Step Up, Speak Up: Public Speaking Coaching for Confident Communication
Thursday, November 19, 2026 (6:30 PM - 7:30 PM) (CST)
Description
Date & Time: November 19, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. CT / 7:30 p.m. ET
Speakers: Deborah Galuk, Ph.D.
CEs: Earn 1 CE
Description:
Confidence on stage doesn't start on stage. Most dentists feel entirely confident in clinical work but lose that confidence the moment they need to present to a group, speak up in a difficult staff conversation, or navigate a hard moment with a patient. That drop in confidence isn't about lacking knowledge. It comes from specific, nameable barriers: fear of being judged or criticized, pressure to have every answer ready, or a nagging feeling that someone else is more qualified than you, or that you don't belong in the room. This interactive session builds public speaking confidence using an approach that also strengthens how you communicate everywhere else, with patients, with your team, and in the moments that matter most. You'll learn a simple, repeatable framework for preparing any message with confidence, so you know what you think and how to say it, whether you have five minutes or five days to prepare. You'll also learn a practical mindset shift you can use in real time: swapping the pressure to "perform and get it right" for a focus on genuinely connecting with your audience so you can serve generously. Every concept comes paired with a concrete tool you can use the next day. You'll practice a confidence self-check you can run before any conversation, so speaking up becomes something you do on purpose instead of something you have to brace for and endure. You'll leave with more confidence in what to say, a way to prepare it, and a clearer sense of your own voice, on stage and off.
Learning Objectives:
- Name the specific internal barriers — fear of being judged or criticized, self-doubt, feeling less qualified or like you don't belong — that most commonly block confident communication, and a quick way through it.
- Apply a repeatable framework to prepare a clear message for a presentation, a patient conversation, or a difficult staff discussion.
- Use a concrete self-check, before speaking, to shift from anxious performance to genuine connection.
- Apply the same confidence-building tools across formal presentations and everyday professional communication.
About Dr. Galuk:
Dr. Deborah Galuk is the founder and CEO of Human Rx®, a transformational development company helping accomplished professionals perform at their best from the inside out. With 30+ years as a speaker, consultant, and executive coach, she holds a PhD from the University of Minnesota, where she conducted pioneering doctoral research on coaching executive women. Her client experience includes consulting with and coaching healthcare executives, including those at the Mayo Clinic. A trusted voice in dental specialty education, she has presented at multiple FLIP (Future Leaders in Prosthodontics) conferences and serves as an online faculty coach for the Sweet Spot Leadership program.
