Episode #444: Where Is Your Vagus Nerve?, with Dr. Kevin Kwecian

 Whether it’s a bad patient, team member conflict, or just a not-so-great day, those are not life-or-death, fight-or-flight situations. Nothing in dentistry is a “saber-toothed tiger”. So, why do we respond to challenges as if they are? Your brain is the answer, and Kirk Behrendt brings back Dr. Kevin Kwiecien to explain what the vagus nerve is, why it’s important, and how you can use it to manage stress. Your energy can impact those around you! To learn how to create a calm, healthy environment for you, your team, and your patients, listen to Episode 444 of The Best Practices Show!

Main Takeaways:

• Learn to change your brain.
• Be calm to create calm around you.
• Have awareness of your tendencies.
• Practice meditation on a regular basis.
• Create habits to be in parasympathetic tone.

Quotes:

• “In 2022, there are no saber-toothed tigers out there. But our reaction if something crazy happens is like when we go back to caveman times when there must be a saber-toothed tiger and I need to be in my amygdala. And you don't. But we don't realize that in 2022, we’re safe. There's not a saber-toothed tiger. But our bodies still respond that way. And so, what can we do to realize that?” (11:18—11:47)
• “If I walk in and I'm in fight-or-flight, you don't know and I don't tell you that I'm in fight-or-flight, but because you're another animal, you instinctively pick up on that. It’s the energy. One animal knows when another animal — especially in fight and certainly flight, and we all see freeze as well — the other animals pick up on it. And when we pick up on it, instinctively, we go, ‘Well, I guess I'm in fight-or-flight too. I guess we’re going to battle. I guess I need to be ready for something,’ and the whole energy in the room changes. And we didn't really need it to be. And so, if you, as a leader, as a dentist, are aware of that, think about the impact you have on your team and your patients and those around you.” (13:36—14:16)
• “It starts with being aware of self. And if I am a very high D [on the DISC profile] and I am having a conversation with a very high S, I need to be aware of that and I need to flex towards the S. And if the S is flexing towards the D, we meet somewhere in the middle. But the beginning of that is, am I aware that I'm a D? And there are good things about a D. I get stuff done, I'm very direct, and I get stuff done fast. The dilemma of being a D is I can be a little abrasive sometimes. I can be overbearing. And if you don't do it with me, I'll just do it myself. And if I'm aware of that, then I embrace the strengths of my personality profile, my tendencies, and I embrace them and I use them, I maximize their potential.” (21:18—22:11)
• “What habits are you creating so that you become — it could be setting your watch — but what are you doing to create new habits to remind you, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to be in parasympathetic tone. I need to take a few deep breaths. I need to tap into my vagus nerve’? And although it sounds simple, it’s not. But that is about the simplest way to start it, is think about how you're breathing, because that always gets you into parasympathetic tone.” (24:18—24:47)
• “Your hygienist is not a saber-toothed tiger. The fact that the cord is not going in on the distal-buccal of 18 is not a saber-toothed tiger. The fact that you're even really close to the pulp — luckily, in dentistry, it’s not brain surgery. I don't mean to belittle dentistry, but it’s not a saber-toothed tiger. Our emergencies, our hygienists, everything that goes on in a dental office is not a saber-toothed tiger. But we respond like it is. Instinctively, we respond like it is because we’re humans. So, what can we do to realize that it’s 2022, and it’s not a saber-toothed tiger, and get back into your frontal cortex?” (27:06—27:48)
• “We expect an immediate response. We think we have to, if we get texts, text them right back. If we need to know something, we can get it right now. We’re always on our cellphones. There's always constant stimulus. And I think that's why it’s resurging in a different way right now is, from what I read and from what I know, there's not a worse time in society for us to be in sympathetic tone. We really do feel like there's a saber-toothed tiger. Our bodies really are back to caveman times, except it’s not a saber-toothed tiger.” (28:42—29:15)
• “I think the people we impact most are the people we’re with eight hours a day. The people we influence more are the people that are hanging around with us in fight-or-flight all day long. And if we’re all in parasympathetic tone, the day is better for everybody, including the patient.” (35:12—35:26)
• “Start with yourself. Because if you start with yourself, your team will pick up on that. And then, you will be a different leader and you will be able to help people move toward health, because that's what we’re doing. We’re helping our patients move towards health. But if we’re not doing it for ourselves in some way, shape, or form, whether it’s systemically, nutritionally, psychologically, and we’re asking our patients to do it, there's a disconnect. And they pick up on that.” (37:26—37:54)

Snippets:

• 0:00 Introduction.
• 3:21 Dr. Kwiecien’s background.
• 5:25 Start with finding your WHY.  
• 9:49 The vagus nerve and why it’s important.
• 13:10 Get into your parasympathetic tone.
• 14:55 Change your brain.
• 19:02 It starts with self-awareness.
• 23:15 Start with breathing.
• 26:02 Create space between stimulus and response.
• 27:48 There's too much stimulus.  
• 30:23 Benefits of meditation and deep breathing.
• 35:34 Know your why and share your why.
• 36:53 Last thoughts on the vagus nerve.
• 39:21 More about Dr. Kwiecien and how to get in touch.

Reach Out to Dr. Kwiecien:

Dr. Kwiecien’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kevinkwiecien

K² Facilitation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KsquaredFacilitation

K² Facilitation website: https://ksquaredfacilitation.com/

K² Facilitation social media: @ksquared_facilitation

Resources:

Start with Why by Simon Sinek: https://simonsinek.com/books/start-with-why/

WHY Institute: https://whyinstitute.com/

Beyond Your WHY podcast: https://whyinstitute.com/resources/#podcast

Spear Education: https://www.speareducation.com/

Books by Dr. Dan J. Siegel: https://drdansiegel.com/books/

Traction by Gino Wickman: https://www.eosworldwide.com/traction-book

Dr. Kevin Kwiecien Bio:

Dr. Kevin Kwiecien holds a master’s degree in healthcare administration and has more than 17 years of private practice experience, with eight years in academia.

Most recently, Dr. Kwiecien served as assistant professor of restorative dentistry at Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry and director of the university’s faculty dental practice, director of patient admissions, and director of the urgent care clinic, as well as course director of preclinical fixed prosthodontics and co-course director of advanced restorative concepts for third and fourth-year students.

Dr. Kwiecien’s appreciation for and dedication to high-level continuing education began with Dr. Frank Spear more than 13 years ago. He has completed the curriculum at The Pankey Institute, has belonged for several years to a Tucker Gold Study Club, and many additional accomplishments, including a fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry. He has been a member of the Spear visiting faculty since its inception.

Dr. Kwiecien is a past-president of the Oregon Academy of General Dentistry. He also maintains memberships in the American Dental Association, Academy of Operative Dentistry, American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, American Equilibration Society, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine.