first approach actually looks and feels like in practice.
• How building a morning team huddle culture transformed one office manager's professional performance and inspired her to run the Chicago Marathon, and why Anthony says that's not a coincidence.
• What running the Tokyo Marathon with a flared sciatic nerve taught Dr. Vu about knowing when not to force it, a lesson that translates directly into how he approaches surgery and patient care.
• Why the solo hero model in dentistry is outdated, and how moving from a scarcity mindset to a collaborative, growth-oriented ecosystem changes outcomes for everyone in the room, including the patient.
• The three non-negotiable daily wellness practices Dr. Vu swears by, journaling, meditation, and movement, and why he believes investing in a coach accelerates every single one.

About Dr. Anthony Vu:

Dr. Anthony Vu is a dentist, a marathon runner, and a person who made one of the harder decisions in this profession, walking away from financial security to pursue meaning. He is based in Boston and has completed eight marathons, including several World Majors, and brings the same discipline and long-view thinking he developed on the road into how he approaches patient care and leadership. His work is grounded in the belief that healing is a calling, not a transaction.

Key Insights:

Dr. Vu's turning point came from a conversation with an ER physician friend who told him, plainly, that he felt like a bandaid. That one sentence cracked something open. Anthony looked at his own practice and recognized the same pattern, fixing damage without changing trajectory. It was the moment he decided that dentistry had to mean more, not just technically, but relationally and systemically.

What makes this conversation stand out is the thread Anthony draws between physical training and clinical philosophy. Running taught him restraint. When his sciatic nerve was flaring two weeks before the Tokyo Marathon, he didn't override his body. He respected it. And finishing that race by listening, not by forcing, changed how he thinks about treatment planning. Just because you can cut doesn't mean you should.

Connect With Dr. Anthony Vu: 📱 @dr.anthonyvu 

Connect With Dr. Katie To:  thewellnessdentist.com 📱 @drkatieto 

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only.  Information discussed is not intended for diagnosis, curing, or prevention of any disease and is not intended to replace advice given by a licensed healthcare practitioner.  Before using any products mentioned or attempting methods discussed, please speak with a licensed healthcare provider.  This podcast disclaims responsibility from any possible adverse reactions associated with products or methods discussed.    Opinions from guests are their own, and this podcast does not condone or endorse opinions made by guests.  We do not provide guarantees about the guests' qualifications or credibility. This podcast and its guests may have direct or indirect financial interests associated with products mentioned.

Transcript

The Healer Mindset

SPEAKER_03 0:00

I think just having a different mindset like that, you you you step into this the reason why we wanted to do dentistry in the first place. It's to help. It's to heal. And you just realize there's so many people that are in pain. And if if you were if you truly got into this profession to heal, then you're gonna act like a healer. You're gonna be empathetic. You're gonna shut up and you're gonna listen.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

Welcome to the Wellness Dentist Podcast. Join biological and cosmetic dentist Dr. Katie Toe as she explores holistic wellness through trending ideas, real stories, and patient experiences. This podcast will inspire you to make healthy lifestyle choices and take charge of your dental wellness. And now your host, the wellness dentist, Dr. Katie Toe.

Walking Away From Seven Figures

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Today I'm talking with Dr. Anthony Vu, a dentist who walked away from a seven-figure practice. Not because it's overspelling, but because he's realized he was operating in a model that no longer matched the future of dentistry or the future he wanted for himself. He's run marrying marathon including five major, rebuilt his identity after the burnout, and reimagined what purpose-driven dentistry can look like. We're diving into the ship from fixing problems to building longevity, the role of culture in clinical excellence, and why the solo hero model is outdated in a world that demands collaboration. So let's get into it. Welcome, Anthony.

SPEAKER_03 1:33

Oh, thank you, Dr. Katie, for allowing me to be on your platform. I know you reach a lot of people, so just excited to be a part of it.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

Yes. And a lot of people is actually looking forward to hear your story. I think that's Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:44

All right. Let's go.

