Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Williamson.
Hi Jacob, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
First and foremost, I would like to say a big thank you to everyone at VoyageATL! I greatly appreciate what you guys do for the community and the amazing people that make it so special. I was actually in Atlanta earlier this month, visiting Emory and exploring the city! But ya absolutely, let me start by introducing myself. My name is Jacob Williamson – I am a registered nurse, third-year dental student, aspiring oral & maxillofacial surgeon and owner of T3Dental.com.
I was born and raised in a smaller city outside of Edmonton, Alberta. Like most Canadian kids, I grew up in a pair of hockey skates and with that came a plethora of sports-related injuries. Whether it was a couple of fractured ribs or a gnarly facial laceration, I was always amazed by the human body’s natural ability to repair and heal itself.
Shortly after graduating from high school, I attended the University of North Dakota with the goal of becoming a sports medicine physician. I took a few detours along the way, going from biology to athletic training to finally majoring in kinesiology. Definitely not your typical pre-med trajectory but looking back I can’t imagine doing it any differently. Long story short, I ended up catching a hockey puck to the right side of my jaw and spent a short time in the ER getting stitched up. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have walked away with a full set of teeth, and I became aware of the vulnerabilities associated with facial trauma.
This was more or less the motivation to switch gears into dentistry and ultimately pursue a career in oral & maxillofacial surgery. I applied to dental school while wrapping up my studies in kinesiology and was unfortunately met with a flood of rejection letters. What seemed like an immense setback at the time actually challenged me to step out of my comfort zone and continue my education in nursing. After completing my BSN, I accepted a position at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN working in orthopedic trauma and neurosurgery.
I reapplied to dental school the following year and was accepted to the Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine in Arizona. I am now entering my final year in a dual degree program earning a DMD and a Master of Science in Precision Medicine. I continue to work on the weekends as a registered nurse and I am preparing for the coming application cycle for a residency position in oral & maxillofacial surgery.
It was actually just a few months ago that I created T3Dental – A Dental Blog & Clothing Brand. To be honest, I had no idea what I was doing but I sort of just jumped in and started from the ground up. The website is now up and running with blog posts sharing information about commonly asked dental questions in addition to an online clothing brand. T3Dental is still in the early stages but we have a lot of great ideas that are in development – stay tuned!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Life is hard no matter how you look at it – a smooth road might be out there but I don’t think many people are fortunate enough to travel it. Whether we’re talking about school, work, or business, there will always be periods of winning and losing. The only thing that comes easy to me is the willingness to wake up every morning and put in the work.
I was rejected from dental school and had to reapply multiple times. At the time it felt like a huge loss, but looking back it challenged me to go into nursing and grow immensely as a person and as a provider. When talking about T3Dental, I spent weeks designing the site before I got it right. By the time I had the right design, I was ready for a name change that better reflected the business. The point is, for every success I’ve had, there has been several failures before it.
As you know, we’re big fans of T3Dental. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
T3Dental is a dental blog & clothing brand! I created T3Dental during my third year of dental school to answer commonly asked dental questions from everyday people. Dentistry is such a specialized niche and patients often leave their appointment with lingering questions and uncertainties. As a student, there is no financial motivation behind the treatment that I offer and provide. Because of this, I am simply interested in delivering the highest quality treatment that meets your needs and enhances your life as a person.
I created a page on my website where you can actually email me with suggestions for future posts. The posts I create are not intended to be used as a medical or dental advice, but rather to increase public awareness and empower people to make informed decisions. My goal is to share relevant information that will help people understand what their dentist is saying and what kind of treatment they are getting. If you have questions about a certain procedure or something your dentist said, send me a message on my contact page and I will answer it to the best of my ability!
In addition to our blog posts, we also offer dental-related clothing & accessories. New products are being released on a daily basis and many more are in development. Having worked in healthcare for the last four years, I understand the importance of high-quality clothing and personal protective equipment. All of our products are created for optimal comfort and offer a simple design. Whether your in the library, working in the clinic, or rounding in the hospital, T3Dental clothing will get you through the day!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
The best advice I can offer is to keep showing up and keep working hard. Don’t worry about that bad test grade or that mistake you made at work, learn from it so you do better the next time. Focus on your goals one day at a time and keep taking that next step. I find that the hardest part of anything is simply getting started.
If I could go back, I would challenge myself to wake up earlier. I started waking up around 3:00am a couple of years ago and it has provided so much flexibility to my schedule. I have a coffee, check my emails, study for an exam, write a blog post, you name it. That extra few hours make a huge difference in my productivity.
Pricing:
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Hoodies: $50
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Sweatshirts: $45
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Shirts: $35
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.t3dental.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t3.dental/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090219397437
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/T3Dental
