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Join Dr. Kim Kutsch, the brilliant mind behind CariFree, as he explores the extraordinary lives of thought leaders in the dental industry, and beyond. Contrary to Ordinary explores further than dentistry - here we unravel the minds of change-makers, paradigm shifters, and world shakers.
Every two weeks, we dive into the stories of our remarkable guests—ordinary people who continually defy limits. Discover their tales of success, resilience, and self-awareness, and explore how they leverage these experiences not only to elevate dental practice and patient care but also to champion personal growth and entrepreneurship. Listen for captivating conversations with innovators who seamlessly blend art and technology, pursue curiosity, and create the truly extraordinary.
Contrary to Ordinary isn't your typical dentistry podcast—it's a vibrant community that's hit #1 in ‘Entrepreneurship,’ #3 in ‘Business,’ and #21 in ‘All Podcasts’ for a reason. We've had the pleasure of hosting inspiring guests like innovators, dental leaders, pioneering inventors, and artists, including Angus Walls, Machell Hudson, Dr. Simon McDonald, Dr. Bobby Birdi, Rella Christensen, Professor Phillip D. Marsh, Carmen Ohling, John Kois, Dr. Susan Maples, Doug Young, Colt Idol, Stephanie Staples, and many more who've graced our mic.
Each episode isn't just a listen; it's a lesson in living an extraordinary life authentically, embracing rebellion, and nurturing leadership. We dive into diverse topics, from mentoring, coaching, personal development, and work-life balance to self-awareness, emotional intelligence, leadership, storytelling, altruism, and motivation. And yes, we also cover dentistry—exploring natural dentists, dental health, dental laboratories, oral care, oral surgery, dental hygiene, caries disease, brushing teeth, and overall tooth care.
Tune in to Contrary to Ordinary for a unique blend of wisdom that goes beyond the ordinary and resonates with all aspects of life! This podcast aims to empower you to be extraordinary in your dental practice and improve not just your dental care but your overall life!
Do you have an extraordinary story you’d like to share with us? Or perhaps a question for Dr. Kutsch. Contact us on our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter today.
About Our Host:
Meet Dr. Kim Kutsch: a retired dentist with 40 years of experience, prolific writer, thought leader, inventor, and researcher in dental caries and minimally invasive dentistry, brings his insatiable curiosity to the forefront. Eager to learn from those breaking boundaries in dentistry, particularly in preventative and non-invasive dentistry approaches, Dr. Kutsch launched the Contrary to Ordinary podcast. As a keen creative and curious mind, Dr. Kutsch extends his podcast guest list to artists, entrepreneurs, and fascinating minds who have piqued his interest. He wants to learn from them and see how he can be inspired by their extraordinary ways of living and adapt his learnings into his own life and his business, CariFree.
About CariFree:
CariFree is the new model for oral health and cavity prevention. Dr. Kutsch is the CEO and founder of this business. They create cutting-edge technology and science-based solutions to common dental health concerns for the whole family, making it easy to banish cavities for good with preventive strategies over restorative procedures. Find out how dentists are using CariFree products to revolutionize their dental practices here: https://carifree.com/success-stories/.
Recording:
Extraordinary.
Leader.
Innovative.
Integrity.
Honest.
Courageous.
Curious.
Thoughtful.
Brave.
Unafraid.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
There is a place where technology and art meet, where work and play are one and the same. When the threads of curiosity are pulled in this place, the spark of innovation ripples across industries. Those who make this place their home are giants, titans, who pursue creative passion while leaving their mark.
Recording:
Creative.
Flexible.
Brilliant.
Clever.
Confident.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
They are courageous thought leaders set on changing the practice of dentistry, and their corner of the world. More than the sum of their parts, we deconstruct the traits that bind these uncommon innovators-
Recording:
Humble.
Daring.
Disciplined.
Playful.
Principled.
Spontaneous.
Open.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
... to discover what makes them Contrary to Ordinary, where we explore the extraordinary.