SPEAKER_01 1:46

It's Hero's Journey. So I can't wait to share for you to share to our audience actually what you've been through. And I think you're making some really courageous decision in your life, especially the last few years so far. So share with us that, you know, what made you decide to quit and stop doing what you were doing so well and completely changing and looking for a totally new chapter.

Band-Aids Vs Prevention

SPEAKER_03 2:14

Yeah. So there was a moment in time when there was a moment in time that really shifted uh how I view dentistry. I was talking to one of my childhood friends, he's an ER doctor, and we were riding in the car, and he said, Anthony, I feel like I'm just a band-aid. It's like an ER physician, right? And I was just like, I feel like I just I couldn't believe that he was saying that. He said, Whatever I do doesn't help. Nobody cares. And he was just doing this day this day in and day out. So what I realized was he was just putting out fires, never upstream, never preventative. And around the same time, I had a young patient who only showed up when she was in pain. And clinically, the dentistry that I did, it held up. And the funny part is she disappeared. I didn't see her for like two years. And when she came back, it just hit me. I just fixed the damage, but I didn't change her trajectory. And then I felt like really sad inside because I tried so hard to get her to be the hero of her own health story. But I think I feel short in that. And so when I talked to my ER friend again, right, we landed at the same frustration. We're like, where's the prevention? Where's the conversation about stress, nutrition, biomarkers, all the things that lead to the disease in the first place? And then that's when it clicked for me. The mouth is dentistry is more than just teeth, right? You've said this before. It's one of the earliest warning systems for overall health and longevity. And then from that point on, I just knew I was done with the old model. Like I outgrew my clinic. And now when I look forward, like I'm only interested in in practicing where the standard is health, not just volume. And so whether that's by myself or with partners, that's non-negotiable for me.

SPEAKER_01 3:56

Wow. I love that ER story to ER friend that really shared with you how he felt because a lot of people don't have the courage to share that. And because of what you share. Yeah. You have the courage to say, I see that in my practice.

SPEAKER_03 4:10

Yeah, and I was just surprised, like you would think an ER doctor, right, just dealing with life and death every single day. But I I don't feel like when you're almost your identity is shattered like that. You you go to medical school and you feel like I'm supposed to heal, but yet you're not the healer. You're just uh the person that does patchwork. How can that be purposeful? Especially 10, 10 years down the line. What's it gonna look like 20, 30 years from now? What are you gonna have left of yourself to to give?

Zooming Out From Burnout

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Yeah. So when you feel that walking away from such a financial success practice, right, do you what do you find the support from family, friends? Anyone questioned that decision? Did they say why? Do you have to explain a lot of what you actually looking for to practice in a whole body approach? Or is it just by patching work and then see patient getting worse over time?

SPEAKER_03 4:58

Yeah, my calendar was like, You crazy. You you know how many dentists that I that I have access to their books? And you do you see how if you could only know like how they're doing, like they would want to be in your position right away. And like there's been times when I've gone on vacation to like a nice place or when I've been in a nice restaurant, and I've been like sad. And I was like, this is I could I could eat a meal, I could buy something, but that just it's just so like short term. And so I think I just didn't have that ability to come from a different different perspective when I was in the middle of being in the pressure seat, being in the chair, having to put out fires. I couldn't see it. And I just don't know many dentists that they get the opportunity to kind of step away and look at how their life is from a different lens. You know, when I just remember you telling me one day when I was going through something tough, you told me, Anthony, you got to zoom out. And at the point, I didn't know what that meant. I'm like, okay, I just I step back a little bit, right? It's like, is that zooming out? But I think that was almost planting the seed and just helping me recognize that I was just out of alignment. So when when I'm able to heal somebody, I feel that. I just feel like a sense of fulfillment. And I look at the next chapter of my life, right? I paid my dues, I grinded, I owed like a million dollars, right? It was it was a lot. But that was just out of survival. And to be able to have the luxury of looking at my life in another lens where I'm like, what is a greater purpose? How can I serve? That is the real winning right there to me. So whatever my accountant said, I I've I I kind of heard it. Whatever my parents said, I heard it too. But I mean, I can make my own decisions.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

Wow, that's a huge, huge decision. And I know that your future self will thank you because you actually listen to your gut and and go with it. And a lot of young dentists actually, when you listen to to this episode, will say, you know, I don't have to wait until I burn out to make these changes. I can actually make these changes and guide my, you know, making decisions in my career where I can actually fill my purpose and my paycheck at the same time. Is that possible?

