Veronica Swanson Beard, Pritika Swarup, Dr. Wendy Xue and Veronica Miele Beard at VB Soho
Operation Smile
#VBGIVESBACK DayEvent Recap
Dr. Melissa Scaggs, far right, and guests at VB Dallas
Dr. Grace Yum and guests at VB Houston, photographed by The Social Hour
Dr. Olivia Lares, far right, and guests at VB Chicago
Alana Krug, Alyse Solomon and Jessica Zelnik at VB Madison
Missed us on Thursday? Our LA and Boston stores are holding special #VBGIVESBACK Days later this month. Check out the details below. Ten percent of in-store sales will continue to benefit Operation Smile.
Adair Sloane and Caroline Ward at VB Atlanta
LOS ANGELES — PALISADES VILLAGE
Veronica Beard | 1062 N. Swarthmore Ave.
Bonus: 11 AM - 1 PM on September 17 with Dr. Marie Buell
BOSTON
Veronica Beard | 145 Newbury Street
Bonus: 7 PM - 9 PM on September 30 with Dr. Cecille Yoon and Dr. Mira Khouzam
Dr. Jarrett L. Manning at VB Atlanta
Entrepreneur Chat: Dr. Grace Yum
Dr. Grace Yum knows the power of community. In 2017, after visiting a legal retreat with her husband, the pediatric dentist realized the dental industry was missing a similar support system. So she did what any powerhouse woman would do: She created one herself.
Enter Mommy Dentists in Business, a community of women dentists dedicated to enriching one another as mothers, dentists, and business owners. "The world of motherhood and having careers is not easy," says the mom of two. “This support group encourages women to stay in business and be great role models for our children." Yum does that through networking events, online education and a podcast while hewing closely to a mantra that has long inspired the Veronicas, too: Successful women help other women succeed.
Dr. Grace Yum in a Miller dickey jacket
I love the mission! We are all mothers at MDIB—and many are pediatric dentists, too—and we know how important instilling confidence through dental care is to young children. Knowing that events through my organization benefit Operation Smile’s amazing cause, creating lifelong differences in these children’s lives, is my favorite thing about working together. As a board-certified pediatric dentist, part of my training at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago was to be on the cleft lip and palate team. The work we do with surgeons and orthodontists changes lives of the children and parents!
What inspired you to launch Mommy Dentists in Business?
I started MDIB while on a business trip with my husband in 2017. We were at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans at a law firm retreat. I was amazed that over 200 lawyers worked at a firm together and had a support system. Dentists often work solo and do not have a large group setting, I wanted to create a support system that was digital and convenient for mothers. We are the largest online niche organization of our kind with over 10,000 members!
What kind of resources and support do you provide?
MDIB provides mostly online education for mothers in dentistry. We host a podcast, live webinars, and live events all over the country! The education we provide aids in earning our continuing education when renewing our licenses. MDIB is also a private community on Facebook, where we interact and help support like-minded women in dentistry. The world of motherhood and having careers is not easy and this support group encourages women to stay in business and be great role models for our children.
Tell us about the importance of community for you and your members…
The importance of community resonates with my members in such a way that none of us feel alone or isolated. Often, as working moms, we feel misunderstood or feel guilty that we are not at home with our kids as much as we want. However, we all feel that having a career makes us better as moms. The challenges we face as business owners or dentists can be very specific and, having a community like ours, helps everyone to be the best version of themselves. We teach one another as dentists, we pray for one another when the need arises, we give each other fashion advice, we offer support and advice in matters such as single parenting, and more! The community is a lifeline to many of us. Overall, we feel stronger together and having online friends promotes mental well-being!
Learn how your donations will support Operation Smile here.
