Dr. Dima Kalakech, or Dr. K as she is known by her patients, is an Orthodontist with a thriving practice just north of San Antonio in Cibolo, Texas.
Dr. K was born and raised in Lebanon, and at a very young age, she decided that she wanted a profession that combined her passion for science with her innate enjoyment of working with her hands. We had the good fortune to visit her on a gorgeous sunny day. The first thing Dr. K told us, was that she has always loved to see people smile. “I’ve always felt that to embrace life, you have to embrace your smile, and this is why I named my practice, “Embrace Orthodontics.”
Dr. K is multilingual and enjoys sharing her educational background with her patients. Her native language is Arabic. All her education from pre-school through dental school was taught in French, her second language. Then at age twenty-three, she traveled to Saint Louis, Missouri to attend the prestigious orthodontic specialty program at Saint Louis University. She completed her orthodontic degree in her third language, English. Dr. K commented, that this is something she can relate to with her patients, especially those that were not born or raised in the States.
Even though, she did not grow up here, she loves living in Texas with her husband Chuck and her two boys. She enjoys the culture, the friendliness of people, and the sense of community. Dr. K also loves the western flare: the cowboy hats, the boots and all the amazing barbeque joints. For Dr. K and her family, exercise, and spiritual health are also very important. “We love to exercise, travel and be active outdoors wherever we go. I’ve done one full marathon, a lot of half-marathons, and now that our two boys are 8 and 10, they’re participating in a lot of races with us.”
Something she would like to share with future generations of orthodontists is to make sure they remember to prioritize their goals and dreams. They can have everything they want in life, just not at the same time. Dr. K also discussed that maintaining balance in her life is not easy, but she enjoys the challenge of trying to maintain balance in her professional life and personal life. “Sometimes you have to make sacrifices on both sides. It’s really tough when it’s on the family side.” She said she can really empathize with the other professional moms and dads out there trying to run a business and spend quality time with their kids too. Providing a first-class experience at her office and spending quality time with her family, are the primary reasons she wakes up early every morning. First thing she does is workout, then she spends time with her boys before school and prepares for each day at Embrace. She credits her early morning routine for keeping her healthy and full of energy.
From the minute you meet Dr. K, it’s obvious that she loves being an orthodontist. She enjoys every moment of her patient’s orthodontic journey. She loves getting to know her patients, their families and getting to share in their accomplishments, she said. Dr. K truly believes that orthodontic treatment isn’t just about straightening a patient’s teeth, “you’re boosting their self-esteem, improving their oral health and giving them a smile that will change their lives.”
Dr. K and her team love the work they do. They know how important it is to keep a positive attitude and treat patients like family. “We always promote a positive attitude with our patients and with each other, too! We want to do our best for each patient, and make sure the best part of their day is their visit to Embrace. We promote and encourage everyone to have a YES attitude, no matter what’s going on.”
Dr. K and her amazing team work hard behind the scenes and it shows. As we said goodbye, that day, all we could see were hugs, smiles and high fives among the patients and the team!
If you could be a superhero who would you be?
I would love to be Wonder Woman. She was from a faraway place, but she still found the strength to make a mark in a new and challenging world. “What can I say, powerful women inspire me!” I also appreciate the focus Wonder Woman has on sisterhood and equality among females, and to Wonder Woman, everyone is equal.
Some things that people may be surprised to find out about you?
I was a ballet dancer for seven years. I am passionate about yoga. I love to travel, I’ve been to at least 35 states and planning to visit the rest. I love to cook and experiment with ethnic foods. Last but not least, I absolutely love to run.