Hi there, I'm Dr. Kim Kutsch, host and founder at CariFree. I'm fascinated by what makes the paradigm shifters, world shakers, and art makers tick. Let's embark on a journey. Extraordinary is a place where ordinary people choose to exist. Together, we will trek the peaks of possibility, illuminate the depths of resilience, and navigate the boundless landscape of innovation to discover how some of the most innovative dentists and thought leaders unlock their potential and became extraordinary.
On this season of Contrary to Ordinary, we explore the motivation, lives, and character of the innovators who see limitless potential around them, the people behind some of the largest paradigm shifts in the practice of dentistry. In this episode, I have a chance to look in the face of someone who is not only extraordinary, but who is also humble, grateful, and an inspiration to so many people.
Today's guest, Dr. Bobby Birdi, is unique in so many ways. However, many know him for being one of North America's very few certified dual specialist in both periodontics and prosthodontics. He is an adjunct associate professor at the University of British Columbia and the University of Minnesota, where he is involved in multiple dental implant research projects and clinical trials.
He also actively lectures both nationally and internationally in the fields of implant surgery and prosthetics. Bobby is also the co-founder of the Digital Dentistry Institute, which offers global training programs in 11 countries. It's clear from this amazing resume that Bobby is someone who is passionate about all things dentistry. You have to ask, how does he fit it all in?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
People ask me all the time, I just tell them I'm super efficient with my time. I don't have a lot of time to lull and think about things so much. I make decisions pretty quickly and get to it. I'm more about the work than I am about the result a lot of times, just because during the work is when you really learn, at least that I found, and you really get to it.
I don't sleep that much, I guess. It gets busy and I just keep going and try not to waste time and be efficient about it. Because like everybody else, you want to have your downtime, you want to enjoy yourself when you can. And to do that, for me, I've got to make sure that when I'm not doing that, that I put in the effort to make sure I can get those times.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
So I also get a sense you probably don't waste any time on social media at all.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
You know what? I always tell people I'm lucky that I'm young enough, but old enough that I didn't have to do the big social media thing to get everyone to know who I was and everything else. I did it the old school way where you went to conferences and you met people and you spoke and you published articles and they met you and they learned.
So I'm not a big social media guy. I have all the social media. I get on there once in a while, but I'm not a huge fan of it just because I just feel like there's lots of rehearsal. You know what I mean? I still want to sit down and look someone in the eye and have a good conversation and see what they're about. And I feel like still, like everything else, you can really read what someone's about just by meeting them, and it's really hard on social media.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Tell me, Bobby, let's go back to your childhood. So what were you like as a kid?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I was a nerd when I was a kid, when I was really young. I loved school and I was one of those kids that get asked to skip grades and all that kind of stuff, and I begged my parents not to. The reason being is that I didn't want to be that weird kid. I was pretty shy initially, and then I got really into sports. I was nominated for athlete of my high school class and I really got into it real hardcore, soccer and basketball, and a ton of it.
I was a jock, I was an athlete and I was lucky that I did well in school and that school came easy for me. But I spent a lot of time being a sports guy, and still am to this day. It just drives me and just enjoy it.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
So were you curious as a child? Would you say you were a curious ... Are you a curious person now?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
As my dad would say, I was a pain in the butt to raise because I would question everything and everyone, "Why? Why? I want to know why." And so I think I was pretty obedient and respectful just being raised that way, but yeah, I was super curious. I always wanted to know, I always wanted to take something apart. I always wanted to figure something out and I didn't like no for an answer very often, unless it was justified. I was happy to be reasonable, but you've got to justify it to me and if I saw holes in your argument, it was on. I was pretty curious. I always wanted to learn and know, and I really enjoyed that stuff growing up.
