“Investing in and inspiring others is what keeps me going,” Dr. John Yoo answered
when asked about his biggest drive for his positive energy. As the zoom call started, it was
imperative to make this conversation a comfortable one, and he did just that when asked to
describe himself in four words. “Comical, passionate, grateful, oh and single,” he laughed,
and just like that, there was the comical. As student dentists and writers, we aspire to learn
from those who were once in our shoes, so we can constantly exercise our mind to grow.
Beyond our profession, we want to know what makes each leader human and with that
affirmation, began this easy-going and witty conversation.
Dr. Yoo recently opened his new clinic, Beam City, and without hesitation, he started
talking about the endless support from his team. “It’s biased to say that my team is the best,
but I wholeheartedly mean that. I would not be here without them, he said.” This moment
displayed how important collaboration and passion are to him, and emphasized how he always pursued what he interested him. “I have a drive to hang on to my passions, all while growing with each opportunity given to me at a specific time. You see, there is a certain time for everything and with that appreciation and a grateful mindset, I am able to keep going.”
Envisioning an improved version of himself, he noted how he is endlessly inspired by
multifaceted individuals who continue to pursue their own passions. “As a dental student, you tend to lose sight of how much you have already accomplished, and it’s time for dental
students, and new graduating dentists, to be inspired by their own personal victories.” His
individual congratulatory mindset does not diminish the idea of consistently working toward
new goals, because he believes “a dream without a plan is a wish.” However, he emphasized
the need to commend ourselves for the challenges we have each successfully conquered thus far.
This facet of delayed gratification and a vision of prioritizing one’s own self, while
uplifting others has always been ingrained in him. “It may seem selfish to prioritize our own
being, but it isn’t at all. How can we help others if we aren’t exemplifying the best version of
who we can be?” He put his mindset into practice when he used to tutor high school students who were told they could not accomplish a goal. His hope with this mentorship was to change that narrative and encourage students to ignore the opinions of others and channel that negative energy into personal growth. With his experience, he watched students exceed the limits placed on them by others and these moments were the most fulfilling for him. This story naturally led to the question of why he enjoys pediatric dentistry. His answer coincided with everything he had said thus far: Dr. Yoo wants to give each child a chance. “It’s not always easy because not every child is cooperative, but when you give each child a fair chance, you begin to witness positive change and that’s extraordinary. I love what I do.”
When diving into his interests, we chatted about author, Dale Carnegie and Itaewon
Class, alongside his passion for his Youtube channel and Instagram. “Social media is a risk, but it has helped me meet like-minded individuals, especially within the healthcare world.” He started posting personal photos but began to shift this perspective when he saw how social media can help others. “There are fallbacks to putting yourself out into the world, but with that risk can come tremendous reward,” he affirmed. He is grateful to have the platform he does and in five years, not only does he want to travel and provide accessible care to others, but he wants to continue to explore social media - primarily Youtube.
What is his final note for dental students? “Knock on doors and know that there is a lot
to look forward to. Life is a blast; have an open mind and always let your faith be bigger than
your fear.”
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