I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Victoria Veytsman, Celebrity Cosmetic Dentist, Entrepreneur and Influencer. She is the youngest ever graduate of her dental school class, now with a bicoastal celebrity a-list practice she built from ground up and with a strong interest in giving back and changemaking. She is a creative at heart with an eye for perfection that trickles into everything she does and her holistic approach is to treating people as a whole is what has made her so popular and a favorite amongst patients.
Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path as a doctor or healer?
Where I am now (and where we all are at this moment) is a culmination of a lifetime of events and decisions. Growing up I was an artist and could spend hours and hours working with my hands and creating things. That said I had always wanted to be a doctor of some sort and help others in some capacity. When I entered college there was an accelerated dental program. To be honest it wasn’t something I had considered too much before but in talking to others and with some research decided it could be the perfect marriage of science, art and taking care of others. After dental school I wasn’t sure exactly which route I wanted to go. I had a friend call me up after I had graduated and ask me if I could do his veneers and explained how unhappy he was with his smile and how it had been affecting him for years. I told him to give me some time and I’d get back to him. My exposure to cosmetic dentistry was very limited in dental school so I sought out courses and continuing education to gain the skills I needed for cosmetic dentistry. I was lucky to find some amazing mentors and courses across the country and I fell in love with cosmetic dentistry and what it could do for others. These experiences quickly unfolded into what I would call some of the best memories I have had professionally. I am forever thankful because it has given me the opportunity to do the kind of work I do and transform smiles and improve confidence exponentially. From there the practice grew organically and I’ve continued to develop my skills. Growth is a continuum that doesn’t end so I expect to be a lifelong learner. Grateful daily for the patients that allow me to do what I do and be a part of their journey. It is fulfilling mentally creatively and emotionally.
Have your personal challenges informed your career path?
Absolutely. Definitely. And without a doubt. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that challenges are really entry points for growth and possibly for your own healing. This makes us more empathetic compassionate and relatable — all super important qualities for those in our line of work as doctors and healers. My own personal challenges have definitely left me stronger on the other side of them and undoubtedly have made me a better doctor because I can really put myself in other peoples shoes. Every challenge I have ever had has inadvertantly made me better at what I do. Challenges are not setbacks but opportunities for growth and to up your game.
Can you share your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became a Doctor and Entrepreneur and the things I am learning along the way”
-There is a solution for everything. It may not come to you immediately. It may come to you in the most roundabout way but if you’re patient the answer becomes clear. The key is not giving up.
-To be open. Be a yes person and be aware of all the possibilities that are available to you and your growth. As they say, we know what we know, but don’t know what we don’t know. In other words, don’t assume you know everything. Be open to possibilities.
-The power of focus. Maybe multitasking is overrated? It’s part of being a New Yorker! Coffee in one hand and emails in the other, right? However I’ve been learning that when theres a huge task at hand to put everything aside and tackle it with laser focus. Answers come quicker and things done faster. This is all part of being mindful too. One moment at a time.
-Don’t be afraid to take risks. The worst thing that can happen with risk is a failure. But a failure is not the end all be all. It can be a detour to help you on your path. The meaning we attach to failure are not always true. Once we eliminate that fear, the ability to take risks and yes to new opportunities becomes easier. “Paralysis by analysis” doesn’t move anyone forward.
-EVERYONE has a story. In dental school the primary focus was on clinical skills to pass board exams. Practicing in private practice has made me have a very deep appreciation for the human side of things. Every interaction is meaningful and we are all more alike than different. Once you understand that, communicating and relating to others becomes easier and more holistic.
Social media and reality TV create a venue for people to share their personal stories. Do you think more transparency about your personal story can help or harm your field of work? Can you explain?
That’s an interesting question. I believe people should do and share what they are comfortable sharing. Today’s social media culture allows people to share every aspect of their lives and allow people in to a level moreso than ever before. Personally I keep our professional social media pages fairly professional. I happen to be very private by nature and rarely post details about my personal life unless I feel it will be helpful or beneficial for others. For myself, I don’t believe in having social media be a personal diary. That is just my preference today and different things work for different people. I might change my mind at some point but this is what works for me today. I see some have created real positive impact by sharing every detail of their lives. I also know many people that keep their private lives private and lead some of the most colorful full lives. I believe in remaining humble and being mindful about what we are putting out there. Is it helpful? Is it positive? How will it affect others? We are all “influencers” in one way or another.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant to your life?
There are so so many life lesson quotes that have helped me along the way and continue to do so. It would hard to just pick one. They mostly relate to perseverance, kindness and living with purpose. So to bring it all together and in summary — “Continuously and humbly find a bigger purpose than yourself in what you are doing, accept all challenges as entry points for growth, persist even when is seems impossible, respect the journey of others, tread lightly with judgement and when in doubt always fill in the voids with kindness. And along the way you find you are always stronger than you think.” -dr V
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
There are many issues I feel very strongly about and I believe it’s our duty to intentionally live outside ourselves. I believe education is so incredibly important. The wave of positivity and change that educating one girl can make, especially in third world countries is astounding and life changing for so many people. It’s the butterfly effect — small changes lead to a chain of large unforeseen changes. Theoretically the cost of land building and supplies in some of these countries is so low and the effects of one school alone in an underserved area are huge. Another issue I feel strongly about is homelessness. As a native New Yorker it is heart wrenching to see so many people on the streets. I know a lot of efforts are made but It would be amazing to see a greater initiative to get more people off the streets and rehabilitate them to the point where they can assimilate back into society and thrive.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
Drvictoriadds on Instagram and you can look up Dr. Victoria Veytsman on Linkedin and Facebook.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!