I have become a student of business. I go to Harvard Business School doing this amazing business program that I got into a few years ago, which I really enjoy. I'm a student of religious history. I'm a student of sport. I really always like learning and I find that anything that I can learn that allows me to understand why people are the way they are or why they act a certain way or just the history of things really intrigues me because it's interesting to me. I like understanding the ... It's all about why. And so by doing that, I end up having to learn a lot.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Bobby has had a lifelong obsession with why. This little word and the use of it can tell you a lot about someone, I think. In his book, Why? What Makes Us Curious, Mario Livio suggests that collective human progress often hinges on the why. Exploring why leads to purpose and allows you to take curious people with you. Overall, it makes evolutionary sense for us to ask why. I wonder, did a curious young Bobby start out wanting to be a dentist?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I really wanted to be a medical doctor since I was a young kid and young lad. And when I was in undergrad, I used to teach actually the MCAT prep courses and took the MCAT and did really, really well, and I was going to apply to medical school. But what I ended up doing is I spent time volunteering at a hospital and when I volunteered at the hospital, I just really didn't like it. I really started hating ... Even to this day, I don't enjoy hospitals. I feel like that's where the sick people live and I don't want to go there.
And so I was pretty lost and I didn't know. And I actually applied to dental school because a good friend of mine in undergrad, his dad was a pediatric dentist. And I didn't know anything about dentistry growing up or anything and he just said, "Yeah, they prescribe drugs like medical doctors do." And I said, "Oh, that sounds pretty close. All right, I'll figure it out and try it out." That's honestly how I applied. I had no prior knowledge and no idea about what-
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
No background?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Nothing.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
You're not a legacy or-
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
No. Nothing. No, no, no. I think I'm the only dentist in my close family.
When it comes to mentors, I think that I had a lot of them. I think my dad was a big mentor for me, I think, just taught me about how to be a good person, try to be grateful for the things you receive and the opportunities you get. Don't squander them, but just be grateful.
And as I got into dental school and became a dentist and then got into residency, I think the directors of my programs were big mentors for me, and co-residents. I learned so much from my co-residents, more than probably some of the directors in my programs because you just absorb so much from ladies and gentlemen that are similar ages, are going through stuff you're going through.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Yeah, they're just slightly ahead of you.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Exactly.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
And they're going through the same thing you're about to go through.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Absolutely. The mentorship thing out of that aspect has really decreased lately and I feel like it's because maybe people don't want to be mentored as much as they wanted to be before, because being mentored means that you got to be willing to be judged and vulnerable. And being judged and be vulnerable just doesn't seem to be ringing with a lot of the people lately. I find is that you got to be willing to take your lumps.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
And to be open to criticism, even constructive criticism because sometimes it doesn't feel good, but we learn so much from that.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Absolutely. I will tell you that's the biggest thing I noticed from teaching residents and teaching young people now is that the ability for constructive criticism and being receptive to that, I think is quite different than it's been even 10 years ago.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Yeah, I'd agree with you. I had one of my mentors, Edwina Kidd from the UK and she volunteered to peer review the papers that I wrote before I sent them in for peer review. And I remember the first couple of papers I sent to her, and she sent them back and she was brutal and I was crushed. The first time I got one back, because I thought I'd written a pretty good paper, and I got it back and she ripped it apart.
And so then I got ahold of her and said, "Well, what's wrong with it and how do I make it better? How do I strengthen it?" And by the end, I understood that here's somebody who really knows their stuff and my papers were so much stronger after she went through them and gave me some guidance.
And then it got to the point where I looked forward to getting that feedback back, and I think that helped me overcome some of that. But now it's like, if there's holes in it, if there's something wrong, tell me because I want to know. If there's some research out there that I'm not aware of, share it with me because I got to know.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Absolutely. For me and being mentored and being open is that you have to be open to criticism, but you also have to keep an open mind to be able to learn new things and challenge the beliefs you had before, because I'll tell you, that's the biggest thing that I find as I progress more and more in the industry and do more and more, test more things, and get more and more innovative along the way is that it has to do with just people's comfort levels and being able to be open to growth and challenging some of the things that you've been maybe doing for 30 or 40 years. And guess what? We found a better way to do it and you got to be open to it.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
And maybe here's a new innovation or technology that dramatically improves our outcomes and you got to be open-minded to that.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I always think that the people that I always remember in the industry are the people that don't just diminish a new idea. And the reason being is because we might think that the world is flat. And you know what? I thought the world was flat. My dad thought the world was flat. My grandfather, my great-grandfather-
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
The world's flat.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
The world's flat, but you've showed me that it's not flat and it's round. Well gosh, I have to consider that. And so, that's one of the things that I find that is the most difficult part is to get people to ... They don't have to necessarily listen and believe what I'm trying to do, but it's more a matter of being open to maybe the idea.
