Journey from high school chart-filer to respected office manager shows how AADOM supports growth and leadership
Danielle Dailey’s career in dentistry started with a step stool and a stack of paper charts, but it didn’t stop there. Over nearly 3 decades, she’s grown from a high school student working part-time in a dental office to a respected leader and office manager. Through every stage of her journey, Dailey credits the American Association of Dental Office Management (AADOM) with helping her overcome self-doubt, build her skills, and find a professional home.
“I have imposter syndrome,” she said. “So I have a hard time believing that I’m good enough to do a lot of things.” But that began to change after she joined AADOM in 2006. Though she wasn’t in a formal management role at the time, Dailey said she “just grew with them" by attending conferences, gaining new skills in office management and leadership, and connecting with a national community of dental professionals. “It has empowered me to see my worth and realize, ‘You know what? I can do that.'”
Weathering the Storm
When she joined her current practice in 2019, Dailey brought everything she had learned to the table. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit just 4 months later. “It was sink or swim time,” she said. “The rest of the team was on unemployment, so it was the owner and me and one assistant...That was where our trust was built.” From there, she helped manage a massive practice rebuild. “On top of my office manager position, I was a project manager. I had to learn things I didn’t realize I needed to know.”
Year-Round Connection
Dailey’s leadership now extends beyond the walls of her practice. As president of the Baltimore-Annapolis Maryland (BAM) chapter of the AADOM-endorsed Dental Practice Leader Network (DPLN), she helps create the year-round support system she once wished existed.
"We want this feeling all year long,” she said, describing the sense of renewal, motivation, and camaraderie that comes alive at AADOM's annual conference. Through the DPLN, Dailey and her colleagues aim to bottle that magic and keep it flowing—whether through in-person meetups, virtual roundtables, or quick check-ins on a group chat.
The boost from her practice owner has made a difference, too. “He fully supports me,” Dailey said. “He celebrates every accomplishment. I honestly don’t feel like the practice would be as successful as it is without me having this information.”
Today, Dailey is a familiar face in the AADOM community, often stopped by name in conference hallways. “If it wasn’t for the organization, I wouldn’t feel the way I feel, and I wouldn’t have forced myself to make changes,” she said. “Because of AADOM and the people I’ve met, I’m confident, I’m able to lead, and I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
