The Jameson Files 103 – “Community” with Dr. Loeta Robles
https://youtu.be/GtrQL9nJpaI
Carrie Webber: [00:00:10]Thanks for joining us on the Jameson Files. I’m your host Carrie Webberand excited to be joined once again on this episode by Dr. Loeta Robles ofChico California. On this episode we’re going to talk about community and howpouring into her community has ultimately poured into the success of herpractice. So thank you so much for being with me again.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:00:34]Oh thank you for having me I always love coming.
Carrie Webber: [00:00:36]And you know for those of you that listened to the previous episode withDr. Robles you know a little bit about her incredible story toward becoming adentist and a dental practice owner and the success that she’s experiencing ata very fast pace. But we’ve mentioned in those that she’s that you practice inChico California which is not a very large community. How how many how big isChico.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:01:02]Well Chico is about 100,000 people. And then after our campfire onNovember 8th we we increased about 20,000 people, overnight.
Carrie Webber: [00:01:13]And it’s a beautiful beautiful town in northern California. But you knowI think when we talk and have conversations we talk about the last few yearsthat you’ve been practicing and the growth you’ve experienced in the healthyou’ve had in the practice as a business. A lot of that is because of yourconnection to your community and there’s a lot of people that are probablygoing to be listening to this or watching this online that you’re practicing ina in a town of 100,000 or less. You know a town of 30,000 a town of 3,000. Andhow important. You know committing yourself to community can be for your ownprofessional fulfillment if that, you know, is a driver for you but also foryour business to be connected to community. I mean you do this so well. So howdid you know you had connection even prior your family lived there while youwere going to dental school. But when you finally went into practice ownership howdid those dots connect for you and how did that community connection make adifference and how did you keep connected in that way.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:02:29]Well you know when I was in school it was that the community had helpedme so much or helped us so much and it was from my daughter’s preschool to theelementary school to the teachers everybody stepped up to help my family. Youknow just picking up from school letting them know if they were sick somebodyneeds to take them home. I mean it was just really. And from then I said this Ineed to I have to give back to these people.
Carrie Webber: [00:02:55]Yes so those those that might maybe didn’t listen to the firstepisodeDr. Robles was a hygienist for 14 years before going back to dentalschool with two young children and her husband and was commuting several hoursto go to school during the week staying there and a lot of that that it took avillage literally to help you accomplish that very extraordinary goal of youknow being able to go into practicing dentistry yourself. So that community tiewas so important for your survival and your family has few years of school.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:03:31]But even before I went to school I mean there was that portion butbefore I went to school the relationship that I had as a hygienist with mypatients was very important to me. So when I made that decision to go to dentalschool you know my plan was to come back to Chico. That that was the a planwhose practice or which practice that was a question mark. And then when itbecame obvious that I was going to be purchasing Dr. Beckett’s practice and Iwas going to assume the dentist role for these patients that I was theirhygienist for 14 years. And that was important to me because the continuity ofcare was there. Yeah I mean I’ve known these people now for over 20 years andyou know there are some patients I’m like So are you still eating a bag ofM&M’s in front of the TV every night. Because we talked about this you knowand that relationship that you build with the patients was really important tome but then it went on to the community. So I I don’t do a whole lot ofmarketing. Yeah I don’t. But I do contribute to community programs that areimportant to me so I contribute or I’m a sponsor to a program that’s runthrough Chico State and it’s it’s lifelong learning and it’s a learning programfor retired people that they can take courses at Chico State and I’m all aboutlifelong learning. This is like right up my alley. And this program iswonderful for people who have retired and they want to just take some coursesthrough the college without having to earn a degree.
Carrie Webber: [00:05:19]Do you feel like you know obviously you’re making decisions on what tosupport how to support based upon what you know what’s important to you whatmakes sense. You know.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:05:30]But do you see that a healthy side effect of that is it is bringingpeople to your practice. Yes. And wow what a different level of trust orrelationship that must be when those new patients walk in the door. Coming fromthe contributions you’re making to your community. What’s that like. Right.Right. And it is you know I do. They say oh I saw that you’re a sponsor forOLLI at Chico State. And that’s why I’m here because you know that program isso important to me and I said Well it’s important to me. And that’s just kindof an opener fo, now this is what my mission is and these are my goals that Ihave for you and your mouth. You tell me about your goals about your mouth andwhat you would like and it just starts that conversation. And we have that bondright there. So I’m I am more in tune to contribute to programs that areimportant to the community. And if patients come through me come to me becauseof that. Great. Fantastic.