Because a lot of the times, we have to understand, is that sometimes innovation's done for industry, but in most times, innovation's done to benefit either the clinician or the patient or both. And so, if there's anything about the innovation that is, like I said, part of it might be right, but if anything about it could possibly benefit you or benefit the patient or both of you, you got to listen.
If you're going to be in a profession that's there to help people, then your goal, in my opinion, is to help them to the best way possible, the best of your ability, the best ability of what's available in the world today. And that means that with continuing innovation, if there's a place for it and if it's going to benefit the more, things can be more efficient, things can be less invasive, so on and so forth, they owe it to them.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
So let me ask you this question. So just looking at your career, what's an accomplishment that at this point in your life that you're most proud of professionally?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I would say that being a little kid from a small town in Canada and going out, I think one of the things that I'm really, really proud of is the fact that I still get asked to go and speak all over the place. I'm still one of the youngest guys out there on that podium with a lot of the people that I call titans, or the people that I quote a hundred times in my lectures, or the people that I looked up to so many years. And instead of them being, "Dr. So-and-so," now they talk to me by first name and we collaborate.
I think for me that is something that I hold really dear to my heart because it means that, first of all, you're always trying to see if you're good enough, so I feel like in some aspects I can be good enough at times. But more than anything else, I think that part is a big accomplishment for me in the sense that just having validity and being able to be part of the, quote, unquote, "circle" of everyone, but also being able to have some kind of clout.
Things in practice and things in academia and the accomplishments and awards and presentations, they all go everywhere, but being part of the whole system of innovation and growth and progression and being a respected part about that, I think that's my biggest accomplishment, something that I look forward to all the time.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Do you ever just stop and look back on your life and just go, "Wow. Am I really here? How'd that all happen?"
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Well, I do that a lot because I heard a quote that someone once told me that says, "People underestimate what they're going to do in a decade, but overestimate what they think they'll accomplish in a year." I couldn't agree more. I look back the last 10 years and I would say, I can't believe all the things that I've gotten the opportunity to do, and the things that I've gotten to have a hand in, and then be part of and collaborate with, and travel, and so on and so forth. It's pretty awesome.
I always tell my mom and dad, I can't look back at my last 10 years of my life and say it was boring. I've actually gotten out and did stuff and I've been around, running around and being busier than probably I should be. But I'm definitely doing what I always feel to do is I'm wringing out the washcloth of every day.
I'm trying to get every last little bit of experience out of every day because really that's what I live for. I live for experiences. That's what I enjoy the most is the experiences because those are the things that really shape you and those are the things I remember.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Yeah, for sure. And what I hear from you too is just a real sense of gratefulness.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Mm-hmm.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Of just being grateful to have the opportunity. Being that kid from Canada in a small town and suddenly you're on the world stage teaching people about implants. And of course, you put in your 10,000 hours to become an expert in that arena, and so you certainly deserve that. But still, what I hear from you really is just how grateful you are to just be here.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Absolutely. It's still always flattering to get asked to be on a podcast with Kim Kutsch.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Gratefulness comes up time after time in Bobby's story. He comes from humble beginnings and strikes me as someone who is very good at living in the moment, filled up with the joy of what he has. I worry sometimes that the pace of modern life and the often cold and impersonal nature of our online lives distracts us from living in the moment. It's good to see that someone as awesome as Bobby seems to be able to be mindful in this crazy world. Bobby is young and has so much life ahead of him. He has a lot to be excited about in his future.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I would say when it comes to dentistry, what gets me most excited is when we're going to do something new and innovative that ... And we won't just jump on every single thing that comes out in the market. We spend a lot of time as a team in our practices with people that are so smart and so talented to really hone and say, "Does this makes sense? Okay, how is this better? How is this not better?" And there's a lot of things we say, "Well, this doesn't make any sense. We can't see the reason for it. Move on."
