From Military Service to Boutique Dentistry: Building a Practice on Core Values

Dr Kristen Donohue, owner of Sunshine Dentists in Burke, Virginia, shares her journey from the US Army Dental Corps to private practice. She emphasizes the importance of core values, such as quality over quantity, long-term success, and respecting time, which she uses to guide her practice. She also values continuous learning, teamwork, and a culture of "we over me". Dr. Donohue discusses her experience as a military dentist, including a deployment to Iraq. She transitioned to private practice to create the "practice of her dreams".

Key highlights from the discussion include:

• The value of coaching to improve systems, communication, and create a positive work environment.

• The decision to become fee-for-service to prioritize quality care over insurance demands.

• The importance of understanding key performance indicators (KPIs) for business health.

• The integration of digital technology like iTero and T-scan to improve patient communication and outcomes.

• A focus on functional occlusion and the importance of addressing sleep issues in patients.

• Maintaining a work-life balance through strong boundaries like not checking email at home.

• Her passion for dentistry, integrating her artistic nature and love for continuing education.

• Dr. Donohue also shares her plans for the future, including potential travel and learning opportunities

About the guest

Dr Kristen Donohue is the owner of Sunshine Dentists in Burke, Virginia, USA. She spent seven years practicing in the United States Army Dental Corps, treating soldiers and for her residency training, including a 1 year deployment to Iraq in 2004. To this day, she loves treating military families and retirees.

She continuously strives to be the best dentist possible. Her motto has always been, “If I’m not learning, I’m moving backward.” She attends 100 hours or more of continuing education courses annually, including regular study club meetings and hands-on coursework. She completed a one-year mini-residency studying sleep dentistry in 2020.  

Her professional affiliations​ include the Academy of General Dentistry, Virginia Dental Association, American Academy of Laser Dentistry and the American Dental Implant Association.

She married her husband Tommy, while living in Hawaii, and they have 3 beautiful daughters.  

For more information about DSD Clinics visit: https://digitalsmiledesign.com/dsd-clinic-certification or schedule a call with one of our dental experts: ⁠https://digitalsmiledesign.com/talk-to-an-advisor-dsd-clinics

Directed by Marita MacDonald

Audio and video production by Mario Sanchez Garcia 

Sonic branding by Eduardo Ariste

Social media management by Patricia Bergo

Smile Business Diaries is an official podcast by DSD Company.

About DSD 

Digital Smile Design (DSD) is a company founded in 2009 that trains dentists and their teams in implementing pragmatic systems to deliver exceptional smile makeovers with consistency. Its hallmark, the DSD Planning Center, is a hub of interdisciplinary collaboration in smile design, 3D treatment planning and guided surgery, serving clients worldwide.

Find out more at digitalsmiledesign.com