SPEAKER_03 7:06

It's possible, but it's very difficult. I think people in life in the beginning, there's so much information. You just don't know where to get help. And I think there's a spiritual component to it that most people don't tap into. This idea of like the universe, higher power, serendipity, favor, right? Knowing that things are gonna turn out okay. But when you're staring at million dollars in debt, you just want to go to the place that gives you the the highest paycheck. And that kind of that kind of helps, but everybody has to start somewhere. But if your spiritual side is not fed, is it if it's not watered, then you're not gonna be able to see those signs in life that says, go go to this person because you you really resonate here, or go over here because I think this is right for you, or follow your gut, right? Because you could you could just be on YouTube and Instagram scrolling all day and just getting led in the wrong direction with no clarity.

SPEAKER_01 7:58

I love that even when you end your your practice at that point, you realize that, oh, I want to bring wellness into my practice. I think that decision is also very courageous because no one around you was doing anything near to what you were doing at that time when you introduced wellness into your uh your practice. I noticed your team are like looking at you and say, What are you doing, Doc? But they actually follow you. They respect you as a leader, amazing culture in your practice. And so share with me a lot, uh, a little bit, a lot and a little bit. Share with me about culture is everything in your practice. And actually, I know that contribute a huge, huge amount of success in your practice because of your culture and

Culture That Raises The Standard

SPEAKER_01 8:42

your team.

SPEAKER_03 8:42

Yeah. No, Katie, you when when we when we talk all the time, you you always say you have to walk the talk. And it's it's it's true. When when people talk about culture, you know, it's just like a buzzword, right? But I used to, I didn't really know what it meant until I saw a change in one person in my team. So my old clinic manager, Tanya, she was really solid from day one. She was reliable, good with patients, and she kept things moving. She wasn't chaotic or stressed, but I knew that documentation needed to be better, communication needed to be more polished, and when we got busy, we still got to perform at the same standard. And so we added some systems, but I think what really helped was just the consistency. So every morning, every morning we we we had a team meeting uh with a whiteboard looking at the schedule, right? It started with just one day, and one day turned into a week, turned into a month, turned into a year. And so what I realized was everybody just felt more comfortable. They felt like the clinic was a safe space. So we started to see just people take ownership of their own role. And they started to be more confident and not being passive, they started providing solutions to problems that were in the clinic. And my manager was like, wow, I feel like I can give this to this team member and I can give that to the team member. And around the same time, she told me like she was going to start running. And obviously, running is a big part of my life. We'll talk about that in a second. And it's a big deal when I tell you, because she had surgery on her knee a couple of years ago, and you know about any knee injuries. And she was unsure, like, how would that all like turn out? And so she gave me a call like last week, and she said, Anthony, I'm running the Chicago Marathon in 2026. What struck me how parallel was her physical and professional at the same time? Like she proved to herself that she could do hard things. And then as a result, she just led differently at work, like clearer communication, better dead better delegation, and calmer presence. And that experience like taught me something so important. Like a dental office shouldn't be a place where people punch a clock. It should be a platform for growth. And I feel like I feel like if I'm in the office and and not making these people better over time, then I'm not doing my job as a leader.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

I love that. And you know, a lot of patients actually listen to our podcast and they do know that when a team that has a really good culture, it's all also means that a team that takes better care of patients. Communication's better, there's no drama. Of course, their misunderstanding, and of course, with the the right culture, you know how to resolve that and and put the patient first and come to a s a resolution. But the patient also always compliments on the practice that is having a strong culture and also know that patient comfort. And that's actually laid the the trust, right? For the patient with the team and the patient with the doctors. So that led to the the mindset of you just shared that your, you know, previous office managers that running Chicago Marathon 2026. That's huge, that's amazing. And you know, not many of our audience know that you also inspired me to run again. Well, maybe walkslash run. But uh it's been years since I did the 10K. And because of Anthony inspirations, I actually start picking up my shoes and run again and felt amazing when I finished that 10K on Thanksgiving Day of this year. So thank you, Anthony, for the inspiration. Or did you start it uh running in the first place?

