Contrary to Ordinary, Exploring Extraordinary Personal Journeys

People often take the easy path, but what can you achieve and grow by jumping into thorny problems that don’t have an obvious solution? Today's guest on Contrary to Ordinary is Dr. Alex Vieira. He’s a pioneer in cleft-palate research, has authored more than 400 scientific papers, and is the most cited expert in the field. In this episode, Alex shares his journey from growing up in Rio de Janeiro d...

Today's guest is Dr. Bradley Bale, a pioneering cardiologist and co-founder of the BaleDoneen Method. In this episode, we explore Brad’s fearless approach to life, the driving force behind his groundbreaking practice, and dive into why he’s willing to take a few arrows in the back for what he believes in. The BaleDoneen Method is a personalized approach to preventing and managing heart attacks, st...

Today's guest is Dr. Sandra Hulac, co-founder of Tam, Hulac & Partners, a cutting-edge interdisciplinary dental practice in Hong Kong.  In this episode, we dive into what it means to be a global citizen and business owner. We’ll also get a rare, inside look at how someone as accomplished as Sandra handles challenges - and even navigates moments of self-doubt. Sandra has been living and practic...

Today's guest is Sheena Hinson, Senior Marketing Manager at Philips. Sheena's journey began as a dental hygienist, but she quickly uncovered a passion for business development. Since then, she’s not only launched her own ventures but also built a vast expertise in entrepreneurship. This is part two of Sheena’s interview. In this episode, she opens up about her struggles, and how reaching out for s...

Today's guest is Sheena Hinson, Senior Marketing Manager at Philips. Sheena's journey began as a dental hygienist, but she quickly uncovered a passion for business development. Since then, she’s not only launched her own ventures but also built a vast expertise in entrepreneurship. In this episode, Sheena shares insights on the importance of human capital, the role of mentors, and the value of cur...

Today's guest is Dr. Tracey Nguyen, the owner of Lansdowne Dental Care in Leesburg, Virginia. In addition to her general practice, Tracey specializes in airway health, with a particular focus on pediatric care. She is also among an elite group of only 350 individuals worldwide accredited by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Tracey’s journey to success was far from easy. Growing up in pov...

This week's guest is the phenomenal Dr. Steve Lamberg, one of the world's leading experts in dental sleep medicine—a field that explores the critical roles sleep and breathing play in maintaining our health and well-being.  Steve has been practicing dentistry on Long Island for over 45 years, where he runs the Snoring and Sleep Apnea Dental Treatment Center alongside his general practice.  Steve i...

This week’s guest is Dominik Lysek, an entrepreneur with over 15 years of impactful contributions to the dental and pharmaceutical industries. He is the CEO of PharmaTrail, a Swiss company specializing in blockchain-based software solutions for capturing and managing clinical trial data. Dominik also serves on the board of several companies, including the dental science firm Vvadis and the RNA-bas...

This week's guest is Dr. Kelly Blodgett, a man who has made it his life’s mission to challenge the “ negative stereotype of dentistry .” Kelly Blodgett founded Blodgett Dental Care in 2001 where active listening plays a crucial role in the patient experience.  Kelly was also one of the first within dentistry to recognize the significance of the mouth-body health connection. He shares his expertise...

This week's guest is Dr. Tina Saw, a dentist and serial entrepreneur. She founded Light Solutions Company, which creates wireless lights for dentists, Harmony Health Foundation, an organization supporting healthcare in underserved communities, and Oral Genome, which uses saliva testing to identify potential health issues before they arise. Tina is a proactive problem solver who can't help but crea...

This week's guest is Dr. Doug Thompson, a pioneer in understanding the connection between oral health and overall well-being. In 2016, he founded the Wellness Dentistry Network to encourage dentists to adopt this more holistic approach, moving beyond the traditional focus on drilling and filling teeth. Doug also serves on the American Academy of Systemic Health Board and is an adjunct faculty memb...

This week's guest is the rebellious Leon Hermanides, Owner and President of Protea Dental Studio in Redmond Washington. He’s also a Clinical Instructor and Scientific Advisor at the Kois Center.  Leon's journey began in his native Zimbabwe, where his father was a prominent figure in the dental space who had vowed never to leave the country. However, it was a major surprise when his father decided...

