When you look at the dental industry, it’s easy to see that it’s full of so many different people of varying backgrounds. I don’t just know this from being in the dental field for decades, either. Being the son of immigrant parents from Vietnam, I’m a firsthand example of diversity in dentistry.
However, when attending dental conferences and events in the past, I used to leave feeling a bit disappointed—everyone just seemed very similar to one another. It always made me think about how that’s a bad representation of how our industry is, because we have so many unique and interesting folks with such different life stories to tell.
That’s why I’m such a big fan of what Chris “Love” Williams and Karese Laguerre are doing with their Dental Culture Con—and I’m so excited to play a part in it. Chris and Karese launched the Dental Culture Con because they were feeling the same way I had about dental conferences and events. The lineup of speakers that Chris and Karese have assembled for the Dental Culture Con blows me away with how impressive it is, and I’m so honored to be one of them.
These are top-of-the-line speakers stemming from a multitude of different backgrounds and belonging to a wide spectrum of different cultures. Before I really dive into the Dental Culture Con, though, first thing’s first: Let’s take a step back and learn a little bit about the two masterminds behind this masterpiece.
Chris’s journey to becoming a “Prophy King.”
Chris is a United States Air Force veteran turned dental hygienist, entrepreneur, speaker, and life coach. With a passion for helping others, Chris has dedicated his life to empowering individuals to lead fulfilling lives with a personal mission to impact 1,000,000 people.
As an accomplished professional and motivational speaker, Chris inspires audiences with his unique perspective and infectious enthusiasm. Chris has a YouTube channel, and he didn’t typically talk about his experience being the not-so-typical dental hygienist until relatively recently. Since then, however, support has been pouring in from fellow men who feel empowered by him to pursue the path of dental hygiene.
He only made these videos to share his story and be his authentic self—he didn’t expect to get the following that he did. But the support he received launched him on a different path and has influenced his life immensely, helping him to venture into speaking, coaching, and so on.
Karese started as a dental hygienist, but now she’s more interested in myofunctional therapy.
Meanwhile, Karese is also a registered dental hygienist, but she doesn’t practice anymore. Instead, she has pivoted to becoming a myofunctional therapist.
In addition to being the co-founder of the Dental Culture Con, Karese founded The Myo Spot, a practice aimed at amplifying oral wellness to whole body wellness. Through tele-therapy she helps clients of all ages overcome tongue ties, TMJ disorders, sleep apnea, grinding, anxiety, and various breathing and orofacial dysfunction.
Passionate about education and self-help, she published Accomplished: How to Sleep Better, Eliminate Burnout and Execute Goals. Karese has heard a lot of fellow dental professionals telling her to “stick in her lane” and just stick with doing hygiene.
Karese’s decision to venture into the airway territory actually came from her children (when not working with clients globally she spends time with her husband and four kids). As parents, we all like to share the highlight reels. When someone asks how your kids are doing, you’ll tell them that your daughter is in dance or your son is in basketball—everything awesome going on in their lives. Karese feels like there’s an underbelly where we don’t talk about those less appealing yet common aspects of their lives like asthma, chronic congestion, and so on.
Chris and Karese don’t consider the Dental Culture Con to be a conference—”It’s an experience.”
The Dental Culture Con is unique in so many senses. You’re not going to go there to sit in a cold room, stuffed full of people, with long days spent getting overloaded with information. While it’s going to be held virtually, you’ll have the opportunity to interact much more than you would in your typical Zoom meeting.
The Dental Culture Con will take place from June 15th to June 17th, and it’s super easy to sign up.
Just register at www.dentalculturecon.com.
There, you can also learn about what Chris and Karese will be doing, what speakers you’ll get the chance to listen to, and what workshops will be available to you. Representation matters at the Dental Culture Con—it’s a safe space where everyone will be seen, heard, and represented.