Marathon Lessons For Self-Restraint

SPEAKER_03 12:18

Yeah, so it was it was 2019 and I uh was pretty active on on Peloton, but I was just on social and I saw a friend of mine just run a half marathon. Uh it was just uh looking at that person run it, I just saw this like sense of joy that just came from running a race. There was a lot of people doing it, and so I said to myself, I'm in pretty good shape. Blended, let me try. And so just I got the right shoes, and what I realized was I wore the wrong shoes my whole entire life. Like, imagine being in shape and not being able to run, you know, for a long time. It was just it didn't make sense. And so you just know like if something is not going wrong, there's always a solution to a problem. You just it just takes time to find it. And so and so I've been able to to to run at this point eight marathons. I just finished the the Philadelphia marathon. But when I think about running in general, one particular time that comes to mind is uh when I was running the Tokyo Marathon in 2023. Two weeks before the race, my sciatic nerve on my left side was just like hurting so bad. I couldn't even lift my left leg. I could barely run. I wasn't sure like what was there something that I did during the training? Did I did I eat something bad on the plane? Like, what what's going on? And so I just continued to do just the exercises that I that I normally do. And I was just like, please God, can you just get me to the start line? And uh I was able to to start the race and it was okay. But one thing people who have never run a marathon that they need to know is like, no matter if you're healthy or if you're not, on mile 20, your body is just screaming. Your body is just like, let's stop. This is not normal. You're like, things start to hurt so bad. And so your mind starts to negotiate. Do you do I want to do this? So I knew I could force it, but I knew like forcing it could also make it end like really bad. So I just stayed control and focused on my breathing and just focus on putting like one step in front of the other. And so I finished not because I overrode my body, I just respected it. And so that's what it clicked for me. Running taught me to like restraint, like in dentistry or in surgery. Like just because you can cut doesn't mean you should. And I I came away from that, like knowing like knowing when to not force it is just as important as knowing when to act.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

Wow, that's powerful to learn to respect the body, listen to the body, because the body constantly talking and communicating with you. And this is huge for patients because a lot of our patients actually ignore all of those signs, symptoms, right? And signals. And by the time the body would just could not take it anymore, now they being reactive. And so I think that every opportunity that we got to listen to the body and check in with our body, even just like during the day, check in with breathing and see where we are, are we actually like using the our diaphragm or not? Because a lot of patients actually not breathing. A lot of people are breathing through their mouth, even. So when patients listen to this, look, we we know how hard it is. We know healings takes time. And I know how hard it is to run a marathon. Come on, like it's it's not something that anyone and everyone can do. So that's a lot of respect for that, for that mindset where you be like, I'm gonna finish, but I respect my body, I'm gonna listen to my body, I'm gonna have to give time to recover. And I'm doing this, like you don't just pick up your shoe and run a marathon, you train for a long time, correct?

SPEAKER_03 15:43

Yeah, correct. I mean, I trained for maybe like two years before I ran my first marathon.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

Wow. And so when patient came in to see us and they're expecting like a an overnight result for something that went going on for 20 years,

Healing Takes Time And Belief

SPEAKER_01 15:56

is that realistic?

SPEAKER_03 15:57

No. Nothing comes good like overnight. It's just just I learned, you know, in October, just because you're a master at something doesn't mean you're gonna be a master at something like totally different. You gotta start from like step one. And I've seen that from successful people over and over again. The moment you step in that clinic, right, and if you've been neglecting your health all this time, you just don't get to 100% health on day one. You gotta start at the bottom and be okay with that.

SPEAKER_01 16:25

Yes. And most importantly, you mentioned that you believe that you're gonna finish the race. And so if you believe that you're gonna get well, you're gonna get well. But the work is hard. You still have to do the work.

