Anne: Hello, everyone. It's Anne Duffy and welcome to the Just DeW It podcast. I'm very excited with our guests. Today, she is a brand new DeW in our community, and she has an amazing background. If you think your life was hard, wait till you hear how she got where she is today. Before we get started, let me tell you a little bit about her.
as the founder and CEO of Harmony Dental Art, Dr. Maria Sokalina. Is dedicated to creating a healthier world by promoting sound sleep and healthful breathing. Originally from Russia, Dr. Sokolina holds a medical degree and later earned her DDS degree from the New York University College of Dentistry.
With a diverse background in dentistry, including implants. cosmetic dentistry, full mouth rehabilitation, and orthodontics. Dr. Sokolina is also actively involved in dental sleep medicine, seeking solutions for sleep apnea through dental appliances and myofunctional therapy. You are a rock star. Please help me welcome Dr.
Maria Sokolina. Hello, Maria.
Maria: Thank you very much. It was such a generous introduction. Always love to be in your presence. You have that positive light around you. I would say high vibration people. People who dissipate positive energy. So thank you for being new friend and I would say leading star.
Anne: Oh, my goodness. ditto, my friend, you bring out such positive energy, too. I say, but when we're together on a Zoom, and this is not the first Zoom we've been on, both of us cannot stop smiling, this big smile, because looking at each other, it's just so much fun, and you'd have to have a positive energy, Maria, and attitude for everything that you have done.
I want to share because we've got some wonderful women in our community that are coming from other countries, and I would love you to share your journey, the journey of becoming a leader in the dental field. As a female immigrant.
Maria: I'm going to start from the point when I was born in Russia.
I was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. It's not the jungles. It's a really cultural place with a lot of art and history lot of unique, authentic people actually was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and I'm very proud of my background. Right now, due to political situation, word Russia has a little bit of darkness to that, negative connotation to that, but I don't want people look at that one dimensional.
And I want to represent, my journey because I think the books what I read as a child and the stories. I was taught you cannot look like this, you have to open your eyes and colors are not only black and white. Let me be a little bit more specific about my journey.
I graduated from high school in Russia, and then I graduated from medical school in Russia and I really want to introduce your audience, what it is. To be in medical school in Russia. Number one, it's really difficult to get into medical school, just like it is here. what I learned being in United States in my first years, when my English was not so fluent and my accent was even stronger.
I know I have a strong accent now, but it was even stronger. People look at us like maybe second class citizens. And I really experienced that when I start my New York University College of Dentistry journey due to, difficulties in understanding people look really down at you, I understand at this point, you know, a lot of people in your community or maybe listeners there in academia and they see people from other countries, not as a young students.
I was already. Graduated. I was already full, Dr. in medical school in Russia. I was in the dental department of medical school.
It's very different from United States. We really study from head to toe. We study all symptoms, deliveries, dermatology, surgery. So I have a lot of general knowledge of medicine, which really helps me to make professional decisions for my patients or for my patients, little bit more.
Comprehensive view Thursday health, as well as I treat, lot of other things on the broad spectrum, including business. I moved to the United States and I didn't have any doubts what I want to become a dentist again. know, I would go through that journey, but that transition period when one door closed.
And you move from everything you know and connections your parents established, knowledge your parents accumulate to totally new territory. So simple terms like social security, I didn't have a clue what it is. I didn't have a clue how to do laundry in the United States because in Russia we do laundry by hand.
And then we hang it on a string. it's really like rebirth kind of things. I knew how to operate the subway, we do have a subway in Russia, but other things, it's maps are different, a lot of different stories.
Oh, okay,
Anne: so you come by yourself? I came
Maria: by myself. I mean, Just flew
Anne: over here and then landed in New York City? Yeah. Let me ask you this, did you apply to University College of Dentistry before you flew over
Maria: here? No, no, no, no, No. I'm Jewish and I had refugee status.
