I had the honor of talking with Gary Kadi, CEO and founder of NextLevel Practice, and Ashley Newton, COO of Complete Health Airway Group recently. They were kind enough to take time to share their personal stories about addiction and suicide, two topics that need to be discussed openly today more than ever, especially in the dental community. Both Gary and Ashley have focused their efforts on the dental community.
They call themselves "accidental experts": Gary because he's a former addict, and Ashley because her father committed suicide. While statistics for the general population regarding addiction are about 9%–10%, that number is double for the dental industry. The expectations that others and dentists put upon them drive some to turn to "help" in a bottle. And addiction is slow suicide.
Now 14 years sober, Gary shares his story about what led him down the dark road of alcoholism and how he got off of it. Ashley says that if she'd known the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide 12 years ago, she might have been able to save her father.
Both of them share contact information and QR codes in the video. They would love to talk to anyone who's ready to get help for their addiction, who knows someone who could use intervention, and about the signs to look for regarding addiction and suicide.
Gary noted that addicts and depressed people tend to isolate, and that's the exact opposite of what they need to do. Reaching out for help saves lives.
Resource links
Direct message Gary Kadi on his Facebook account
Strengths and Needs Assessment
Make a donation to Unstoppable Dental Heroes
More informative videos
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When to use a semidirect approach
To watch more informative videos on today's topics with industry experts, visit dentaleconomics.com/videos or dentistryiq.com/videos.
