Siblings share an inextricable, one-of-a-kind bond. They’ve been through it all together—from the embarrassing moments to the triumphs and all the family reunions—and they’re the only ones who understand (and probably share) the little quirks that date back to childhood. But have you ever wondered what it would be like to work with your sibling?
Siblings Dr. Porter and Dr. Peles are the second in a series of interviews with three sets of employee siblings at Affiliated Dentists. To read part 1 with Sister set: Dr. Budde and Dr. Dendinger.
Dr. Brian Porter :: Dr. Laura Peles
Have you ever worked together at the same company prior to Affiliated Dentists?
Brian: Oddly enough we worked at the same grocery store company in Washington during college albeit not at the same time and not at the same store or in the same job position.
Laura: That’s true, however, we were in the same class in dental school. The simulation lab seating was done by alphabetical order and we were also randomly placed in the same clinic, so we spent a lot of time working together in dental school.
Do you have a different relationship than when you were younger? Do you think your younger selves would be surprised you work together now? Why or why not?
Brian: I would say no. We’ve always had the same type of relationship. We would probably be surprised we ended up working together – there are just so many different directions you can go in life that it’s pretty cool that we both ended up at the same place.
Laura: We have always been very close. We do not have any other siblings so we were together most of the time growing up. We are both athletic and were involved in many sports. We spent many hours cheering each other on at various sporting events. The support just continued as we grew older. We are always encouraging and helping each other. I never really thought about it growing up or even as we went through dental school but I am not surprised now that we wound up in the same city and working together at the same office.
Who’s older? What’s the age difference between you two?
Brian: Laura is “older”
Laura: Yes, I am about 2 years older and wiser than Brian.
Do you talk about work at family gatherings?
Brian: Sure – although we try not to. We have a lot of other things to talk about with the 3 boys.
Laura: When we get together outside of work it is usually a little chaotic. Brian has a 3 year old and I have twins that are 3 and a 6 year old — ALL BOYS. They are all very active, so it gets a little crazy. Usually it is all about them, however, we do not actively avoid talking about work. It usually has a way of coming up.
Are there any other dentists in the family?
Brian: Our mother was a dental hygienist for 30+ years. She worked in the state of Washington.
Laura: Since she was a dental hygienist, we kind of grew up in and around the dental office. I remember always being interested in the medical field and dental field. As I got older, I could see how much my mom truly loved her job. I became more interested in the field of dentistry, but it was not until later in high school and ultimately college that I decided dentistry was what I wanted to do.
How has your dynamic as siblings boosted your relationship and career?
Brian: I think it’s made us even closer. We both have a good understanding of what’s going on in each other’s lives which helps us stay connected.
Laura: The supportive and encouraging relationship that we have has brought us through a lot over the years. We have been working together for the past 5 years and it has been great. We work together on Fridays and it is the perfect way to end the week.
Request an appointment with Dr. Porter or Dr. Peles.