So I fly as a refugee. I do have family, my parents, my brother, you know, grandparents, but they all have to stay in Russia because they did not have a
Anne: Are they here now are they still in? Yeah, now my whole
Maria: family is here, yeah.
Anne: Oh, wow. So you were the first one to come. You must be so. darn bright.
I mean, How in the heck can you get, first of all, ended medical school in Russia. I can imagine how hard that is. Go through medical school. You're a doctor. You come here. And then when you went to New York university college of dentistry, what did you have to do the three or four years to get your degree?
Maria: Three years. You have to start all over again because education here really specifically about. teeth and dental development. It's very different
Anne: The transition here, I really have to learn a lot of traits like jack of all trades, because in the beginning you have to somehow support red.
Wow.
Maria: Different,trades. I learn a lot from cleaning houses. So I'm not embarrassed by that. Babysitting was my, significant source of income.
Anne: So you're babysitting while you're going to dental school? No,
Maria: but before I have to stay One year I had the transition when I have to do my board.
I have to do my English test and, I have to live in the United States at the same time. So I have to do all of that. And then I applied to NYU and I was accepted and I start but I have to support myself also.
Anne: Let me ask you this, was there anybody else in your class at NYU that was from Russia?
Maria: Yeah, it was a lot of people with a similar story like mine. Some of them came with the family, and they have to support the family. Some of them came by themselves because that time in Russia, it was 90s, and 90s in Russia, it's a transition from, communist system to capitalist system, but I had the opportunity experience that transition.
just like you watched the movie Once Upon a Time in America, I actually lived. Once upon a time in Russia, that time with the gangsters, we call it racket, when somebody would come to you and ask for money to protect you from some other gangsters. So that was interesting dance do also.
Anne: Wow.
Maria: That's why you were talking about bright or brave and all these big words, but people come here for reason. They come here for better life.
Anne: Wow. That is beautiful. Yeah. coming to America. Do you still watch that movie?
Does it make you laugh or does it make you cringe when you watch that?
Maria: You know, It was American story and I, a lot of things I'm watching I have to absorb them, because that's gonna help me to live here. So that's part of American history, and I like to absorb it But it's a very cliche to say, but I do still feel that way. With the political changes, all of that. People sometimes don't understand how lucky they are to live in this country. Yes. It's so good. I hope I wanna
Anne: bring that cliche back. That's beautiful.
And we hope that all those that are listening right now will feel that way, especially with the politics in America coming forward. And very lucky. We're very grateful. And it's nice to show our gratitude for living in America, so you've built this community and now you're into, sleep medicine, which makes more sense to me because of your, complete medical background that you've had in studies, but what motivated you to start building the community?
Because you've, got implants, cosmetic dentistry, full mouth rehabilitation and orthodontics, and now sleep. What has made you want to go dive deep into the sleep medicine arena?
Maria: if people have or they have a lot of nervous energy clenching forces inside, they can break everything and anything what I create. first of all, I started because I didn't want things to relapse. not talking about details, technical terms and I learn about sleep.
And then I realized how many of my patients do have a sleep problem. From every ten patients my office, three of them. for people who don't do sleep for whatever reason, they didn't find it interesting or successful. At this point, it's necessity because we live in that evolutionary stage, and if you, again, limit yourself to just feelings, crowns, you not seeing a bigger picture, you open yourself to a lot of stressful adventures with a lot of sweat on your back.
That's the reason why I learned sleep and doing sleep and doing my functional therapy with sleep. I was able to explain, first of all, for myself and for my team and now for my community, the connections between different Accident, I would say, or between different reason to create more comprehensive picture of dental health or overall health.
Anne: Okay. If
Maria: I put it in a brush strokes, that story with the sleep and you asked me first question about the community and I'm fascinated with your Ability and energy strategy and efforts to build a community because I think in this stage of our also evolutionary development, when we all connected with the devices and become even more separated from society, let's put it this way people or leaders who have a desire to build the community who have an essence to build the community, they doing something.
