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Our Founder

our founder, Jennifer Smith - she has learned mindset, leadership, team building, creating intentional culture, practice growth, marketing, time management, self-care and is teaching others how to do the same as a dental coach and consultant for women in dentistry in Canada and the United States

Meet Dr. Jennifer Smith

Dr. Jennifer Smith, DDS, MSc Orthodontist | Practice Coach | Author

Dr. Jennifer Smith is a licensed orthodontist based in Calgary, Alberta, with over 20 years of clinical experience. She earned her DDS from the University of Alberta (2004), completed two years as a general dentist, then went on to earn her Master of Science in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics from the University of Michigan (2009) — one of the top orthodontic programs in North America.

She holds active licenses in Alberta and is a member of the Canadian Association of Orthodontists, the Alberta Society of Orthodontists, the American Association of Orthodontists, and the Canadian Dental Association.

Connect with Dr. Jen: LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook

Straight Shooter. No Fluff. Just Real Advice That Actually Works.

Let me guess—you thought being a great dentist and a nice person would be enough to build a thriving practice.

Yeah… me too. Turns out, that’s adorable.

Like many of you, I walked into practice ownership completely unprepared for what it actually meant to run a business, lead a team, and grow a practice. I had zero training in practice management, marketing, leadership, or how to get my team to actually do their jobs without me babysitting them.

And I learned that the hard way.

How It Started: Absolute Chaos

I bought my practice when I was nine months pregnant with my third child. My other two kids were one and three at the time. I was about to be a mom of three under four, and instead of focusing on nesting, I was also birthing a flailing orthodontic practice.

Why did I do this to myself? Because the price was right.

And within weeks of signing that contract, I realized why it was so cheap.

  • Financially? We were sinking.
  • The team? Lazy, unmotivated, and running the show with zero accountability.
  • The culture? A drama-filled mess of tattling, negativity, and bad attitudes.
  • The phones? Answered so poorly that we couldn’t even book the people trying to give us money.
  • Leadership? Nonexistent—including my own.

I was dreading work every day. I just wanted people to do their job, like me, and stop making my life miserable. But I had no idea how to fix it.

And the worst part? My stress at work bled into my home life.

I had three little ones and an amazing husband—but I was so mentally consumed with my practice that I wasn’t truly present with them. I felt like I was failing at everything.

Rock bottom looks different for everyone. Mine looked like sitting in my office, watching my team bicker like middle schoolers, and thinking:

“I’m stuck with this. I signed the papers. This is my life now. I guess I’ll just be miserable until I retire?”

Spoiler alert: That’s not how it ended.

The Turning Point: Taking Control of My Own Success

One day, I stopped blaming my team, my patients, the economy, and my lack of training—and I took full ownership of my situation.

I realized: If I wanted things to change, I had to change first.

So I became obsessed with learning everything I could about leadership, team culture, business growth, and marketing.

Step 1:

Books—because let’s be real, I was broke.

Step 2:

Courses, seminars, conferences

Step 3:

Mentors, coaches, consultants, marketing agencies, and masterminds.

Final investment? Hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Total time spent? A solid decade.

But here’s the thing—it worked.

Dr. Jennifer Smith in her orthodontic clinic, standing proudly, she is a dental coach and is passionate about teaching women dentists and dental specialists how to build the dental practice and life of their dreams.

Where I Am Now: A Practice (and Life) I Love

Fast forward to today, and my practice is a completely different place.

  • We’ve quintupled revenue in the last seven years.
  • My team is amazing—no drama, no negativity, just a group of incredible women who love their work.
  • Our patients are great and keep coming back because of the culture we built.
  • I actually love going to work (who knew that was possible?!).
  • I have work-life balance, real happiness, and zero guilt about it.

And that’s why I created Her Dental Journey Success.

Why I Do This: Shortcutting the Hard Parts for You

I see so many brilliant female dentists out there struggling with the same things I did—

  • Team drama
  • No real leadership training
  • Feeling stuck and overwhelmed
  • Struggling to grow a profitable practice
  • Trying to balance work, family, and actually enjoying life

At every conference, mastermind, and meeting, people kept asking me:

“Jen, how are you so happy? How did you turn your practice around? How do you have such an amazing team?”

So I decided to stop answering one-by-one and start building resources that could help women dentists at scale.

What You Get Here: Real Results

At Her Dental Journey Success, I don’t waste time on theory, unrealistic strategies, or bandaid solutions.

  • I tell you exactly what works.
  • I teach you how to fix the big problems first.
  • I give you practical tools, scripts, and strategies you can use TODAY.
  • I help you build a solid foundation—so you don’t need outside consultants forever.

If you’re tired of feeling stuck, frustrated, and overwhelmed… If you’re ready to step into real leadership, master practice management, and actually enjoy your career…

Then you’re in the right place.

Ready to Take Control of Your Practice & Your Life?

I know firsthand how miserable practice ownership can feel when you don’t have the right tools.

I also know how amazing it becomes when you do.

You don’t have to spend 10 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars figuring it out like I did.

You just have to start here.

Book a Free Strategy Call

Let’s figure out exactly what you need to turn things around.

Book A Free Strategy Call

Or, if you’re not quite ready,

Take our quiz to see what’s holding your practice back!

Take The Quiz

Final Thought: No One Prepares Us for This—But We Can Prepare Ourselves

Dental school teaches us how to be great clinicians. It does NOT teach us how to:

  • Lead a team of women
  • Market and grow a business
  • Balance career success with personal happiness

That’s why this community exists. That’s why I do this work. And that’s why you’re here.

Welcome to Her Dental Journey Success. Let’s build something amazing together.

Dr. Jen Is Also a Published Author

Because apparently running a thriving orthodontic practice, coaching women dentists, and building Her Dental Journey Success wasn’t enough — Dr. Jen also wrote the books she wished she’d had when she was in the thick of it.

Both are available now on Amazon and written with the same real-talk energy you’ll find everywhere else in this community.

The book "Shattering the Perfectionist" by Dr. Jennifer Smith

SHATTERING THE PERFECTIONIST: How the Illusion of Control Keeps Women from Peace and Power

If perfectionism has ever kept you from making a decision, delegating to your team, or just letting go — this one’s for you.

Buy on Amazon - Canada

Buy on Amazon - US

The book "Team Communication Skills" by Dr. Jennifer Smith

TEAM COMMUNICATION SKILLS: 8 Simple Rules for Leaders and Managers to Eliminate Drama, Improve Loyalty, and Boost Productivity

The real reason your team isn’t performing the way you need them to? Communication. This book gives you the tools to fix it.

Buy on Amazon - Canada

Buy on Amazon - US