This week's guest is the vibrant and multi-talented Melissa Turner. She is the Senior Executive Consultant and Chief Hygiene Officer at Cellerant Consulting Group, an incubator and accelerator for dental companies. Melissa is also the co-founder of the Denobi Awards, which celebrate the positive impact of dental professionals worldwide. Additionally, Melissa co-hosts the Dentistry Gone Wild Podcas...

Today’s guest is Dr. Mark Benavides, a dentist practicing in Ottawa, Illinois. Mark is a member of several prestigious organizations, including the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry and the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. He also uniquely serves as the Scientific Advisor for Computer Technology at the Kois Center. Mark is the only dentist member of iXorg, an organization th...

Today’s guest is Minal Sampat, speaker, marketing strategist, coach, and bestselling author. Minal is the definition of a third culture kid - she began her life in India and moved to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands as a child. Her final relocation was to the US. where she still lives today. Those early years left an impression on Minal and taught her a lot about the value of grit and determi...

Today’s guest is Dr. Bob Margeas, a dental professional in Des Moines, Iowa, a professor of Operative Dentistry at the University of Iowa, and the Editor-in-Chief of Inside Dentistry.  Described as the “ dentist’s dentist ”, Bob has achieved so much in his field, but always embraces his failures, seeing them as a valuable learning opportunity. He sees teaching as a privilege - and never takes his...

When we think of oral cancer, we often picture a seasoned smoker or a long-time tobacco user. But did you know that a growing number of cases are affecting young, non-smokers?  Over 20% of oral cancer diagnoses occur in people under 55, and the culprit might not be what you expect. The rise in instances is linked to Human papillomavirus (HPV) from unprotected oral sex, not tobacco.  During Oral Ca...

Head and neck cancer is the 7th most common cancer globally. Symptoms may include a lump in the neck, a sore in the mouth, or a sore throat that doesn’t go away. During Oral Cancer Awareness Month, we want to take some time to spotlight the extraordinary dentists and practitioners who have taken on this little-understood cancer and survived. Today's guest is Dr. Michael R. Sesemann, a dentist, edu...

Close to 54,000 Americans will hear the words “You have oral or throat cancer” in 2024. Shockingly only about half of them will survive beyond 5 years. April is Oral Cancer Awareness Month, and we want to take some time to spotlight the extraordinary dentists and practitioners who have taken on this little-understood cancer and survived. Today's guest is Dr. Mike Milligan, a dentist who has served...

This episode marks the first anniversary of Contrary to Ordinary. Thank you so much to all of our amazing guests, and to the listeners that have made this show extraordinary.  It’s also CariFree’s 20th birthday! Another big thank you to everyone who has been a part of our amazing journey over the last two decades. In the last episode, we began our conversation with Dr. Betsy Bakeman, a private pra...

Dentists want every single one of their patients to walk away from a treatment with a smile that they can be proud of. If a practitioner can also make their patients feel comfortable in the alien world we inhabit, they must be doing something extraordinary, right? Today's guest is Dr. Betsy Bakeman, a private practice owner and expert in restorative and cosmetic dentistry. Betsy is included in an...

Compassion, Altruism, Respect, and Excellent are the tenets that have guided Professor Hien Ngo throughout his career. He’s currently the Dean and Head of the Dental School and Director of the Oral Health Centre at the University of Western Australia. Indeed, Hien is a prolific educator who has taught thousands of students about minimal intervention dentistry and cariology all over the world.  He...

Letting go of the past can be hard. So hard in fact that it’s easy to become defined by it. However, there are some extraordinary people out there who have rewritten the narrative around themselves, inspiring others to do the same. Today's guest is Bonnie Milletto, a motivational speaker, author, and youth advocate. As a lonely child who was in and out of foster homes, Bonnie was often told that s...

In the last episode, we began speaking with pastor and author Laura O’Brien. Laura has served the congregation at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Albany, Oregon, and was about to move on to new opportunities at the time of this conversation. In part 1, Laura discussed her upcoming book Hell Hope on Wheels, which charts her incredible journey across the US, Europe, and eventually to her career...

Faith is an important tool that many people use to navigate the world. Today’s guest, Pastor Laura O'Brien has had an unconventional journey to finding hers. Laura is a Lutheran Pastor, who has worked all over the world. Her book Hell Hope on Wheels charts her incredible journey across the US, Europe, and eventually to her faith. Laura wasn’t brought up in a religious household and was even expose...