Megan O'DonnellTyler Brown, (most recently Dr. Tyler Brown) co-creator of the YouTube channel vlog series FutureDDS and dental student at Tufts School of Dental Medicine, aims to inspire through action. While investing his best self to the pursuit of dental education, he supports other aspiring dentists on their journey through FutureDDS. Across YouTube he inspires people everywhere to invest their time to proper dental hygiene with help from his web video series, Oral Health Matters.
Finding motivation to inspire others is no easy task; it requires support and creativity.
“The motivation for Future DDS came from a lack of resources. My roommate (Tyrell Fridie) and I were graduating from our master’s program and couldn’t find any source of content to help us with our transition into dental school, so we decided to make it,” said Brown.
Brown explained the benefits he found in FutureDDS and Oral Health Matters.
“This was before dental students were as vocal on Instagram as they are now, so, outside of a couple of videos on YouTube and a bunch of anonymous forum posts, there wasn’t much. Also, we thought it’d be cool if we were able to have a video journal of our time in dental school. It’s funny going back and seeing how much we’ve changed in such a short time.”
“With regards to the Your Oral Health Matters series, I was getting bored of the same old message and infographic telling people to brush twice a day and to make sure they floss. I wondered if the same information was reiterated, but in an exciting entertaining way, would the message resonate with the audience better? It also serves as a creative outlet for me, so I’m really thankful for having the opportunity and support to do it.”
Tyler Brown, co-creator of the YouTube channel vlog series FutureDDS
How Tyler Brown utilizes his platform to send aspiring dental students messages of inspiration and action
“Inspiring someone is the best thing that you can do for them, and the best way I know how to do that is through action,” said Brown. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve seen that talk without action equates to nothing, so I try to show action through my platforms, whether that’s putting in your application for dental school or buckling down to hit your target GPA, action is the only way to achieve progress.”
Brown highlighted the importance of grace with yourself and the courage to try even in difficult times.
“Everyone wants the result, but few know how much effort it takes to get there. I’ve made it my mission to show people what it realistically takes and show that a 4.0 GPA and a 30 on your DAT isn’t the only way to get there. Additionally, I’m someone who’s been discouraged about my dreams before, and I know that a negative mindset is the ultimate self-sabotage. So, if there’s any way I can encourage and help someone and achieve their dreams, then I’m down to do it.”
Inspiration and forward thinking are the catalyst for success.
Brown’s personal inspiration started at home.
“My parents and friends serve as real inspirations for me. They have always been supportive and are doing great things themselves, so I’m blessed to always be in the company of people who constantly push me to reach new heights. Professionally, I’m a huge fan of Kobe Bryant. Even though he isn’t a dentist, his dedication and work ethic has inspired me to become better every single day. RIP Kobe.”
Dentistry was not on Brown’s radar until a day working at IHOP opened new ideas.
“…One of my customers told me that I would make a great dentist. I hadn’t had any real exposure to the field besides bi-annual check-ups, so I kind of just laughed it off, but kept the idea in the back of my head,” said Brown.
“When I went to college at Howard, there was a dental school located on campus. During my first few months, I went to check it out and met some great students that are still mentors of mine to this day. After that, I applied to a couple of summer programs (SHPEP and SPEP II) where I was further exposed to the field.”
For Dr. Tyler Brown, dental school provided growth when times were difficult.
“Accepting mistakes that I’ve made while in dental school has definitely been the hardest thing for me. Whether it was feeling I could’ve done better on a test or answering a question asked by faculty in front of my patient incorrectly, I put a lot of pressure on myself to always show up the right way.”
“Eventually, I came to the realization that I must be accepting of who I am, not who I want to become. In my mind I would always say things like “I should’ve known that” while, I’m still learning! Tyler who’s been practicing for 20 years is going to know A LOT more than 4th-year dental school Tyler. I had to realize that and become comfortable with it.”
TYLER BROWN, CO-CREATOR OF THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL VLOG SERIES FUTUREDDS
As he documented the journey, Brown invited other dental students to share theirs.
“Being able to see how much we’ve been able to grow throughout these four years has been amazing. Also, we set up the FutureDDS Dental School Experience Series where we interviewed a dental student from every dental school in the nation, so getting able to talk with all of these different students and build new relationships was also great.”
Upon completion of his degree, Brown plans to return home to Georgia to begin his career.
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