Imagery courtesy of Elizabeth Mattsson
My personal mission and goal for everyone who walks through my door is to have them be the HEALTHIEST and most CONFIDENT version of themselves.
–Elizabeth Mattsson, DDS
What was the defining moment in your past that set you on the career path you ended up following?
In high school I played softball, ran cross country, and took AP classes. My favorite AP teacher and class was my Pre Calculus – Calculus I -Calculus II teacher, Mr. Martin. When I found out that I had a conflict with my Calculus class and softball schedule I decided to talk to my coach to see how I could make both things work, so I didn’t lose one of my favorite and important things in my life. For me this was a moment of reflection that allowed an opportunity to problem solve with the power of open communication and possibly create a win-win. At the end of my discussion with my coach I was able to keep my Calculus class and extend my softball schedule at the end of the day, so I could do both successfully. This specific event was a pivotal moment since I would encounter the same situation in college. At my university, I was posed with a bigger decision by my advisor, and head of the department, as to whether I was going to play softball in college or pursue my biology/chemistry studies due to class time conflicts with traveling for games. Long story short, I confidently picked my education and never looked back. I worked very hard and graduated with honors with a biology major and a chemistry minor.
What makes you unique in your industry?
I believe what makes me and my office unique in my industry is my philosophy, which aims to create the best patient experience possible. We do this by making sure every patient knows that we know their name, that we know what brings them through our doors, that we address their needs in a tailored fashion, and we provide excellence every step of the way. Patient education is a valued priority in my office. Patient education creates self-awareness, fosters confidence in my team surrounding our goals for each individual patient, and most importantly trust. We build this trust by treating every patient like a favorite family member. It’s a must when it comes to patient care.
What is one way you hope to impact your community in the future, either personally or professionally?
Creating and reinforcing health and self confidence within the individuals of my community by positively augmenting oral health and creating beautiful smiles tailored for each individual person is my personal mission. Helping patients understand that great oral care today leads to greater heart health and lowers risk of cardiovascular disease for their future is just one example of a priority conversation I have. Explaining that the bacteria present in periodontitis directly leads to degradation of the smooth arterial walls, which then allows lipids in the arteries that can cause a stroke or facilitate a heart attack is a must conversation for patients either with periodontitis, heart disease, or gingivitis. We want our patients to live their healthiest, most confident lives.
If you could sit down with any woman in the world–either from history or who is currently living–who would that be and what would you discuss with her?
I would love to sit down and speak with Sacagawea. I would discuss her resilience during tumultuous events in her life, especially during her pioneering expedition to the Pacific Northwest. I would ask her how she felt about being bought and sold, about the physical challenges during this expedition that she might have faced as a woman compared to the men, since she had just given birth right before the start of the expedition; I would ask her about the language barrier she was able to overcome with her husband, and about working with Lewis and Clark. Finally, I would ask her about her knowledge of the land and the weather, about her proudest moments, about her most trying moments, about the challenges of raising her child(ren), and about what kept her pressing forward in life.
Connect with Elizabeth Mattsson on Facebook and at UptownFamilyDentalSA.com.
This profile was (Em)powered by Uptown Family Dental.
Edited from an interview by Eleanora Morrison.