Carrie Webber: [00:06:37]And you know when we have talked over time and we just you know I pickyour brain and I want to know how things are going and how these are happening.It sounds like you have a lot of peers that reach out to you and you know youare you’re you’re just a few years in as a practicing dentist of course thatdoesn’t include the span of time you’ve had in the career of dentistry. Right.They’re coming to you. Did you know how you’re doing this. What is your what’sthis you know. Do you do it. Do they come to you for looking as a resource andI know you do a lot even for your dental community is right.
[00:07:12] Right. Mydental community yeah. So I took over a study club as a Speer study club andand yes I am the I guess youngest maybe not in age but in dental years I’m theyoungest dentist in the group and you know that’s humbling but see they do cometo me for questions but I think also Jameson I mean I’ve been with you guys fortwo and a half years and I say that that’s they’ve taught me so much. Yeah. Youknow I have had a lot of people come to me as far as if they’re. How did you dothis transition how did you do this. Can I meet with you for a little bit.Sure. Absolutely I’d love any questions that you have. I have some time andjust call me whatever when the campfire happened I within 24 hours I told myfront office. Let’s get Chico Paradise dentists together. Let’s find out howwe’re going to treat these evacuees that have that have lost their homes and alot of them evacuated without dentures partials and what are we going to do tohelp support our Paradise dentists you know do they do they want to continuepracticing. Do they want to continue seeing their patients and help them withthe transition whether they wanted to keep practicing or maybe not this istheir way of transitioning out but we want to be there to support them. Andwithin 24 hours we had 40 dentists at this meeting and I was so thankful thatmy Chico community doctors were there for the Paradise community doctors and weall got to be together to support each other. Yes. So you know I opened up myoffice to Paradise doctors and they were able to see patients until they werefigured out what they were going to do.
Carrie Webber: [00:09:03]Yeah. And it’s just that really spreading a servant’s heart out to yourcommunity and it’s probably having this domino effect in terms of yourcolleagues in and this this understanding that we’re in this together in thisfor this community. And it takes maybe a little bit of those competitive wallsout. And you know you all can grow and be healthy and support each othertogether and ultimately in a shared mission of helping that community.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:09:36]Well I always tell my team we always do what’s best for the patient. Andwhen the evacuees started calling and saying they needed new dentures and theirParadise doctors were you know we don’t know how to get a hold of them I saidwell the best thing for this patient is to continue the relationship with theirParadise Doctor. Yes. So that’s what implemented. OK let’s get them. Let’s getthem together let’s find out how we can help you know find how patients findtheir doctors and get them the help they need and if if doctors have decided tonot go back into practice then. OK. Let’s find a home for these evacuees then.But always doing what’s best for the patient. Will the outcome is nevernegative.
Carrie Webber: [00:10:24]And you know it said it for you Community is a core value to the WHOthat you are and how you want to practice and it’s just such a testament to ifyou’re true to your purpose and your mission it all makes sense and it makesthose decisions easy. Probably me ask you all these questions like How do youdo that. It’s just your authentic self. A lot of the time probably right. Yeah.Why do you mean how did I do it. I guess I just did it. Yeah. You know I lovemy town and I love the people in the town and I’ve known these people all mylife but there’s a lot of people going back to their hometowns or a lot ofpeople that are in small communities or or even larger communities that haven’tfigured out how to make authentic connection. Do you feel like there’s athere’s something that you can encourage then. You know I think from my perspectiveit must be authentic. You can’t pretend to be what you really are. I appreciatelike how you said you find the places in the spaces in your community thatmeans something to you and you contribute there. And then and in return youknow it comes back to you like a boomerang.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:11:38]I think that they’re I think younger dentists nowadays have. They havethis struggle a financial struggle with some of the loans that they graduatewith and and they they have an inner struggle of I need to pay these bills butI need to do this and I always say if you make the decision that’s best for thepatient. The the money the bills all that that it’ll come yeah it’ll come ifyou focus so much on “well I need to do this to pay the bills”. Thenyou’re losing your sight on your purpose and your vision because the money willcome.
Carrie Webber: [00:12:23]And you know when we talked about. It. We talked about your vision andhow you accomplish your vision. And every time you recast it with your team.And and now we’re talking a lot about your core values and your mission and howyour community is key for you and how you’ve incorporate community to be thedriving growth of your practice. And with not with a negative intention it’struly from your heart. And what drives you and what gets you up in the morningand you know I think you know in that building of trust and belief andmotivation for your team for your patients to see the why behind the what. Andit’s very real. Yes. And if you don’t know your why. How do you help people seethe value of the what. And you obviously have that depth of understanding ofwhy you chose to at this point in your life shift gears well and that thatthat’s reflecting in the extraordinary growth and of your practice and thecontinuous influx of people that believe in you and what you want to be a partof your patient family.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:13:42]Right. You know I think also I being a quote “older dentist”older new dentist I felt like when I graduated I have a good 20 years topractice dentistry that I got to have a good 20 years I am going to practicedentistry the way I want to practice dentistry. And I wasn’t going to deviatefrom that. And so you know when you get out of school there is a lot ofinsurance companies trying to get you to sign some contracts and I am like youknow what I don’t agree with that philosophy and that’s going away from thetype of dentistry that I want to practice. So no thank you. Yeah you know nothank you and they say well we can do your marketing we can do no thank you.Thank you. That’s it’s deterring me. It’s taking me off course. You know what Ireally need to do and that I think was a big deciding factor too is I have 20years I’m going to practice the way I want to practice unapologetically. Noexact and you can come and be my patient or not. Or not. And that’s what I’mall about. I am not you know I this is not right. I’m not putting up you knowsmoke and mirrors here right. This is me. This is what I’m gonna do. This ishow I’m going to take care of you. This is what you can expect right. I’m I’mgoing to take care of you and your family to the best of my ability in what Iconsider the highest possible care right and you choose. Yeah you have achoice. And my prac I tell my team our practice isn’t for everyone. Yes peoplethat you know they have a different mission for themselves they have differentgoals right. That I’m not willing to go there it’s not part of my mission andthey can find another dental practice. I am totally fine with that. And there’ssometimes we have to write some goodbye letters like thank you so much. But wehave to break up and that’s OK. Yeah because you know what. I also want tosleep at night. Yes. Sleep is very important to me. And if if I’m making decisionsthat doesn’t allow me to sleep well at night then that’s not worth it.
Carrie Webber: [00:15:54]So I was like my my father who practiced who’s retired dentist andpracticing in real small rural town and decided the same thing. I’ve you knowhe’s deeply connected the community beloved in the community but not everybodywent to him now because you know the ongoing theme was you know and you knowhe’s not cheap you know but if you want really great care and great dentistryyou go to Dr. John but you’ve got to decide that for yourself and people walkedin the door knowing he’s going to take the best care of me right. He’s going todo me do do this right and do what’s right for me. And I might be paying for itright.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:16:38]Right. Exactly.
Carrie Webber: [00:16:39]But you know that the depth of the community. He wasn’t upset whenpeople didn’t choose him as a dentist and it didn’t stop him from from like youdo contributing into the community and being connected and engaged in thecommunity as as a person you know as a business in that community as a way aperson that can support the community as a whole.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:17:02]Well there’s since my husband and I both grew up in Chico. There is suchan emotional attachment to. To Chico. You know with the park I mean there’sjust you know we raised our girls there. So it’s important to both of us thatwe help support our community.
Carrie Webber: [00:17:22]So if there’s somebody out there listening saying Man I’m really not I’mnot connected or you know I want to connect more I want my business to be moreintegrated with the commune I want to be contributing in that way and in turnnow it helps to feed my practice with people that that you know want to be seenby me. Do you have what would be a first step what would be something that youwould recommend that they consider or that they do to help them make connectionand make community involvement a part of their practice.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:17:53]So most of the organizations have come to me. The patients have known meso long it’s usually a patient that knows about me and then they’re involved inthat organization and they say oh you know you’ve talked about would you beinterested in becoming a sponsor and I’m like yes. Yeah I would. Thank you somuch for asking. Yeah. I’m so glad you came to me about this. So I guess it’sIt starts with the relationship you have with the patients and is they knowwhat your mission is and helping contribute to the community then they willcome to you a lot. So you know from school plays to you know field trips at theschools. It’s. I’m. Yes. Let me do it. Yeah. You know the school contacted usfor homework folders absolutely all contribute to that. Yeah. Yes. That’simportant for my child and you know her classmates.
Carrie Webber: [00:18:43]And when it means something to you it’s an easy yes.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:18:46]It’s an easy yes.
Carrie Webber: [00:18:47]So I’m thinking about you know if you don’t even know where to beginthink about what’s what mean something to you if you’ve ever felt led ordesired to help something in some way outside of your own bubble of yourselfthat I mean that’s a great place to start. Right. You know what. What stirs youwhat gets you fired up. What would be what may you have an interest in that youdon’t want to see go away from your community. What would be an easy yes andstart there.
Carrie Webber: [00:19:12]Well I thank you for for sharing from your heart and sharing how youpractice with a heart and how your community embraces you and your practice andyou do the same for them helping and sharing with the for this community howthey can begin to engage in a deeper more meaningful way with their patients intheir community to have a practice on purpose. Yes. Thanks Dr. Robles.
Dr Loeta Robles: [00:19:36]Oh thank you for having me.