Balancing act: Young owners share how they juggle being a boss, parent

While being a dentist has proved to be a fulfilling career, there’s something David Jadin, D.D.S., wanted to be long before dentistry entered the picture: a father.

“Being a dad is what I wanted to be when I grew up,” he said. “I work to live, not live to work. I love what I do, but I do it because it is in service to my highest priority, taking care of my family.”

Balancing parenthood with work can be a challenge for anyone, but especially when both the career and children are young, as is the case for new dentists starting families.

Dr. Jadin is the father to three children aged 8, 6 and 2 and the owner of a pediatric dental practice he opened in 2021, between the births of his second and third children.

“As a young dentist establishing a practice and a family, it takes a lot of time,” he said. “Time spent with the practice may wax at first doing a startup, but it will wane. It's a hectic time, but a very rewarding time — don't shirk away from it.”

Dr. Jadin worked with a consultant to launch his practice in Elm Grove, Wisconsin, and continues to engage a coach to help it grow successfully. His wife, Sarah, was also instrumental in getting his practice up and running. A physical therapist, she gradually reduced her hours as the pair grew their family and now is a stay-at-home mom who helps him manage his practice.

Dr. Jadin is a hands-on owner, willing to step in to help his team with tasks, but he is also learning to delegate more.

“As a solo owner, my days are longer right now,” he said. “I get in earlier, and I leave later than I once did; that's a part that we're still figuring out. We're getting settled and re-settled in new ways with now a full staff and learning what things we can delegate and how I can do less of the day to day.”

But ownership also comes with flexibility, including with his schedule. He currently has Fridays off to spend time with his wife in a way that focuses on their relationship and not on their roles as parents.

“I have freedom to do what I want, to customize my business as needed to make it better fulfill its purpose as it relates to my family,” Dr. Jadin said. “Being a dentist is great for so many reasons. As a solo owner, I'm able to take advantage of the fact that it's my business, and it becomes so much more incorporated into the family structure.”

As for the best time to have children while also having a dental career?

“There's never a right time,” he said. “There's never having this much money or that much less debt or having the right house or in any way, shape or form being stable enough and ready enough. You'll never feel that way, and yet, you will do great.”

 

For Kaylee Salesky, D.D.S., her desire to be a parent was a driving force behind becoming a dentist because she wanted an academically challenging career that allowed her to have a healthy amount of time dedicated to her family.

She is the partner in a general dental practice in Kennewick, Washington, and the mother of two daughters who are 1 and 3. She was pregnant with her 3-year-old when she graduated from dental school and did not plan on owning a practice as quickly as she did. However, she stepped up as a partner when one of the owners of the practice where she worked as an associate retired less than a year after she joined.

“Being a practice partner has been both challenging and rewarding in so many ways,” Dr. Salesky said. “I had no intention of owning so early in my career and motherhood, but I couldn’t pass up such an incredible opportunity for my family and me. It has given me ownership of my schedule, a boost in my salary and something I’m proud to show my girls as they grow up.”

But even though she loves owning her practice, it’s not without its challenges, especially for a mother of two young children.

“The day I became an owner, the responsibility grew from only taking care of my own family to taking care of my work family as well,” she said. “That’s a lot of added stress and pressure that I take very seriously.”

Dr. Salesky works with her business partner, Lilo Mannion Black, D.D.S., to ensure their practice is open five days a week. They make all major business and hiring decisions together, but each takes the lead in handling a certain aspect of the business. For Dr. Salesky, it’s marketing.

“I work very hard to market myself and am always striving to grow our business in an already-saturated market,” she said. “This requires an ample amount of time after hours working on social media and marketing projects, usually on my phone at home while two little girls are swarming around me. Moral of the story, if you want to be a parent and a practice owner, be ready to master juggling.”

In addition to her partner in business, Dr. Salesky has a partner at home: her husband, Max, who works remotely in sales, giving him more flexibility with their children during the day. He gets them ready in the morning and then drops them off with Dr. Salesky’s mother, who is a retired teacher. After picking the girls up, he spends some time with them before Dr. Salesky gets home from work.

For those thinking about having children, Dr. Salesky recommends discussing roles, work schedules, career goals and childcare with their partner first.

“With all that being said, even as a planner, I am also a huge believer in ‘if there’s a will, there’s a way.’ Most people would never suggest the path that I took to either motherhood or practice ownership, but I did it,” she said. “Though my days are busy and my nights are short, I’m currently the happiest I’ve ever been living out my childhood dreams with my amazing little family.”

Find resources related to parenthood and pregnancy at ADA.org/wellness.