Hello friend!

I’m Mike.

I like…

…telling jokes

…taking pictures

…writing about authenticity, meaningfulness, happiness

AND…

…teaching people about oral health care?

Yup. That too.

I started doing stand-up comedy when I was in dental school back in 2012. This may have been the most important decision I’ve ever made. Don’t worry, I’m not married, so I don’t have a wife to slap me for saying that or any children to be sad that their papa doesn’t think they matter as much as comedy.

Anywhoozle, I started taking photos because of stand-up. This was maybe the 22nd most important decision I’ve made in my life, but that’s still pretty high up on the list if you think about it. Quitting playing World of Warcraft is probably number 38, and that was a life-changer, believe me. Did you know there’s a whole world outside of the World of Warcraft that needs us to help fight dragons?

Why do I like writing? Well, I got myself a big ole’ fancy philosophy degree before I went to dental school (technically, the program is called Philosophy, Politics, and the Public or PPP). Folks in “the humanities” really like it when you write down lots of words. I don’t so much like the writing as I like the thinking part. I really like thinking. I think that’s why I like jokes too. The writing is whatevs. Honestly, it kinda makes my fingers tired. Still, until we can all chit-chat telepathically, I’ll keep typing because boy oh boy, do I have lots of stuff bouncin’ around up here (I’m alone in my room pointing at my brain cage right now) that I’d like to share. Clickity clack, clackity click.

Oh yea, and I’m also supposed to be a dentist. That’s my other job. What’s a dentist doing spending all this time clickity clacking for? Aren’t there mouths out there that need sugary cereal drop-kicked out of them? Yes. However, rather than drop-kicking patients, I think it’s better to empower them to take charge of their own health. I’m not trying to judge anyone. I understand how difficult it can be to live a healthy lifestyle in our culture (and I fall short myself all the time).

As a dentist, I’ve learned a lot about the barriers that get in the way of patients getting the care they need. I have also become convinced that the best medicine is preventative medicine, but for patients to practice preventative medicine they have to see the massive value in it and understand it. I meet patients every day who have never had anyone sit with them and talk in a caring way about how they can improve their health.

That bums me out, but, as a dentist, I also understand the barriers that make it difficult for dentists to help patients in the ideal way they wish they could. The possible solution my brain coughed up was to go online. Use the Intenetz bro! Lots of people look at the Internetz. You can teach them that way! Hooray!

So, if you like silliness you can follow me on Twitter, TikTok, and my comedy Instagram.

If you’re mainly a photo junkie, my photography Instagram is where you’ll find all the juiciest pics.

If you feel a bit lost in life and are wondering what it’s all about, might I suggest checking out my blog series as well as the Book Recommendations page on this site? No joke, my philosophy degree was probably more important in steering my ship on the right course in life than my dental degree. I want to share the best life advice I’ve come across with whoever wants it. And if you don’t want it, that’s cool too.

If you’re afraid of the dentist, can’t afford to go (Trust me, I get it. It’s not cheap. It takes a tremendous amount of time, energy, and resources to deliver high-quality dental care solutions to existing problems. Preventative care is your best friend.), want to feel more confident about a particular dental appointment/treatment, or would just like to understand how you can take better care of yourself and your family with simple habits and dental care “life hacks,” then check out my YouTube channel.

Oh yea, almost forgot! I like telling jokes live and in person too. If you ever happen to be in Cincinnati, OH, please do check out Go Bananas Comedy Club.

I hope to travel more to perform stand-up eventually. Maybe I’ll make it to your city someday. If you want occasional updates on projects I release (a comedy album, a comedy tour, a book, a new video series, possibly a podcast someday), you can sign up for my mailing list at the bottom of the page, and I’ll keep in touch.

I’ll never spam you. I’ll never sell your email to someone else. Why? Cuz I’m not a big meanie jerk-face booger-head.

I want you to be a fan of mine. I want you to enjoy and gain value from the content I produce. As a fan of the work I do, I want you to be able to trust me. Therefore and thus, I shall only send thee content if I think it will be fun and useful for ye.

Also, if this all makes me sound like a raving lunatic, I get it. I’m not for everybody. As someone with plenty of anxiety to spare, I questioned jumping off into the internet abyss like this more than you’ll ever know. I feel about as vulnerable as a naked turtle without its shell in the showers after gym class in high school right now. However, I hardly think I can dish out the advice I do in my blog and via all this recommended reading if I’m not willing to live it out myself. Ya dig?

Thanks for reading.

Have a lovely day!

Sin-cereal-ably,

Mike Franke