SPEAKER_03 16:36

Yeah. I think everything is hard. I mean, I even as much as I've taken out the trash like a million times, I still want to do it. I don't want to do it. Even though I know how it's gonna go. But if you think it it's a it's a stupid example, but if you take that example, like everything is hard, especially as we get older and and busier, right? But it's like, what do you prioritize?

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Yeah. You know, patient that listened to this this podcast right now, flossing is hard. We know we still have to do that every day, right? Yes. So I love that that what you learn in math on that, you know, dentistry didn't teach us, but we can relate, you know, as a provider, as a patient, we always know that healing takes times and there's nothing happened overnight except the commitment that you were like, I'm no longer this. I'm no longer want to be sick. I no longer wanna be, you know, so fatigued that I could not go to bed. I want to run the marathon. Maybe it's taken me longer than two years to prep for the first one, but I'm going to do that.

SPEAKER_03 17:32

Yeah. And I think a lot of people, either they're around the not the right environment or the friends that they're with. It's it's you it's a sign to like take a moral inventory of yourself. Like, what is what do I want? What don't I want? And just kind of sit still. And it's gonna be uncomfortable. It's gonna be uncomfortable when you just like, oh man, I'm this way, or I do this when this happens. But like once you do that, it's it's just you're just taking a step. And I think nobody becomes a master overnight. You just you take you to take a massive action. And massive action doesn't mean like something totally big. It's maybe just like, you know what, I'm gonna make an appointment to, you know, Katie's Wellness Institute and and decide, you know what, I wanna, I wanna put myself first. And that that's a step. But it's almost like an identity shift, right? You're gonna have to say to yourself, I am healthy. I want to be healthy before any action begins.

SPEAKER_01 18:26

Beautiful. Yeah, you're right. A lot of patients when they come in here, they were so scared, right? We've seen a lot of um, I hate dentists, you know, introductions when they go to meet the dentist. And us with a lot of compassion, we understand why. Because they have either a lot of bad experiences or they have trauma when they were younger. And it's really scary for people, you know, to go in and be the Mao is such a vulnerable space and they have to trust a person enough to have someone to look at the mouth, telling them what's going on, what can be better. And I don't take that lightly. I know you don't either, because people have to give us a lot of trust for us to take care of them. And so when someone tells me like I hate Dennis, I'm like, I'm so glad you're here. I know it's hard for you. Just that a little acknowledgement, I can tell that the tension is not like melting. It's like a confession, right? It's not that they throwing that at us. Like I don't take that as a you know personal. Like, oh, they hate me. Like, why do I um why do I have to take care of them? But for me, it's like confession, it's like, you know, I'm scared, help me. Instead of being like, oh, I hate you. Like that's not what I don't think any patient meant that. And so for me, seeing that the identity ship where you mentioned that you had to have a tribe, you have to have the people that have lime-minded around you, no matter you are a provider or a patient, if you're surrounded by the tribe that's not supporting your decision to be healthy, it's harder, right? Yeah, I took my dad like 15 years to quit smoking because uh the friends that he's surrounded at work are all smoking. So he quit and he's get on it again, quit and then get on it again. So I know how hard it is. So when you have that identity ship in you between like, hey, I'm gonna, you know, stop pursuing the paycheck, but like working on my purpose and really follow what my calling and what I'm want to do and provide for the patient, not just like a patching work, but actually a whole body health approach. What did you find that really shift that identity?