Wonderful.
Anne: there's something about being able to speak with somebody gets you that gets the reason behind for instance, for sleep, like a whole community of doctors and practitioners that are talking about sleep and how important it is, how to control it, how to help people that don't have it when you say sleep.
three out of 10 patients. That's incredible. that is a good research study for the world. three and 10 patients, it's probably three and 10 human beings have sleep problems. It is good. And it's important to build a community because That's who gets what you're talking about and can give you tips and tricks and things that you may not have been able to learn on your own.
It's just something to be able to lock arms to build that knowledge base up and the service that you're providing for patients. I've, practiced hygiene for 46 years. So we weren't basically a sleep office. So I would ask my patients, do you sleep well?
And that would be anecdotal. How do you find out whether they sleep well or not?
Maria: Usually we try to have it embedded into conversation.
First of all there are some signs.
and they're so close to our eyes to hygienists, to dental assistants, and to providers, the whole team. To see the signs, when we see, signs of bruxism, grind down teeth uh, fractions. We see skeleton on the tongue. I also like to look at the nose. This part look thick.
I like to look inside the nose, but you know, let's start from outside. So this part look thick. I cannot see the throat, or sometimes I look at the throat and it look really red. Not throat itself, but I'm talking about uvula and arches. And then I asked patient, keep a glass of water next to your bed.
That's to start the conversation, not to be intrusive. And some people said, yes, I always keep a glass of water next to my bed because my mouth is so dry.
Anne: Okay. Okay. I
Maria: said, mouth is dry. Okay. you anybody complain what you snore? And some people say, no, yes, maybe. Then I said, have you ever wake up, gasping for air?
And you cannot catch your breath. That's already touching deep strings inside the soul. And some people said, yes. And that's. easy conversation, not the standard questionnaire, of course, we do have it as well, but I'm talking about human level conversation, something like how you're doing, I'm really see you, I see inside of you, I want to help you, that open a gate to conversation, and those conversations They're not gonna end up right away to, sleep study, referral to medical doc.
It's gonna create the line of communication, what you can build everything upon with the time. You have wonderful people who help practitioners, you know, dental assistants, hygienists in your community. Also, you have people, who surround that, and I want them to know, the dynamic.
Anne: Yes.
Maria: Yes. Business and when they approach the physicians, they have knowledge for them to discuss whatever products or services they want to offer to the physician.
Anne: agree with you. And I think that's so important because it's really just moved into the dental arena in the past, maybe 5, 10 years.
So it's very new for dentistry, I think. And we, here we are, we're right there with the patient in the mouth and we're always talking the oral systemic connection. And this is our opportunity to really build. On that. And we have to do that as a professional manner, with the right information to give to the medical community, if that's the route that we have to take.
the other thing is that you started your practice Harmony Dental Arts. Did you have some challenges when you started your practice like getting out of NYU and did did you do a startup, Maria? Did you go into an associateship?
What did you do in the beginning of your journey?
Maria: That was actually a rocky journey and I want to bring, important principles what I didn't understand that time. I was always a good student. I'm very diligent. And I had the general practice residency and it was a great training and I, feel what I have wings.
But I can't fly and I didn't understand why I cannot fly. I work in the, I would call it underserved population. I work in the difficult areas where I cannot stop on a red light for two years. And it gave me a lot of experience treating children and, doing different procedures because.
I was able to do those procedures. And then I always have a desire to have my own business. And just like romantic story I gave at New York times, that time it was, possible and I got one phone call from the dentist who was young, but he was already born by the business. I visit him.
I remember having my son who was three months old in my hands. And when he was five months old, I acquired the business. I purchased his practice and I start. Practice, that time I didn't know what's so important when you, want to do something in the field, you have to create a very strong network.
community building. It's so important for professional growth. You grow and your community grow with you, you create the network, and then you can jump from that network without networking. You can pray, you can hope for unicorn, but I don't think it's going to appear. You have to work on that.
