Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Sana Yusuf.
Hi Dr. Yusuf, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
My name is Dr. Sana Yusuf, I am one of your many local general dentists.
I have been in the dental field since I was in high school & have held every job in a dental office from receptionist, insurance coordinator, dental assistant and now as the doctor!
I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from University of Detroit Mercy in THREE years. You read that correctly, I graduated college at the age of 20. I continued my education at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine, Downers Grove, IL, where I earned my Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at the age of 24.
After earning my doctorate, I joined the United States Army, as an Active Duty Captain and worked as a general dentist. Now a United States Army Veteran, I am an honored recipient of the Army Commendation Medal.
After leaving the Army, my family and I decided to move to Tampa, FL to settle down.
I am a momma to three kiddos (11-year-old boy, 2-year-old girl and newborn baby boy). Baby #3 was a total surprise because I have PCOS and went through fertility treatment to have my daughter so he is definitely an unexpected blessing. But seriously, who in their right mind starts a new business and has a new baby in the middle of a global pandemic that seems like it’ll never end? I literally had my son 6 weeks after opening the doors to my office and I was back at work when he was just 16 days old!
A very big part of my story is that I am a survivor of domestic abuse and sexual assault. It has taken me many years to be able to talk about my experiences and obstacles but I am finally at the point where I am ready to share my story. My hope is to make a difference by stepping out of my comfort zone and sharing my struggles and my shame, but also my strength and perseverance to overcome the situation I found myself in.
How did I go from a battered teen mom to a successful medical professional? I want other women and other survivors to know there is light at the end of the tunnel and there are resources available to help. I am currently the Vice President of the Board for Sunrise of Pasco County (an organization that provides services and awareness regarding domestic violence and sexual assault). Joining this amazing organization was deeply rooted in my past and I look forward to utilizing this position to make a meaningful impact in other lives.
So, what is this is new business? I opened an upscale boutique dental office in Wesley Chapel, FL. It is called Sana Dental Studio + Spa.
What makes my dental office different from the office down the street?
Me – that’s what’s different.
I am as transparent as they come.
I am committed to helping my patients achieve a healthy, esthetic smile while improving their quality of life.
My goal is to educate my patients, involve them in their treatment decisions and provide a completely transparent and honest relationship of trust.
I will ALWAYS have your best interest in mind, I do not over-sell or over treatment plan. It’s as simple as this what you need and this is why. I will educate you and do my best to help you make an informed decision but ultimately the choice is yours! We are just here to facilitate the best dental care for you.
I am a member of the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Academy of Facial Esthetics, Vice President of the Board for Sunrise of Pasco (I was recently nominated to be the President and will be stepping into that role in August). I am also a clinical faculty member at LECOM School of Dental Medicine so I have the honor of helping teach the future generations of dentists!
When I’m not treating patients, you can find me spending time with my family, walking around Target, or binge-watching TV 😊
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. My journey began as a battered teen mom struggling to maintain very high grades and graduate in time to be able to continue on to dental school. I remember the summer I was pregnant; I took 21 credit hours of classes at three different community colleges to make sure I didn’t fall behind and was still able to graduate in three years. The summer after that I spent studying for my Dental Admissions Test while taking care of an infant. This was also the summer I decided to join the US Army. This decision was due to my financial situation, having a baby, and the high cost of dental school. I was able to graduate Summa Cum Laude with my bachelor’s degree in three years.
The next bump in my road was going to dental school. My college GPA afforded me the opportunity to gain acceptance to EVERY dental school that I applied to and I made the decision to pick a school close to home. I am so unbelievably grateful for the unwavering support of my parents and family. Without them, my story may have turned out differently.
The first two years of dental school are brutal as you find yourself studying non-stop for science exams, learning new clinical skills and techniques, and studying for board exams. I managed to survive the obstacle but I often found myself distracted with issues in my personal life and the fact that I had a two-year-old! It was difficult to connect with my other classmates since most of them did not have those outside pressures.
I was able to get through my college education and most of my dental school while being in a very abusive relationship. People ask why I stayed, and that is a very long answer that I would be more than glad to share. I will say, I was finally able to find the strength to get myself and my son out of that situation.
After graduating dental school, I left for Basic Officer Leader Course aka basic training and that was definitely an eye-opening experience for me. After graduating my training, I was stationed at Fort Sill, OK where I served as an Active Duty Captain for four years. I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences that I was given during my time at Fort Sill and my time in the Army. The Army though is not for the light-hearted. I learned so many things not just about dentistry and the Armed Forces of our country but also about myself.
There are a few people that have made this journey a little smoother than it was and that would be my husband and my parents. Without the help and support of my parents, finishing my undergraduate degree and dental school with an infant/toddler would have been very difficult. I met my husband when I was in dental school and he has been by my side since then, supporting me and cheering me on in all of my endeavors. He truly is my best friend and it is nice to have that constant support system with the house, the kids and the business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a general dentist and I recently opened an upscale boutique office in Wesley Chapel. I really wanted to find a way to set myself and my office apart from all the other general dentists in my area. I started by thinking of the two things I hear the most from patients…
-I hate coming to dentist
– I’ve had a bad experience and I’m afraid of the dentist
The concept or idea behind my office is to make your dental experience as relaxing and calming as a spa experience. From the moment you walk in to being seated in your own personalized operatory…I have thought about the entire process and how to make this a relaxing experience.
We have a comfort menu that allows patients to pick what amenities they would like to help make their visit more comfortable. Some of the choices on the comfort menu include a neck pillow, noise cancelling headphones, blankets, sunglasses, and Netflix. We will soon be adding an esthetician to our team and she will be offering various spa services.
I truly believe that my experience in a dental office in every position gives me the necessary knowledge to allow for a highly trained team that will offer our patients with a high level of knowledge for all of their dental needs. Also, my experience as a dentist in the Army has allowed me the experience to treatment plan from a place of necessity and as conservatively as possible to achieve the best possible outcome for all of our patients.
One final thing about the office is our Smiles for Sunrise campaign. There’s more on our website about it but basically for every new patient we donate $5 to Sunrise of Pasco County. Since I am a survivor myself, this organization is very near and dear to my heart. With this campaign I want patients to see that being a part of our office family goes further than just them. It helps make a meaningful impact in the community in which we live. I am also a volunteer for the Give Back A Smile program which is a nationwide program to help restore damaged teeth for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
I am so excited that I was able to turn the office of my dreams into a reality and that our doors are open and ready to serve the Tampa Bay community.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I love how much there is to do! Tons of restaurants, fun things for families but also for date night. I used to live in Elgin, OK when I was in the Army, a small country town with one three-way street light. This is a welcome change. I also love being so close to the beaches!
My least favorite thing would be traffic and the speed limits. The one good thing about a small country town is that there’s barely any traffic and you can go pretty fast on the highway 😉
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.sanadentalstudio.com
- Instagram: @sanayusufdmd
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/sanadentalstudio/
Image Credits
@brandmunki
@teena_scaia
@ancestryportraits
@priscillamonniqueartistry
@cass.color.co
