Oh, hey!

Welcome! I’m Dr. Patrice, also known as The UnOrthoDoc. I’m so glad you’re here.

As an orthodontist, wife, mom of three, entrepreneur, and creative, I know what it’s like to juggle a full, beautiful, demanding life. I created this space to share honest reflections, practical resources, and personal insight all rooted in my own journey toward building a life that’s rich in purpose, not just productivity.

Here you’ll find encouragement, entrepreneurship tips, personal stories, and my signature Sunday newsletter, The Climb written for those navigating the mess and meaning of modern life with ambition and intention.

You’ll also find expert insights on oral health and dental care, along with curated resources and partnerships with oral care brands I trust. Whether it’s tips for a healthier smile or tools to help you grow personally and professionally, I aim to make this space useful, authentic, and inspiring.

Whether you’re finding your footing, pivoting your path, or looking for a softer way to succeed, you’re in the right place.

Let’s climb, together.

Learn More About ME
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RECENT BLOG POSTS

Explore the blog by clicking the links below

 
Featured
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What Nobody Tells You About Building a Life That Doesn't Fit a Category

There is a particular kind of exhaustion that comes not from doing too much, but from trying to explain yourself too many times.

You are a doctor, but not just a doctor. You are a mother, but not the kind who disappeared into it. You are an entrepreneur, a woman of faith, someone with ambitions that don't always have a clean name. You have a lot going on, and somehow none of the categories that exist for any one of those things fully accounts for the rest of them.

Read more →
unsplash-image-hbU7P33AMyA.jpg
You’re Allowed to Want More, Even If Things Are “Good”

There’s a feeling that doesn’t get talked about enough, and it’s one that’s often difficult to name.

It’s not burnout, and it’s not dissatisfaction. In many ways, everything is actually going well. Your career is stable, your family is cared for, and your life reflects something you once worked hard to build. From the outside, there is no obvious reason to question anything.

And yet, there can be a quiet sense that something is shifting.

Not in a way that demands immediate action, and not in a way that disrupts your day-to-day life, but just enough to notice. It’s subtle, and because of that, it’s easy to dismiss.

Read more →
Adult Oral Health: What Actually Matters (An Orthodontist’s Evidence-Based Guide)
Adult Oral Health: What Actually Matters (An Orthodontist’s Evidence-Based Guide)

Most dental advice is written for children, teenagers, or ideal circumstances. But adult life is different. It’s busier, more complex, and often more demanding.

Work responsibilities, caregiving, stress, sleep disruption, medications, diet changes, and simply aging all influence oral health in ways that are rarely discussed outside the dental office.

Read more →
Motherhood Didn’t Shrink My Ambition, It Refined It
Motherhood Didn’t Shrink My Ambition, It Refined It

For a long time, ambition tends to look the same for many high achievers. It is measured in expansion. More opportunity, more responsibility, more progress, more growth. The assumption is that ambition should keep widening over time, and that success means continuously doing more.

For many of us, that mindset works for a long time. It carries us through school, early career milestones, and the pursuit of opportunities that feel exciting and expansive. Productivity systems, goal setting, and disciplined work habits reinforce the idea that if you are organized enough and motivated enough, you can continue to increase your capacity indefinitely.

Read more →
The Stage of Practice Ownership No One Talks About
The Stage of Practice Ownership No One Talks About

When people talk about practice ownership, the conversation usually centers around two stages.

The beginning.

And the growth phase.

The beginning is full of adrenaline. There’s the leap into entrepreneurship, the excitement of finally building something that belongs to you. After years of training and working within systems someone else created, ownership feels like freedom.

Then comes growth.

Growth is the stage everyone celebrates. More patients. Expanding teams. Increased production. New systems. New marketing strategies. Conferences and podcasts dedicated to scaling.

Read more →
I’ve Been Documenting My Life Online Since 2007
I’ve Been Documenting My Life Online Since 2007

You could call it a habit.
Or maybe just a quiet instinct I’ve always had.

But long before Instagram, long before personal branding became a strategy, I started documenting my life online.

It was 2007.

At the time, I was simply a student with big goals and a lot of questions about how life would unfold. My first blog was called Climb, Reach, Achieve. The name itself captured exactly where I was in that phase of life: ambitious, hopeful, focused on what was ahead.

Writing was a way to process the climb.

Read more →
 
Featured
unsplash-image-PXB7yEM5LVs.jpg
What Nobody Tells You About Building a Life That Doesn't Fit a Category

There is a particular kind of exhaustion that comes not from doing too much, but from trying to explain yourself too many times.

You are a doctor, but not just a doctor. You are a mother, but not the kind who disappeared into it. You are an entrepreneur, a woman of faith, someone with ambitions that don't always have a clean name. You have a lot going on, and somehow none of the categories that exist for any one of those things fully accounts for the rest of them.

Read more →
unsplash-image-hbU7P33AMyA.jpg
You’re Allowed to Want More, Even If Things Are “Good”

There’s a feeling that doesn’t get talked about enough, and it’s one that’s often difficult to name.

It’s not burnout, and it’s not dissatisfaction. In many ways, everything is actually going well. Your career is stable, your family is cared for, and your life reflects something you once worked hard to build. From the outside, there is no obvious reason to question anything.