That part I didn't understand and I highly advise people in your audience, about investing themselves into those relationships. into friendship, into, professional collaboration, helping others, all of that, it would pay off at certain moment when they need to have a job.
Anne: I'm sure that you built that over time.
You're such a people person. So it probably didn't take you too long to realize you were going to, have to build your community. I know, I think a lot of young docs, they think they just buy the practice and people are going to be knocking on their doors.
day and night to get in, right? And it takes a while to build that up. Are you still in the same location?
Maria: I have a location what I purchased, that's an original one. And now I have an office in Manhattan. you know, I have two locations.
And it's important, heading both location for networking as well. For me, networking, not only to get the patients, my business actually based on networking with the medical practitioners.
Anne: Yes, exactly. you, depend on their referrals. that just starts to snowball too.
I mean, You give good service. You're a member of the communities. How far are the practices apart from each other?
Maria: without traffic, they are 25 minutes, the roads here in New York and New Jersey can be unpredictable. Like with yesterday rain, I tried to get to Manhattan, but I didn't get anywhere, but it took me just two hours.
Anne: Wow. you have to have a lot of patience when you're living in the Manhattan area. that is for sure. But that's really cool. You are really a go getter though. you're driven. what drives you do you think? I'm just curious.
Maria: I'm always looking for silver lining. I get a lot of satisfaction from doing cases, from helping people, actually from connecting people. I really like that process as well. maybe another thing for drives me.
to have my ideas implemented. it takes me a lot of time to develop ideas, to development methodology, and I want to implement them. Actually, community building, help with that as well by elevating some people. It helped me implement my ideas. that's important.
Anne: do you sleep yourself? Because when you emailed back to us, and this is so funny because you've been listening to us for a while, My podcasts are pretty simple, but Maria, you'd really broke it down. It was so strategic, the questions and the answers.
you put so much thought and effort in that. I was so impressed. Honestly, I was like, wow, this is somebody that really has some time. So do you sleep yourself very much? Because it seems like you get a lot into one day. Yeah.
Maria: That's actually one of the reason why I start doing sleep Very emotional in general, you know, I you have a lot of stimulus around me Insomnia was a problem for me, you know, I have and one boy didn't want to sleep for 13 years.
I would say that really messed up my own sleep schedule, but I don't work at night. I highly value circadian rhythm and all that. I, go to bed early and I wake up early, not super early, but but this is my principle. If I create something, I put a lot of effort because I want the person who I work with to be respected.
To feel what I prepare myself for that time. I do the same thing with my patients. I put a lot into homework. a lot of times people just show up, here we are, what are we going to do? No, I don't want that. I want to make sure what every minute would be valuable, would bring somebody else benefits.
they don't waste their time by spending time with me.
Anne: You just impressed me because, you went over and above and it was just, delightful. And I really appreciated that. I appreciate you for that.
That's absolutely beautiful. one of my dear dues Sonya Becker has written for us. I think I mentioned her before and she just graduated from dental school in Turkey.
She's from Iran and she wants to move to the United States someday. So what advice Would you give her, Maria, if she is going to embark on that journey for herself?
Maria: Number one, she has to get ready to the fact it's gonna be hard. It's easy for anyone. And you have to look for silver lining. my second advice, you know, you're going to work work, work.
You're going to run, run, run, and you're going to wait for the time, but you're going to create that serenity, your team going to be trained, your supplies going to be, right. you know, your schedule going to be full.
And I want to share with, future dentists or hygienists, it's not going to happen.
Anne: Oh, okay. I was going with you there for a minute.
Maria: It's not going to happen. It's going to be constant growth and constant change, and you have to adapt constantly. And it's going to be. Five years, 10 years, 15 years and 20 years.
Yes. With your experience when you're ready to learn certain steps, especially technical procedures and your life as a clinician going to be easier because you've been there before, but surprises with the technology, they can be challenging and it's going to be more and more technology. And if you want to stay like this, It's not going to happen.
