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Dr. Samantha Dove

Dr. Samantha Dove is originally from San Antonio, Texas and has recently moved to Cincinnati from Atlanta, GA with her husband Sam and their dog Koda.

She was a springboard and platform diver for the University of Texas at Austin and has been a Doctor of Physical Therapy for over 5 years. Dr. Dove treats all orthopedic conditions with special interest in the spine, chronic pain, vestibular, and TMJ/TMD populations. She has her Manual Therapy Certification through the University of St. Augustine (USA) and has extensive dry needling training with KinetaCore.

Dr. Dove highly values continuing education in a variety of physical therapy topics but has taken special interest in the CranioFacial courses through USA to advance her TMD treatment skills. Health and wellness are a natural interest of hers in her personal life including participating in activities such as yoga, running, gardening, reading, cooking, family walks at Eden Park and all things self care! She is very excited to explore Cincinnati and to be joining the team at Anchor Wellness Center!

Dr. Dove sends out a monthly newsletter as well! Click here:

Learn More About WAVE Physical Therapy + Pilates: makeawavecincy.com

Want to know more about Samantha? See her interview below.

Samantha Dove Anchor Wellness Cincinnati OH Physical Therapist

BACKGROUND

How did you get into your field?

I was a springboard and platform diver from 4th grade through college. My interest started in the training room while I was a diver at the University of Texas, where I realized taking better care of my body and rehabbing appropriately resulted in better athletic performance and reduced injuries. My passion for physical therapy grew while recovering from a diving-related neck injury that was resolved with manual therapy. Experiencing healing and reassurance from purely hands-on treatment made me fall in love with providing minimally invasive treatment for others!

What is your training background?

I have a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with a minor in Biology from the University of Texas at Austin. I then went on to receive my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from The University of St. Augustine (USA)-Austin. I have completed the Manual Therapy Certification through USA and have extensive dry needling training with KinetaCore. I am also set to complete USA’s 4 course CranioFacial series by the end of 2021. I have been practicing as a DPT for 5 years and treating TMJ patients all of those years. I have used Pilates equipment in conjunction with treating for the last year and thoroughly enjoy wellness in my own life, which helps me bring in fresh ideas to treatment.

Who influenced your career path (who have you enjoyed learning from, mentor, etc.)?

I was first influenced by the practitioner who helped treat me when I was suffering from an atypical neck injury while I was a collegiate diver. Dr. Bandy taught me the value of hands-on intervention firsthand; his expertise in anatomy, manual therapy, and holistic/comprehensive care has been the basis of my own treatment style ever since!

The first physical therapist I ever observed while in undergrad was also a previous diver at UT and was one of the first PT’s in Austin to start his own self-pay, manual therapy focused clinic. He taught me how to be a “different” kind of therapist and recognize the value and skill we can bring to the medical system by being the experts of the neuromusculoskeletal system and really pay attention to our patients.

The PT I shadowed at a nursing home while in undergrad said something very profound on my last day that has stuck with me and been a guiding principle ever since. She told me that one of the most important things you can do as a therapist is to have your patient trust you. That if you don’t earn their trust based on the type of care you are providing, then you probably are not doing it right.

I also have been extremely fortunate to be surrounded by amazing therapists throughout my career thus far. In Austin, I worked with the top TMJ therapists in the area and also worked under a vestibular specialist during my career. I’ve really enjoyed learning and sharing knowledge/skills from the great clinicians around me!

What makes you love your field?

I love taking some of the fear out of medicine. I have a passion for empowering patients through education because I believe half of healing is understanding and feeling heard. I love when patients realize how much they can do to promote healing for themselves by lifestyle choices and treatment techniques in conservative settings such as physical therapy. I also greatly enjoy connecting with patients on a 1 on 1 level so they can experience a very individualized treatment session where they feel truly cared for. I learn so much from every patient encounter and I love that!

INTERESTS/SPECIALITIES

What kind of clients do you love working with?

I love working with clients who are eager to learn and feel excited about movement and wellness. I’ve always enjoyed working with chronic pain patients because it provides me an opportunity to be the one to guide them towards healing and improved quality of life. I enjoy a variety with work, so I’m happy to work with all kinds of patients! But my specialty is in the TMD/headache population- I especially love educating this group because it is not well understood, and physical therapy can do so much to improve their life!

What sets you apart?

I am known for my patient education and explanations. I truly value conveying information in a compassionate and professional way that is relatable and can be understood by the individual. I find that is a missing piece in most patient’s experience with healthcare, and I love to provide that difference. I am also a natural born optimist and encourager! 🙂

What’s your mission?

My mission is to change the way patients view physical therapy and healing. I hope after being my patient, they feel confident in their ability to promote wellness in their own lives, feel excited about movement and self-care, and feel encouraged by the type of physical therapy care they received because they felt it was very thorough and valuable to them as an individual.

HOBBIES

What brings you joy?

What brings you joy? What do you do with your spare time?

Nature brings me joy! My husband and I enjoy being outside hiking and exploring with our dog Koda 🙂 I also love plants and flowers and Cincinnati seems to have several awesome plant and flower shops, which I am very excited about! Movement brings me joy as well- I love to exercise, and I am not very good at being stagnant. Food also brings me joy! My husband and I both enjoy cooking and trying new restaurants!

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