SPEAKER_03 20:25

I think just having a different mindset like that, you you you step into this the reason why we wanted to do dentistry in the first place. It's to help. It's to heal. And you just realize there's so many people that are in pain. And if if you are, if you truly got into this profession to heal, then you're gonna act like a healer. You're gonna be empathetic, you're gonna shut up, and you're gonna listen. You're gonna, you're gonna just take everything that they said, maybe some of the things they don't say, you don't take it personal. And then you're gonna really try to help them. Because why do we train for all of this? It's not to get the Ferrari, it's not gonna get to the nice vacation. It's it's it's literally a calling. And so I think that separates the dentists that last long in this profession versus the ones that just end up wanting to do like a drill and fill kind of thing. It's more fulfilling when you decide, you know what, let me be on this health journey for for this person. And then maybe they'll tell a friend, maybe they'll tell a loved one, and then you're responsible for this amazing change. And I think at this point in my life, just looking at what fulfills me, it's it's really like serving. It's really having a servant mindset. I was so selfish for the longest time, I'll just be the first person to admit it. Try to achieve my goals, try to gain this accolade or maybe this material thing. But when I came up short, what was really there? You know, like those things didn't bring me, you know, happiness. But when I see somebody that overcame a challenge because maybe something that I said or maybe s something that I posted, it just wow, it makes me want to keep going. So I think when to just to tie that. Back to wellness dentistry, you're looking at everything. You're starting from the very beginning. Nobody wants a quick fix. They want to figure out what is the root of the problem. And in this day and age, there's so many smoke and mirrors. But if you really take the time to think, people know if you're if you're real or not. And so for me, for instance, I would hope that when maybe people watching this or when people sit in my chair, they they see that I'm just maybe I'm direct, but at least you know that it's coming from a place of love and a place of experience, and I'm just trying to prevent them from getting punched in the face.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

I love that. I love that. Come from a place of love and respect. And and you know, people may not like what you're telling them to do or suggesting them, but they they respect you because you stand for something, which is like, hey, this is how to fix the root cause, not just patching it and then watching you getting worse under my watch.

unknown 22:53

Right?

SPEAKER_01 22:54

Because that's not what we take an oath to do, like, do no harm. But if we if we keep watching them getting worse, then obviously we're not serving our patient the way we are committed to. So I love that you share about, you know, surrounding yourself with light-minded. You actually thinking about like, hey, the solo hero model no longer works. I was alone, not just physically far away from everyone, but also feel like quite isolated in the clinic. And I know many dentists feel like that these days. They feel like nobody understands, their friends understand what they're going through. They feel like every pressure coming from insurance company, team, patient, family, no time for their own personal health. What do you think about the model of that soul hero journey versus like working together as a collaborative or like a collective tribe or group?

The Solo Hero Model Breaks

SPEAKER_01 23:48

What do you think the future of dentistry is going?

SPEAKER_03 23:50

Yeah, when I think about solo, right, I think that's the traditional model. And I also think it comes from a scarcity mindset. So let's say, for example, if you grew up poor, right? Or if you had some trauma in your life, maybe you're just in this mindset where you just view everything as a threat. And you're there's a part of your brain, the amygdala, right, that is responsible for fight or flight. When that takes over, your body just views everything as a as a threat. And so how do you get out of that? You you have to kind of shift. We talked about identity, you're gonna have to shift and get out of that survival mode to the to to almost like expansion, to the point where your prefrontal cortex takes over, where you discover possibility. And so when I think of possibility, I think of we're in heading into 2026. Dentistry is just changing so fast, right? And the solo model is there, but there's just a lot more, I guess you could call it competition or or choices that a patient can look for in terms of dentistry. And so I think about this stage of my life, I'm pretty clear on how I build. Like I've already built a successful practice. I know what it takes to create a cohesive team and solve problems at different levels. I think if needed, I could just do it again. But what I've learned is though, I do my best work in the right environment. Like I'm a builder by nature, but I also, when I see problems, I like to simplify them and create momentum. But I gotta tell you, when that energy is shared with the right people, it just compounds, right? Just like you're you're putting your money at 401k, right? Compounding effect, right? So I'm not dependent on any single outcome. I'm selective. Like if there's alignment, I think collaboration accelerates everything. But I'm not looking for a job. I'm just looking for an ecosystem where my experience and my leadership multiplies the whole system. But I think you got to take an inventory of yourself. You know, are you ready to not be solo and join somebody that that maybe you align with? You you got to heal from the inside, I feel like, to discover the synchronicity, synchronicities, the possibilities, the alignment. But if you're just not whole inside and you're just coming from a place of lack, then obviously the partnership is not gonna work out. And maybe your marriage maybe not work out. But that I mean, we get that's another story. But I think just healing from the inside allows you to see the alignment. And I think when more people are able to do dentistry together, the patient benefits. Because you just look from things from a different perspective. And especially if if these dentists they resonate with each other, they're studying the same thing together, they have a growth mindset together, man, that patient is in good hands. And that patient will know right away, wow, no dentist has ever said that to me. I went to the place down the street, they didn't treat me like this, or wow, I'm feeling better. It's because of you. You put me in the right direction. You pointed me to this. And it's like, wow, that that's a game changer right there for me.