Technology going to be there, telemedicine and all of you have to stay on top of changes. You have to learn. And the people around you, your team, oh, they're going to surprise you because they're people just like you, and they're gonna have good days and bad days, and you have to wake up every morning and say, Today, I'm gonna be very adaptable to all the changes.
And that's gonna be my unicorn, my silver lining, or whatever it is. So then that would be my advice to somebody who wants to move to United States. You're going to have all the knowledge eventually, you're going to learn what social security is and how to become a dentist in the United States, how to do all the licenses and courses, but it's still going to be a lot of surprises.
Anne: And it also makes me think, and I hope that if people are listening, they can reach out to you. Because how wonderful would it have been to have met you when you were a young girl coming to the United States, right? Because I know that you would just pour into somebody and just help them any way you could, because you've been there, done that.
it sounds like another community that you might have to form. Maria, because it is happening more often our country that we're bringing in people from all over the place they need a helping hand. it isn't easy. And I guess if it was easy, everybody would do it. But it just makes me again, so proud of what you've accomplished so far.
What's on the horizon. So you're building your community with sleep. what's your five year plan? that community and for your practices
Maria: for that community. I really would like to connect medical and dental work I want to reunite because head is also part of the body kind of not headless horseman.
So that plan for the community, and my community become a little bit more. united because I have a different specialist and, they listen to each other interviews, but they don't collaborate on a practical level. So my wish for my community, what that would happen.
And what treatment would I provide to my patients are going to become more standard of care more known and for that I have public speaking opportunities and through my writing, just like for your magazine, I submit articles for different magazines.
So I want to let people know through collaborations, through different approach of traditional medicine. And we're not talking about something, outside of the scope of practice, you can get your patients a better chance of cure or better treatment.
think that's so cool though, in the sense that you are constantly wanting to learn and give back and grow. And again, you go to the meeting sometimes and we need all different perspectives, all different.
Anne: Personalities, all different dialects in a sense and accents and things like that, because that's the United States. That's the world that we live in right now. And you can bring something so special to our dental communities. And I really hope that you will be able to grow your community with sleep.
And then again, within the do community, I
Maria: hope so.
Anne: that are in sleep and that would love to get some of your expertise and back and forth because that's how we all grow is to be open. I love your openness and just the light that you see at the end of every tunnel you enter it seems like that's what get you you on the other end on the other side and it helps you grow and it will help us all grow in this industry.
Maria: I really hope so. And for you community, for your audience, I really would appreciate if you join my community, keep up your snorting, drinking health, or my Instagram, I put it all behind me. And I do have a Let's call it freebie. I create survey called my functional therapy and sleep. And I'm going to share the link person who fill out the survey, the survey going to give, the idea where they are on the journey, because doing a lot of things before you go to sleep, or maybe during the day going to promote a better sleep at night.
And then in the end of that survey, besides giving you, your stage or your level, I also include the video with some exercise what you can do during the day. They're quite simple, but I hope it's going to help you to get your restful sleep, but you definitely need to do a lot of wonderful things during the day.
Anne: That's so wonderful, but we will definitely share that. That's going to be a great opportunity for our industry. And because all of us, every one of us in the do community knows many people that don't sleep well, they could use a very simple form, simple survey. So we will look at that. And I know that you'll be teaching us along the way.
We have all sorts of teaching opportunities for you. I can't wait for your articles to come out so that everybody will get to know you better. And we will have your community. notices and your Instagram, all of that will be in the show notes. So have no fear, everyone. We are here to introduce Dr. Maria Sokalina.
And so she is a one of us and one of you. and if you're listening, remember everybody to keep doing you. Maria, so much for being with me today. You've been a delight and I can't wait to get on your podcast very soon. All right, dear heart. Thank you very
Maria: much.
Anne: You're welcome. Thank you. Take care, dear.