Whereas when it comes to the reasons of if we see something that is going to be really new and really innovative and really could be disruptive, that's what we get the most excited, because if we can do something and show that it's possible, and if it's possible, not everyone has to do it, but if it's possible, that basically means that it's possible for others at some point.
In terms of life, I think I get the most excited just hanging out with my kids. So I have three kids. I have an 11-year-old and eight-year-old boy, two boys, and then I have a daughter, she's five, and they are the loves of my life. I have so much fun spending time with them and they are just the best and they bring just massive amounts of joy to your life like nothing else.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Those are fun ages.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Mm-hmm.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
I really hear, again this gratefulness is a real theme in your life, and I think that's a really important value to me. I look at my life and I always think, "If I feel one thing, I feel fortunate and I feel really grateful for all the opportunities and everything that I've had in my life." But I hear that, it's a life theme for you and it sounds like it came from your dad.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
My parents are both immigrants that immigrated to Canada in the '70s and they came over with and got nothing for their education. So my dad worked steel for 30, 40 years and my mom worked at the bank for the same amount of time. And we didn't grow up with lots of money. We couldn't afford flights growing up. We did a lot of road trips.
And my mom and dad, they probably wore the same pair of jeans for 25 years and didn't really buy much for themselves, but we didn't want for much. We had a great upbringing. I don't look back thinking I missed out on anything.
And I remember the biggest thing is my parents, that's one thing they were always unified on is just you got to be grateful for what you get because there's lots of people in this world that don't get the opportunities you have and don't get the abilities and the things that you get to receive. And the more you travel the world, you realize how absolutely true that is.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
How fortunate we are.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
And so when you're fortunate, you need to make sure you bask in that. You got to be grateful, you try to give, you try to be helpful to others and just pass it on and pass it forward, and do your best. Because it's the entitlement that I am trying so desperately to avoid in my children, because I don't want them to feel entitled to anything because truthfully, none of us are entitled to anything, honestly.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Exactly.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
You got to earn what you keep, you got to get to it, and you got to be grateful for things along the way.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Hi, Contrary to Ordinary listeners, we're going to take a short break from this conversation for our segment, Questions with Dr. Kim. Don't go anywhere.
In this segment, I'll answer a listener's question about their dental health. If you have a dental question you want answered, then send it to podcast@carifree.com. That's carifree.com, and add questions with Dr. Kim in the subject line. If your question gets read out on the show, then we'll send you a small gift to say, thanks for checking in.
This week's question reads, "Hi, Dr. Kim. I think this is a bit of a silly question. I want to know why is it so hard to floss regularly? It doesn't take long, so why am I having so much trouble building it into my routine?"
Well, thanks so much for writing in and remember, there's no such thing as a silly question here. It's important to remember that all new habits are hard to establish. Studies indicate, realistically, it takes up to nine months with daily reminders to establish a sustainable new habit.
For a new habit like flossing, many people find it helpful to tie it to another habit so that it triggers you to floss. For example, if you shower every morning, start flossing while you're waiting for the water to warm up. Turn on the shower, and that's the trigger to pick up the floss. By the time you're done flossing, the shower will be hot. You can also post reminder notes on the bathroom mirror or set a daily reminder on your smartphone.
Another good option to standard floss are water flossers. They can be used in the shower as part of your daily routine or at the sink. But whether you choose manual floss or a water flosser, once you get into the habit of flossing, your teeth will never feel clean again unless you floss, and your gums will thank you.
Thanks so much for this question. And if you, dear listener, would like more information on all things dental, then head to carifree.com, that's carifree.com, where we've got more resources on dental health and our line of CariFree products that can help you keep a healthy smile. But right now, let's get back to the conversation.
When you think of somebody in your life who's been extraordinary, what kind of things do you think about them in terms of traits or values or character that stand out?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I think that the most extraordinary people in my life have been people that are givers. And what I mean by that is that not everyone is a pure giver or a pure taker, you're a little bit more than one or the other, or maybe in certain instances. But the people that have been the most influential in my life have been the ones that are more selfless than selfish and are givers, the people that want to give of themselves to benefit you for no other reason because they get joy of the fact that you get benefited.