SPEAKER_01 26:43

Yeah, I love that. And you know, just like no one, I've seen we've seen so many patients that come into our practice, no one on this journey alone. Even at some point they feel like my family, you know, don't get me, my friends don't get me. They think I'm crazy eating clean and doing all this, looking to my mouth, even though I'm not hurting, right? A lot of that voices, it's because people don't understand, but you want to looking for people the same journey and then get together. I do believe that the powers, just like you said, compound, right? You get that support. If you don't get a support at home, you're always gonna find a support in the people at work, you know, in your circle, in your community. And that's why the community is so important. I know that dentists are so alone sometimes, right? They're learning the clinical skill, the business skill, the leadership skill, and then they don't have time to take care of their own health. And then when they turn around, it's like no one understands what they're doing because in the picture, like my parents think this is what I'm doing as a dentist, my friend thinks this is what I'm doing as a dentist. It's like everyone has very different view and thought about what you're doing as a dentist. And we are also a patient. We need to take care of ourselves, we cannot pour from an empty cup. And so when I see that a patient come in and they feel lonely, uh, I always remind them that no, this is the journey, they the hero, we guiding them, they're gonna build a team around them. And everyone on their own journey. You know, you you have your journey of wellness. I I do have my journey of wellness. And and we can share that journey with the patient. And they do feel like, oh my gosh, I'm not the only one finding this. I mean, I'm in this for four years, but people in it a lot longer. And we always say wellness is a way of life, right? It's not something you do for like 22, 20, 26.2 miles and then you're done. Like, it's not that. It's not, it's not even a marathon, it's actually a journey that you're doing for the rest of your life. And I know a lot of people are curious about some wellness practices that you are doing because you know, five major marathons is huge. Like I don't I I don't have any friend in my circle that complete five major marathons.

Three Daily Wellness Non-Negotiables

SPEAKER_01 28:54

So share with us top three wellness practices that you're doing every day.

SPEAKER_03 28:59

The the number one thing that I do is I journal. It took me literally two, maybe two years to do it like every day. But somebody planted that seed in me to do it. And wow, it just it changed my whole life. Because just because you have thoughts or feelings doesn't mean it's true, right? It's it's it's the actions that matter. And so when I put my thought to paper, I was able to kind of get out of my own way. And you we realize like all of us, we're just sometimes our problems, we're just in our own way. So if you just get out of your own way, I mean, you'll be able to see like the light. The second thing uh that has helped me a lot is meditation. Before I couldn't even meditate for like 10 minutes, I went and I I got some training. It was like a week-long meditation retreat, and I was able to meditate for 35 hours. And I think my longest meditation was five hours. And to be able to kind of sit there and just not think about anything, but feeling feeling how you want to feel, feeling your your best future self, right? Just clearing your mind, almost like doing a detox. That was really like inspirational for me. It's a tool that combined with journaling, man, you already feel unstoppable. Man, I feel like those two, you could stop right there. You don't need three. But if the third one, obviously, is movement. Movement allows me to be creative. Just getting out there in nature. When I move, whether I'm walking or running, I just get the best ideas. And sometimes I just stop, stop right there and either do a brain dump or write into my Apple notes, whatever I'm thinking. But if there's just something about movement that allows me just to be so creative and not stuck in my own way and think about what's possible. Because I think the past is in the past, obviously living in the present is good. Trying to aim to train, trying to aim for who you want to be, how you want to be, how do you want to show up for yourself, your team members, your family, your patients. That means everything. But to show up with intention, intent uh showing up and being intentional, but also with the energy. It's a contagious, right? I show up like this. I walk into the operatory like this, hey, right? And it's like they just don't know what to expect. They're just thrown off. And the walls come down. Like they were like, wow, I vibe with this guy. Maybe I don't do what he says right away, but like there's something about him that is maybe either non-threatening or something that's authentic. So I gotta do the journaling, I gotta do the meditation, and I gotta do the movement. Those are my non-negotiables.

