What happens when you are the strong one in dentistry, the leader, the provider, the one everyone depends on, and you are quietly carrying grief no one sees?
In Episode 32 of The Real Talk of Dental, Dr. Parul Dua Makkar opens up about losing her younger brother to oral cancer at 34, followed by the sudden loss of her father just three years later. As a sole practitioner, mother, and healthcare provider, she found herself navigating profound personal loss while still showing up for patients, staff, and family.
From finishing her brother’s unfinished manuscript after his death to creating a legacy journal inspired by the questions she never got to ask her father, Parul shares what it looks like to process grief in dentistry while still leading at a high level.
This conversation goes far beyond death. It explores trauma stored in the body, identity loss after major life transitions, burnout driven by unprocessed grief, and the emotional isolation many dentists experience but rarely name.
You’ll learn:
- Why grief in dentistry often goes unrecognized
- How trauma and loss physically manifest in the body of healthcare professionals
- Why overworking can be a coping mechanism for unprocessed grief
- The emotional isolation of solo practice and leadership decision fatigue
- How selling a practice or transitioning to a DSO can trigger identity grief
- The impact of collective trauma post-COVID on dental professionals
- Why burnout is sometimes grief in disguise
- How writing, ritual, and legacy projects can support healing
- The importance of seeking support instead of suppressing pain
- How to hold joy and sadness at the same time without guilt
- What sustainable emotional resilience looks like in dentistry
🔗 Join the community and submit your anonymous questions:
https://www.therealtalkofdental.com
🔗 Learn more about The Empowered LeadHERship Program for Women in Dental:
https://leadhershipexperience.com/
🔗 Boundary Boss GPT:
https://leadhershipexperience.com/boundaryboss
We talk about:
00:00 The isolation of dentistry and why grief often goes unspoken
02:30 Losing a sibling to oral cancer and the guilt healthcare providers carry
05:00 Sudden loss, anticipatory grief, and the shock of losing a parent
07:30 Identity loss after death and becoming an “only child” overnight
10:00 How trauma and grief are stored in the body
14:00 Overworking as a coping mechanism in dentistry
17:00 The grief of career expectations and the fantasy vs reality of dentistry
21:00 Practice transitions, DSO sales, and identity shifts
23:00 Midlife grief, changing bodies, and evolving roles
27:00 Collective grief post-COVID and cultural exhaustion
31:00 Writing as healing, finishing her brother’s book, and creating legacy
35:00 Why burnout in dentistry is sometimes unprocessed grief
39:00 Healthy coping tools, support systems, and emotional regulation
42:00 Sustainable resilience and why grief should never be navigated alone
Connect with Dr. Parul
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drparulduamakkar/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PDMFamilyDental
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duagoodjob
Website: https://parulduamakkar.com/
Connect with me
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandimarzolino/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandi.marzolino/
https://courageandjoyatwork.com/
https://leadhershipexperience.com/
Phone: 616-682-6222
