The Unseen Curriculum: Formation series #6 – When ambition outpaces judgement with Dr Michael Frazis

Hosted by Dr Michael (Mike) Shambira In this episode of the Formation series, Mike sits down with Dr Michael Frazis, Director of Education at Ripe Global, to explore the blind spots that shape early-career growth in dentistry. Drawing from years of teaching and mentoring clinicians, Michael Frazis shares insights on ambition, judgement, efficiency, and the common traps dentists fall into when trying to progress too quickly. The conversation focuses on developing calibration, building competence before speed, and understanding what truly compounds over the long term. This episode is about stepping back, thinking clearly, and approaching growth with intention rather than urgency. Connect with Mike and Dr Michael Frazis here If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or friend who’s early in their journey.If there are specific guests or topics you’d like to see next, reach out via Instagram; we’re always looking to shape this series around what would be most valuable for listeners. Key moments (00:00) Introduction to Early Career Blind Spots(03:45) Setting Intentional Goals as a Dentist(08:20) Overambition vs Underambition Risks(12:10) Social Media&#8217;s Double-Edged Sword(17:30) Avoiding Comparison and Staying Aligned(22:50) Quantifying Goals and Tracking Progress(28:15) Efficiency After Quality in Procedures(33:40) Using Repetition and Feedback for Growth(39:00) Clinical Photography and Documentation(45:20) Long-Term Separation of Success Paths(50:50) Giving Yourself Grace as a New Grad(55:30) Removing Time Distortions for Success Dr Michael Frazis Thank you to our sponsors&#8230; The OrthoED institute <img decoding="async" width="2560" height="917" src="https://www.dentalheadstart.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ORTHOED_INSTITUTE_MASTER_LOGOwithpostioningline-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-6212" style="aspect-ratio:2.7917655161858117;width:678px;height:auto" srcset="https://www.de