DeW Life is a movement empowering, connecting and celebrating women in dentistry by inspiring growth, highlighting achievements, and building community.

DeW Life is a movement for inspiring, highlighting, connecting, and empowering all women in dentistry.

Richness of DeW is the collaboration.

At DeW Life, our mission is to inspire and celebrate women in dentistry while staying true to a shared commitment to excellence. We believe in using our unique talents to uplift others while prioritizing self-care and personal growth.

We're here to bridge the gap in representation, empowering female leaders and amplifying inspirational voices in dentistry. Our goal is to show young women entering the field that endless opportunities await, to encourage those in the trenches to speak up and shine, and to motivate seasoned professionals to give back and keep going—because as we proudly say, DeWs never retire!

We empower by sharing success stories in business, life, and spirituality.

We call it DeW for Dental Entrepreneur Women. We believe that all women are entrepreneurs. They run the household, they run the schedule, they run the gatherings, they run the spending. They run life. They dew life. They are Dental Entrepreneur Women. We want to be your voice.

DeW Life can't do it alone. We need your stories. We need your inspiration!

The Principles of DeW

DewLife-dental-entrepreneur-woman-retreat

Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
Just DeW it!
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
Good DeWs find good DeWs.
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
The answer is in the ladies room.
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
Be kind. Don’t be a Jerk.
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
Honor people in their absence. No gossiping.
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
Give people the benefit of the doubt. No judging.
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
“To whom much is given, much is expected.” Luke 12:48
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
Start and don’t stop. DeWs never retire.
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.
Never give up on your dreams!
Look for opportunities that build on our strengths.

Anne's Story

Bossy little girls become strong leaders. My dad used to lovingly call me a pushy broad. My grandmother lovingly noted that I was very loud, and my brother was grateful when I tried to chase the bullies away from him. To this day I will ask for raises for my co-workers if I think they are deserving. It came as no surprise that when I realized women in dentistry were not getting their due, not getting paid the same, not getting the keynotes, not getting the respect they deserve, being bullied and /or harassed at work, (need I go on?) that I would do what I could to change that. Yes, the birth of DeW Life was in my DNA.

On Thursday, July 18, 2016, I hung up the phone and I was outraged. It was 4:30 in the afternoon and I had just had enough! My friend and colleague, whom I admired immensely, was sharing her experience that day of being bullied and berated. “They said my smile was insincere.” I knew this DeW and she is one of the sincerest people I know. Hearing similar stories as I broadened my reach, it hit me. It was simply time to do something. Time to inspire women in the dental industry. Time to fill a pipeline of female leaders. Time to highlight women in our field. Time to connect friends and colleagues. Time to highlight their achievements. Time to raise all women!

That afternoon I decided to start a new publication and called it DeW Life magazine for the Dental entrepreneur Woman. Every woman is truly entrepreneurial, spinning multiple plates. My goal is to applaud you with DeW Life – It is for You, about You and by You. DeW Life is all for you!

Anne Duffy

Founder, Dental Entrepreneur Woman

anneduffy@dew.life

In Sheryl Sandberg's words, "It is the ultimate luxury to combine passion and contribution. It's also a very clear path to happiness."

My talents and experience lead me to this juncture. I have been in dental since I graduated from The Ohio State University in 1974, with a major in dental hygiene and a minor in education. Moving all over the country following my husband’s career earned me 6 state boards and loads of experience in many dental offices. When we landed in Charlotte, NC, we had 3 beautiful kids and decided it was time to stop moving them around, so my husband decided to quit his job and start his own chemical company. Of course, I thought it was a genius move until the reality of a start-up settled in and our private schools, country club and my tennis game slowly became jeopardized. I joined a Networking Dental company where I could work part time along with my two days of seeing patients in the dental office. Through that company I gained leadership and team building skills, working with diverse dental professionals along the way.

Two years into building my organization I met a gentleman starting a new magazine, Dental Entrepreneur, going to all the dental schools on the business side of dentistry. He asked me to come on board to sell advertising to dental companies. I said, “Yes.” That was in 1998. This gave way to building expansive relationships in the dental arena, from marketers, accountants, attorneys, business owners, speakers, consultants and authors.

By 2001, I owned Dental Entrepreneur: Business Beyond the Classroom, and the rest is history. When I hung up the phone on that fateful Thursday, starting another publication felt like my calling! In Sheryl Sandberg's words, "It is the ultimate luxury to combine passion and contribution. It's also a very clear path to happiness."