A personal update and why our free clinics have been on pause

A lot of you have been asking about our next free clinic.

Those messages mean a great deal to me because these events are among the things our team loves doing most. What began as an idea to provide free emergency dental care has grown into something far beyond what I initially imagined: full community health days.

Alongside dental care, we’ve brought together live art installations, poetry, live music, healthy food, bicycling resources, gardening, acupuncture, and naturopathic health screenings and education. People have contributed their time, skills, and creativity simply because they want to do good.

Our hope is to create an environment where people can access care, discover resources, enjoy themselves, and feel connected, regardless of their financial circumstances. At a time when so many families are under increasing financial pressure, making that experience freely available feels especially meaningful.

These days have become a beautiful expression of what we can build together. They bring our team real joy, and I know they matter to the people who attend and contribute.

I wish I were sharing our next date today. Instead, I want to give you some context about why we haven’t been able to schedule one.

I’m usually very open about what happens behind the scenes at Dorado Dental Wellness. Right now, there are parts of my life I cannot discuss fully while legal matters are pending. But I can share that our family and our business have been navigating several difficult situations that have taken a substantial toll on my time, energy, and well-being.

When community involvement becomes personal

Outside the practice, my husband and I became involved in our neighborhood association because we care deeply about the place where we are raising our children. We wanted to contribute to a community where people feel safe, connected, and able to participate in decisions that affect their homes and families.

That involvement led to disagreements about transparency, financial information, and the procedures outlined in our community’s governing documents. Over time, the experience became deeply personal and distressing.

I want to be direct about what that means. I have received statements that I experienced as threats and intimidation toward me, my family, and my business. Other statements invoked government connections and conveyed that people intended to go after us. I cannot independently verify those claimed connections or what anyone intends to do. But the fear those statements have caused is real.

I understand that questioning established practices can challenge the status quo. The vast majority of people we connect with, across cultures and backgrounds, have been receptive and supportive. We have built meaningful relationships by approaching people as fellow human beings and looking for common ground. These particular experiences have been frightening precisely because they are so far from the connection we have usually found here.

And the fear does not stop with me. It extends to my husband and our young children. When statements also target our business, I think about the 15 people we employ and their families, the additional 10 to 15 contractors we frequently work with, and the thousands of patients who depend on us for comprehensive care for their families. I feel a tremendous responsibility to the people whose livelihoods and care are connected to this practice.

A subsequent incident involving a neighbor resulted in allegations against my husband that we dispute. A legal proceeding remains pending, and on advice of counsel, I am limiting what I share about it.

It is difficult to rest and recover when circumstances involving your own neighborhood leave you feeling unsettled at home. It is difficult to keep showing up with your usual energy when so much of that energy is going toward navigating conflict, documenting events, and protecting your family.

We are persistent people, and we have support. But this has been scary to navigate. I honestly never imagined that advocating for a healthier, happier community would leave me feeling targeted by threats and intimidation.

We still love our home. We still want to raise our children here. And I still believe that asking questions and participating in community decisions should be possible without fearing personal consequences.

A separate challenge at the practice

At the same time, I am facing my first employment-related lawsuit.

The matter followed an internal review of concerns involving a former employee. Honesty and trust are central to how I lead this practice, particularly in healthcare, where patients and colleagues depend on us to act with integrity.

We dispute the claims and are addressing them through our insurer and legal counsel. While the case is pending, I will respect the process and the privacy of those involved by keeping the details out of this update.

Even with professional support, responding to a lawsuit requires considerable attention and resources. The emotional weight does not disappear when I put on my scrubs or walk into an appointment.

Why I’m sharing this

Together, these circumstances have stretched my capacity in ways I did not anticipate.

I have worked so hard to build the right team and bring on the right associate, Dr. Aly, so our practice could grow, our patients could have continuity of care, and I could find a little more balance between the work I love and the family I love. Just as those pieces were coming together, life hit me in the face with a frying pan. That is honestly how this has felt.

I’m a family dentist, and I think part of why patients connect with me is that I’m deeply sensitive to how they feel. I notice their anxiety. I care about what they’re carrying beyond the reason for their appointment. That empathy is one of my greatest strengths as a clinician, but it also means the personal hardships of business ownership can hit me hard.

Building a business and a life as an immigrant adds another layer. I’m still navigating cultural differences and learning how to advocate for change in unfamiliar settings. I care deeply about contributing to this community, and these experiences have taken a real emotional toll.

Some patients have expressed frustration when I have not been present for their appointments. I hear that. Your time matters, and so does the relationship and trust you have built with me. You deserve clear communication about who will be caring for you and what to expect.

I am profoundly grateful to Dr. Aly and our incredible team for making sure our patients continue to receive thoughtful, compassionate care while I haven’t been at my best. Building a practice with people I trust this much has made it possible for me to take some necessary breathing room. I’m working with them to communicate changes in my availability more clearly.

Our free clinics require substantial planning, coordination, resources, and my personal involvement. Right now, I have needed to focus on our existing patients, supporting our team, and caring for my family and my own health. That has meant postponing work that brings me, and so many of us, real joy.

I share so much here about connection, community, and creating healthier lives. Being honest about the limits of my own capacity belongs in that conversation, too.

What comes next

Our commitment to accessible care remains. I don’t have our next free clinic date to announce yet, and I want the next one we share to be a date we can confidently deliver.

In the meantime, we will continue sharing educational resources and caring for the patients who place their trust in us every day.

Thank you to everyone who has asked about the clinics, checked in on our family, or shown kindness to our team. Those gestures have mattered more than you may realize.

I still care deeply about building a healthier, happier, more connected community. These experiences have been exhausting, but they have not changed that commitment. Right now, sustaining it means giving myself room to focus on navigating what’s right in front of me so I can keep showing up for the work and the people I love.