Pratt Dentistry Blog | Victoria BC

OK I admit it, I’m a personal growth junkie. I love going to workshops and seminars to learn from the best in both the dentistry and personal development fields. Several times a year I attend conferences and events to upgrade my skills and learn the latest and greatest (and try to get a couple of rounds of golf in while I’m there too!)

Recently, one of my teachers had me do an insightful exercise to figure out my core values. I mean, these have nothing to do with dentistry, but everything to do with who I am as a person. And since you’ve taken the time to read this post, I’ll share them with you. OK?

1. Personal Growth – Investing in lifelong learning, personal development and self-education. If you’re into this stuff, let’s swap ideas next time you’re in the office!
2. Family - To me this means spending plenty quality time with Janey and the kids. That’s why I work Monday to Thursday and take a few weeks off each year. I work hard and play hard. We love to walk our crazy dog, “Foster”, go to Palm Desert to hit some balls, and spend time with our grown up kids who live in Ontario.
3. Integrity – My beliefs and actions need to be congruent. People will tell you that my “word is law” – so if I say I’m going to do something for you, I’ll do it. In my practice it means treating people with respect and honesty. It shows up when we keep 90% of our appointments on time. If we have a 10 o’clock appointment, then we want you in the chair by 9:59!
4. Leadership – I’ve has plenty of experience with this on the sports field as a player, coach and mentor to new coaches. Whether it’s a kid learning to pitch a baseball or a new staff member, I really enjoy offering my influence and guidance to help people succeed in life.
5. Compassion - When I sit down with patients and lay out their options, I find myself putting myself in their shoes. What would I do if I had their dental problems, given their budget, age and other factors? That way I can give the best advice. People say I’m a bit of a “softie” but I think it really comes down to caring about people.

Like I said, I found this exercise to be enlightening. I found that it helped to get clear on my core values and get them out of my head and on to paper. So I’ve stuck them on the wall here in my office to remind myself of what matters most to me. Maybe you might want to do the same. If you want to know more about the process I used, just send me an email via my contact page here on the site.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I choose to work with a professional – whether it’s a lawyer, doctor, financial planner, insurance agent or contractor – I always like to know something about the person I’m going to be dealing with, especially if I might be using their services for a long time.

And I think it’s true when you’re choosing a dentist who’ll be poking around in your mouth a couple of times a year! You’d better like him and trust him too, right?

So here’s what you need to know about me…

I’ve been married to Janey for more than 38 years. We’re proud parents of Jocelyn and Warren. Although we’re empty-nesters now, our 4 y.o. Vizsla “puppy” (who can be pretty high-strung) keeps us busy at home.

Growing up in Montreal, I was a typical kid, into hockey, football, golf and baseball. I even taught skiing through high school and University, and one of my students went on to own and operate the largest travelling ski school in Canada – probably nothing to do with my instruction, but I like to think so:-)

I have a real passion for baseball and have coached boys and girls at all levels for over 25 years. I guess it’s my way to give back to the community.

You might have heard about dentistry being one of the most stressful careers. That’s statistically true. But after more than 36 years in practice, I still love dentistry. When I’m able to help others become healthier, more comfortable and improve their smile it make me feel great. That’s what it’s all about for me.

So thanks for reading my blog and I hope to see you in our office soon. To book an appointment, just give us a call at 250-598-2113 or use our online appointment form here: