Dr. Pooja Mantravadi @poojasukum - Dose of Dental Podcast #167 x Dr. Gallagher's Podcast

Top 5 Topics:- From Dental School to Dream Job: The Untold Struggles of Young Surgeons- Work-Life Balance in Surgery: How 3 Days a Week Changed Everything- Private Equity in Dentistry: Threat or Opportunity?- Secrets of a Surgeon’s Success: Networking, Marketing, and Mentorship- The Money Talk: Contracts, Compensation, and Equity ExplainedQuotes & Wisdom:"The hardest transition wasn’t coping with residency — it was realizing there’s no next step after graduation.""Three days a week in surgery makes me more present both at work and at home.""Work-life balance isn’t about working less — it’s about being intentional with the time you have.""Success is defined on a spectrum, and for me it’s not about working endlessly — it’s about not looking back with regret.""Nothing is more effective for marketing than meeting people face-to-face and building genuine relationships.""There’s no one way a surgeon should look or be — I like Cardi B and Doja Cat, and I’m still a board-certified oral surgeon.""Just because someone offers you equity doesn’t mean it’s valuable — you need to know how to assess it.""We need transparency on contracts so new grads can advocate for themselves and avoid being taken advantage of.""Private equity isn’t something to run from — you just have to make sure the deal works for you."Questions:(03:25) What residency program did you go to, and how long have you been out?(06:16) What are you doing now, and how does your current associate position work?(07:50) How did you find your first job after residency?(11:26) What does your typical three-day workweek look like?(14:04) How do you define work-life balance compared to 30–50 years ago?(16:00) Where do you see dentistry and oral surgery heading in the future?(17:29) What were the top three things you looked for in an associate contract?(24:53) How much marketing do you do, and what strategies have been most effective?(35:12) Do you prefer base salary, percentage of collections, or equity — and why?(40:08) How do you evaluate private equity opportunities and protect yourself in contracts?Now available on:- Dr. Gallagher’s Podcast & YouTube Channel- Dose of Dental Podcast #167My watch in this episode = Tag Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 16 Chrono- 8.2025#podcast #dentalpodcast #doctorgallagherpodcast #doctorgallagherspodcast #doctor #dentist #dentistry #oralsurgery #dental #dentalschool #dentalstudent #doctorlife #dentistlife #oralsurgeon #doctorgallagher