SPEAKER_01 31:26

I've seen you doing that every day. You keep us very like social accountable. So I love. Yeah, because you know you can say all the things, but if you're not doing it, people can tell. So again, leadership is role modeling, right? You actually doing what you say you do, and then everyone around you watching you. And even you not telling them to run marathon, guess what? They are running for themselves because they got inspired by you. So that's that's wonderful. I love those three wellness practices because that's exactly what we tell our patients. You know, you don't have to do fancy things. You just go back to the basic. Like, for example, breath work. People don't breathe, and then people don't journal, people don't really can sit with themselves. That's why they're sym sympathetic which they overdrive. And then people don't move enough because they're sitting too much and they don't have the time, they're not prioritize it. So but go back to the basic, we see the wellness start kind of going the route. And you build that foundations and layering, and you start seeing that wellness is a way of life. It's something that you do every day. And every one of us have different top three. I'm sure the list is go on, but at least I know that you stick to your top three. It's almost like you're daily non-negotiable.

Coaching Help And Where To Follow

SPEAKER_03 32:37

But I will tell you this: whatever you see here, whatever I say, right? It just it wasn't coincidence. It's just because I've I found somebody that I resonated with, that I looked up to, that I felt was forward-thinking, that maybe kind of had some things that I wanted. And I also invested in in coaching. You know, you when you pay for something, you can be pretty sure that you're gonna use it. That's what it's if you find yourself that, you know what, I'm not able to adopt this habit, or I'm not able to be consistent, find help because it's out there.

SPEAKER_01 33:09

Wow. A lot of dentists and patients actually will have to follow up on that call to action. They think they have to do this alone, but you don't have to. You can get a coach, a health coach, a practice coach, a leadership coach. You know, uh, we're always saying that Tom Brady have so many coaches. That's why he's like the number one quarterback in the history, is because they learn from the best and they have the best helping them to be the best. So thank you, Anthony, for sharing. I can tell it's coming from your heart and appreciate you sharing with uh with the audience. I know a lot of dentists will reach out to you, especially sharing your journey of going from paycheck to purpose, went to the marathons, major marathons, and then of course building the successful team seven figure practice, but left that behind to, you know, starting a new chapter on wellness dentistry. So where do people find you? If dentists that listen to the podcast, a patient listen to podcasts, where do they find you? Where do they can follow your journey every day?

SPEAKER_03 34:08

Well, if anybody lives in Boston, you can find me running outside in Boston a lot. If not, I mean I'm just I'm on Instagram. It's just Anthony Vu DDS. At this point in my life, I just I just want to help. And I haven't reached, you know, the heights that Dr. Katie Toe has. But trust me, I just I'm just a regular human being. And if I can do it, anybody can.

SPEAKER_01 34:27

And I can tell you bring the joy because we have so much fun on this podcast today. And I'm sure we need to check back in with you once you're having some update in your life, and we want to see, hey, where is Dr. Anthony and what he's up to? So make sure people stay tuned and follow the podcast and subscribe so you can really have a follow-up episode. And where is Dr. Anthony? How many major marathons are you trying to uh achieve the last one?

SPEAKER_03 34:51

Trying to achieve the last one. Uh Boston is on my list, so it's gonna be in April. We're gonna see. Hopefully, I'm just manifesting that right now. And we'll see what happens.

SPEAKER_01 35:05

We are cheering you on because you know what? Your achievement is our achievement. So thank you again for sharing and please follow and cheering him on at Anthonyvoo DDS. That's the handle, right? Anthony Voo DS is the handle on Instagram. And make sure that you subscribe and follow us on the Wellness Dented podcast. Bye.