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Volume2 Issue2
I
ssues and
P
eople
TakeDr. Odiatu’s insightsondentists and their sleep-deprivedpatients,
for example. Hedescribes abig response toaworkshophe recently
delivered inDetroit,wheredentists toldhim sleep isn’t usually
consideredduringpatient intake interviews. “But fractured sleep
affects your energymidway through theafternoon,makes you
ravenous for carbohydrates,makes for poorerwoundhealing,
andmakes youunable toprocess feelings andemotions from
things that happened10years ago,” he says. “So it’s aquestion
worthasking.”
Sayyesfirst,worry about thedetails
later
Dr. Odiatudidn’t set out tobecomea regular on thedental
conferencecircuit. Hedescribes thegrowthof his career
inprofessional speakingas “a littlepebble that becamea
snowball, thenahugemountain!”His first speakingengagement
was anafter-dinner talkat adental fraternity,whereheandKary
spokeabout the importanceof fitness inadentist’s life. The talkwentwell,
thenmore speaking invitations started to trickle in, andeventually the requests for 1-hour
talksgrew to includehalf-dayprograms. “I learned to sayyes first andworryabout thedetails later,” he
acknowledges.
At the start heandKary travelled to speakingengagements together. Their talks, combiningmusic,
humour and inspirational quotes,weredesigned tomotivatedentists to leadhealthy
lives and—more immediately—keep thementertained for a fewhours. Now,with3childrenat home,
Kary limits thenumber of events sheattendswhileDr. Odiatu travels toabout 30conferences eachyear
todeliver hishealthy livingprograms.
Learn together, stay together
Inhis experienceattendingdental conferences around theworld, Dr. Odiatuhasobserved thebenefits
of educating thewholedental team, as a learningunit, rather than individual dentists. Heexplains, “For
thepast 25years, I’vehearddentists say, ‘Every time I takeacourseand try to sharewhat I’ve learned,
the teamdoesn’t buy in.’ And thenwhen I ask if theybrought anyonealong, they say, ‘No, it’s too
expensive.’” ButwhenDr. Odiatu sees a teamof dentists, hygienists,
managers, andassistants, all learning together at aconference,
he recognizes the traitsof acohesive team. “You learn
together, you stay together. People learningas a team—
that’show it shouldbe.”
Tofindout ifDr. Odiatuwill beappearingat anevent
near you, contact himat
To
readmoreaboutDr. UcheandKaryOdiatu, visit
. a
Dr.Odiatuandhiswife, Kary, co-authorsof
TheMiracleof
Health: SimpleSolutions, ExtraordinaryResults.