And so being a giver is something that I try to teach my kids too, is that when it comes to the extraordinary people in my life, that's what they've been like. And I've been so fortunate to meet people in the industry and in life, from all walks of the Earth, young and old, and from different backgrounds, from all over the world that have been givers.
And I can't stress this enough that it's not something that you learn, it's something that you are. And that's how I feel about it because it's really easy for us to just get ours. I get mine and I'm done. It's another to say, "Well, I did it, so let me help somebody else do that too, because that's how it is."
That's why I feel so grateful and fortunate is because I couldn't have gotten where I am if it wasn't for other people, the Ron Zokols, the Peter Munns, the Bill Blatchfords of the world, the people that have helped me along the way as well. If it wasn't for their help, their aid, their good words, their advice, I wouldn't be here.
And so it's one of those things where I find that the most influential people in my life or the biggest mentors I've had, have been the ones that are willing to give of them themselves for no other reason than just to do it.
The people that I've met in my life and have been lucky enough to meet that are extraordinary, the ones that you remember because they are the way they are, but also they just got that extra gear, they got that extra gear that they just sets them apart.
Who inspires me the most right now at the moment? Probably my five-year-old daughter. The reason why is she doesn't understand everything, but she calls me out on a whole bunch. I think I was leaving to Oregon to speak, and she's like, "When are you leaving?"
"On Friday."
"When are you going to be home?"
"Sunday." Just question after question.
"Okay, are you sure? Do you have to go again? This is the only time? Okay, fine. Okay, fine." And it's almost like I have a gatekeeper now, which I actually really, really love.
But she inspires me all the time. Every single time now that I'm going to leave to go do something, I think twice about it because I won't get to see her face that day. But she inspires me to be just a better person, a good man, a great father if I can be. And more than anything else, just try to just be better.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
The honesty of children is something truly special. As we grow and become aware of social convention, we lose that refreshing bluntness that a lot of children have. Sometimes they ask you a question that you really needed to hear, one that you would never ever hear from an adult. I think there's something quite beautiful about it. So with his kids guiding him, what does Bobby want out of his career in his future?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I want to continue to enjoy the profession and enjoy what I'm doing as I go forward. There's lots of aspects to dentistry. There's the business side of it, there's the clinical side of it. There's so much to be involved in dentistry that there's so many things that I want to be a part of. And I just want to continue to make change. I think that's the biggest thing, if I can continue to influence and continue to try to push the envelope and innovate and make change.
I have this calculation in my mind that it says that, you know what? The first IOS scanner came out decades ago, and now when I ask people how many people have an IOS scanner in their office, I get a good number of hands. The CT scan, it- used to be like one, only the specialist, or one or two people in the audience. This time, today even in Portland, Oregon, I asked them. I had a third of the room, and I was like, "Wow, it's happening." And it's slow moving and slow progressing, but it slowly happens. It just takes time.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
One of the other traits I identify in extraordinary people is courage, like stepping out, standing in front, leading the way, pushing the envelope, innovating, disrupting. Doing what you're doing takes a tremendous amount of courage.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I learn way more from failures than I do from anything else, when people are really open and honest and say, "Hey, listen, this is not perfect." And I'll tell you, how often do I get something perfect? I don't get something perfect 90% of the time. I'm sorry, that's not how life works.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
That's not real.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Yeah. And so it's one of those things where I try to be as real as possible up there, and I do really try to make sure that people don't get into things that they shouldn't be. Not for any other reason than the fact that I just don't want them to have to deal with the repercussions of the problems of it. And so, I teach everyone everything. I teach everyone to do anything, but just you got to take it slow.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
And so you have the right expectations, and so that the patient has the right expectations. Yeah, okay, I can do that, but this might be our result and you might not be happy with it. Then if you're still willing to go ahead, then you're taking the risk. It's not on me. It's kind of on them. And I think that takes a certain level of integrity as well.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
It's really easy to cherry-pick all your best cases, always show the best ones, always show the ones that have no problems and are perfect. And sometimes on a podium, I'll show one or two of those cases because we're supposed to show those cases, but I don't show those cases all the time because it's not real life. It's actually like social media, it's not real life.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
When I had a case that went perfect, I didn't learn anything, but it's the cases that failed or didn't turn out as well as I wanted them to that I learned something.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I'm dual trained in two specialties, surgically and prosthetically. There's very little that I don't know how to do in the mouth clinically in those two fields. And in our office, people get a flat fee. It's my job to get you to the end, and if there's complication along the way, we take it as long as they were obedient and they were going about things.
