We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenna Khoury and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenna, do you think college made a positive impact on your life and career? Do you think it was worth the price tag?
I think my opinion will be different than most. I went to a large 4 year university, graduated with honors, and went on to dental school, (4 years) and a pediatric specialty (3 years). College is where I became who I am. I had to work hard to climb the ladder, and stand out amongst my peers. My classes were often 500+ students. I did not have the “hollywood” college experience, and spent much of my time studying. Once I was accepted, and started dental school, it occurred to me that many of my peers had attended junior college, and then graduated from a 4 year university. Many of my peers enjoyed their experience far more than I did. I realized that everyone’s journey is different, but there are multiple roads to lead ou to the same destination. That lesson has stayed with me. And I would say now, that as a mother of two, I am much less inclined to force my children into the stress of attending the “best universities”. I will push them to have life experiences, and to stay happy, and productive. Ultimately, they will reach there destination, but perhaps with a lot less stress along the way.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I own The Brush Stop Pediatric Dentistry. I am a board certified pediatric dentist, but went off the beaten path from many of my colleagues. I practice with a more holistic minded approach. I created my office to embody healthy, biocompatible practices. It was certainly difficult trying to re-program much of what we were taught in dental school. However, with the help of the Holistic Dental Association, many hours of continuing education, and many of my like-minded peers, I was able to shift the focus of how I practice dentistry. I am very proud of the team, and environment we’ve created in our space. We have been able to carry a happy balance of eastern and western practices, and can provide care to families on all ranges of the holistic spectrum.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend were visiting I would head over to encinitas, Hwy 101. We would first grab a coffee at Philz Coffee, and take a stroll by the ocean. Hwy 101 has some of the best local eateries in San Diego. A few of my faves are: Nectarine Grove, who makes the best gluten free meals. French Corner, who has the most delicious pastries (Chocolate aloud croissant- Yes Please). East Village Asian Diner- delicious korean stone pots!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Mommy Dentists in Business: helping moms balance business, dentistry, and motherhood.

Website: thebrushstopdental.com
Instagram: @thebrushstop
Facebook: facebook.com/TheBrushStop
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