And yet, there can be a quiet sense that something is shifting.

Not in a way that demands immediate action, and not in a way that disrupts your day-to-day life, but just enough to notice. It’s subtle, and because of that, it’s easy to dismiss.

Read more →
Adult Oral Health: What Actually Matters (An Orthodontist’s Evidence-Based Guide)
Adult Oral Health: What Actually Matters (An Orthodontist’s Evidence-Based Guide)

Most dental advice is written for children, teenagers, or ideal circumstances. But adult life is different. It’s busier, more complex, and often more demanding.

Work responsibilities, caregiving, stress, sleep disruption, medications, diet changes, and simply aging all influence oral health in ways that are rarely discussed outside the dental office.

Read more →
Featured
unsplash-image-PXB7yEM5LVs.jpg
What Nobody Tells You About Building a Life That Doesn't Fit a Category

There is a particular kind of exhaustion that comes not from doing too much, but from trying to explain yourself too many times.

You are a doctor, but not just a doctor. You are a mother, but not the kind who disappeared into it. You are an entrepreneur, a woman of faith, someone with ambitions that don't always have a clean name. You have a lot going on, and somehow none of the categories that exist for any one of those things fully accounts for the rest of them.

Read more →
unsplash-image-hbU7P33AMyA.jpg
You’re Allowed to Want More, Even If Things Are “Good”

There’s a feeling that doesn’t get talked about enough, and it’s one that’s often difficult to name.

It’s not burnout, and it’s not dissatisfaction. In many ways, everything is actually going well. Your career is stable, your family is cared for, and your life reflects something you once worked hard to build. From the outside, there is no obvious reason to question anything.

And yet, there can be a quiet sense that something is shifting.

Not in a way that demands immediate action, and not in a way that disrupts your day-to-day life, but just enough to notice. It’s subtle, and because of that, it’s easy to dismiss.

Read more →
Adult Oral Health: What Actually Matters (An Orthodontist’s Evidence-Based Guide)
Adult Oral Health: What Actually Matters (An Orthodontist’s Evidence-Based Guide)

Most dental advice is written for children, teenagers, or ideal circumstances. But adult life is different. It’s busier, more complex, and often more demanding.

Work responsibilities, caregiving, stress, sleep disruption, medications, diet changes, and simply aging all influence oral health in ways that are rarely discussed outside the dental office.

Read more →
Motherhood Didn’t Shrink My Ambition, It Refined It
Motherhood Didn’t Shrink My Ambition, It Refined It

For a long time, ambition tends to look the same for many high achievers. It is measured in expansion. More opportunity, more responsibility, more progress, more growth. The assumption is that ambition should keep widening over time, and that success means continuously doing more.

For many of us, that mindset works for a long time. It carries us through school, early career milestones, and the pursuit of opportunities that feel exciting and expansive. Productivity systems, goal setting, and disciplined work habits reinforce the idea that if you are organized enough and motivated enough, you can continue to increase your capacity indefinitely.

Read more →
The Stage of Practice Ownership No One Talks About
The Stage of Practice Ownership No One Talks About

When people talk about practice ownership, the conversation usually centers around two stages.

The beginning.

And the growth phase.

The beginning is full of adrenaline. There’s the leap into entrepreneurship, the excitement of finally building something that belongs to you. After years of training and working within systems someone else created, ownership feels like freedom.

Then comes growth.

Growth is the stage everyone celebrates. More patients. Expanding teams. Increased production. New systems. New marketing strategies. Conferences and podcasts dedicated to scaling.

Read more →
I’ve Been Documenting My Life Online Since 2007
I’ve Been Documenting My Life Online Since 2007

You could call it a habit.
Or maybe just a quiet instinct I’ve always had.

But long before Instagram, long before personal branding became a strategy, I started documenting my life online.

It was 2007.

At the time, I was simply a student with big goals and a lot of questions about how life would unfold. My first blog was called Climb, Reach, Achieve. The name itself captured exactly where I was in that phase of life: ambitious, hopeful, focused on what was ahead.

Writing was a way to process the climb.

Read more →
 
 

01.


Personal development

What does it mean to live a full, balanced life? Meaningful work matters, but so do health, relationships, and peace of mind.

Reflections and practical insights on growing into a life that feels as good as it looks.

Learn More

02.


oral care

Evidence-based oral care insights from an orthodontist, including toothpaste guides, whitening advice, and practical tips for a healthier smile.

Clear, trustworthy information to help you care for your teeth with confidence.

Learn More

03.


 professional + Financial Development

Insights on building a meaningful career and a sustainable financial life, from the perspective of a practicing orthodontist and business owner. Practical guidance, honest reflections, and lessons learned along the way.

Learn More
 
 

The Climb+

If you love the honesty and inspiration of The Climb, The Climb+ is where we take it one step further. Each month, I share exclusive deep dives, private audio reflections, and guided prompts to help you turn reflection into action - in your career, your business, and your everyday life.

JOIN THE CLIMB+
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Life feels better when you stop rushing and start resting in God. Lately…
Swipe for the adult oral health guide nobody gave you Most of us grew up hearing the same dental advice written for kids and ideal circumstances. But adult life is messier - stress, medication, less sleep, less time… These are the things th