So there's at least, every year, there's one case. There's one case where I've done everything humanly possible. I have done three or four surgeries for free. I've done everything, and it just won't work. It just won't get to be perfect or won't get to be where we want to be, and I learn a lot from those cases. I learned a lot from those cases. I learn to be humble.
One thing I will say is, that I've learned, is that it doesn't matter how standardized you are as a clinician or how much of a robot you become. People are people, and biology is always going to win, whether you like it or not.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Biology always wins.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
It always does.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
No matter how good you are as a surgeon or what you know or anything else, at the end of the day, biology wins. What do you think the secret to happiness is?
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I think the secret to happiness is two things. One, finding purpose and passion. And finding purpose and passion doesn't always have to be your career. It can be like, for me, it's my kids, or maybe it's a sport or a hobby. Finding purpose and passion I think really, really makes you happy.
And I think the other thing that really makes me happy is just having a connection with people. And what I mean by that is connection with people, yes, of course, our family and friends and our loved ones, but I get a lot of joy out of meeting patients and meeting people on a day-to-day basis.
And I remember during COVID, when we were shut down for two months, and then I realized I miss my staff and I miss my team so much. And I miss them during the Christmas holidays. We're off for two weeks and now I have a get together halfway through so we could all sit together and have a beer or something because I love going to work. I spend my time with my team. I love spending time with them.
But in general, I miss people. You don't have to be a dentist or a practitioner, but in general, having connection with people on a day-to-day basis. Whether it's at work or whether it's with a hobby or whatever else you're doing, some sort of a club, or maybe it's a religious thing, I don't know, but in general, I think having connections with people on a day-to-day basis, that really makes me happy.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
I know that during the pandemic, just missing that human connection during that period for me was ... At the end of it, like after a couple of months, I'm like, "We're not wired to do this."
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
No.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
I felt like I was on a desert island.
I can't imagine what it must've been like for those people in the world who were locked down for longer. I think most of us need company. It's really not a luxury we can afford to lose. We've talked a lot about Bobby, the dentist, and Bobby, the dad. I'd like to hear what Bobby does for fun.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
I'm a big football fan and hockey fan and basketball fan, so I spend a lot of time watching sports and doing that. I'm a pretty big scotch and beer connoisseur, so I like having a beverage. I play sports and I've just been living in the gym quite a bit. I used to compete in bodybuilding back in the day, and so I do a lot of that. And besides that, like everybody else, I love to travel. I love new experiences. That's what really drives me. I have a lot of fun just experiencing new things.
And then I spend a lot of time with my kids. I have a lot of fun with them, and I just like dragging them along on my journey. Wherever I'm going, I just try to take them with me and drag them along so they get to enjoy it too because I always have a better time when they're around.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
I love your passion and your energy and your values. Like I said, when I started this interview today, I'm sitting here and looking at the face of extraordinary.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
No, I appreciate that.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Well, so I really appreciate you spending time with me here.
Dr. Bobby Birdi:
Perfect.
Dr.Kim Kutsch:
Bobby is such a great guy. I hope you can feel his warmth and kindness in our conversation today. He's someone that is incredibly accomplished but manages to stay so down to earth. Thank you so much to Bobby Birdi for everything you do.
And thank you for coming along on this journey with me today. Around here, we aim to inspire and create connections. We can't do it without you. If this conversation moved you, made you smile or scratch that little itch of curiosity today, please share it with the extraordinary people in your life. And if you do one thing today, let it be extraordinary.