What will you remember most about the past two years? To say they’ve been challenging may be the understatement of the century. Both personally and professionally, the COVID-19 pandemic (just hearing that word can cause anxiety, right?) has brought so many new challenges into our lives, and like it or not, we’re apparently not quite done with it. Is there any good news in all of this?
Yes! 100% yes! Right now is an amazing time to be alive. We have access to information, technology, and opportunities that our grandparents could not even have imagined. Even with all of the hard things in the world, including the many new challenges that dentists and dental practices face, now is still a wonderful time to be alive.
In the spirit of the season, here are five reasons you should love dentistry now more than ever. If you have a moment to count your blessings in the next few weeks, consider including these on your list.
Your Team
When you look back over the past two years, who has been there with you, every step of the way? It’s the people you work with, day after day. Even if your practice has experienced significant turnover or you are one of the many practices currently short-staffed, being grateful for your dental family is certainly needed at the moment. You have laughed and cried together, covered for one another, leaned on each other, and just flat out been there for your practice family in the middle of many exhausting days, weeks, and months. More than you may ever know, your strength has lifted many of your patients and brought hope to the hopeless. If you love your team, be sure and let them know.
Your Patients
Yes, sometimes your patients can drive you crazy. But don’t forget, they’ve been through the past two years as well. No doubt you have seen the worry on their faces as they’ve come in for appointments. That right there is a reason to be grateful for them. In a period where many patients have been hesitant to return to the dentist, those coming in deserve your gratitude for doing so. They have voted with their feet. Another thing to remember about your patients is that they are more selective than ever about who they trust with their health. In a day when they can easily compare reviews and what patients have said about their experience, they have validated all the hard work you are doing to provide them with exceptional care. P.S. They are also the reason you are still in business! Keep showing them your gratitude. Little things mean a lot. In the end, the best part of owning or working in a dental practice is the people you get to take such good care of. This is worth celebrating, over and over again!
Technology
We’re not going to lie; this is one of our favorites. Think of the incredible things you can do right now in a dental practice with modern technology. Implants. CEREC. Intraoral scanners. Robotics. Digital x-rays. 3D printing. Of course, Open Dental! Not to mention practice analytics platforms like Dental Intelligence, online scheduling solutions, and patient communication systems. Dozens of other remarkable new tools and software solutions could be listed here. The point is obvious – technology has forever changed almost everything about how patients are treated and how a dental practice operates. Now is an incredible time to practice. Just imagine if you went back in time even 5-10 years ago and had to practice without the technologies you now use every day. No thanks, right? All of these new tools and solutions are helping dentists to provide even more and better dentistry than ever before. Don’t you just love this?
Your Impact
In the middle of a hard day, it can be easy to forget why you got into dentistry. Exhaustion has become an everyday experience. Sometimes the phone never stops ringing. And if you have to wear a mask for one more minute… Please know that we absolutely celebrate you and the important work you do. You are changing lives, one patient at a time. Not everyone can say that about their job, of course. But you can. You are doing work each day that makes a big difference in the quality of life for your patients. Hold onto that thought when things are hard. In moments of strain, reflect on the many times a patient has said “thank you” for the care they received. In the big picture, the “little” things you do each day are anything but little in the lives of your patients. This is a big reason to keep loving what you do.
Growth
In a way, this one relates to each of the previous reasons given to love being in dentistry. You have so many opportunities to grow! Personal growth. Professional growth. Practice growth. Being part of a team, working with great patients, learning how to use new technology, and remembering your impact on your patients each contribute to your personal development. Research has shown that believing you have a purpose in your work is one of the most important factors in how you feel about your job. If you are growing and thriving in your work, that is going to directly impact the experience your patients and team members have with you. In other words, if you’re happy at work, you’re helping to make others happy as well. Even though your job might be stressful right now, don’t lose sight of how much you are growing. This is one more reason to love being in dentistry.
What would you add to this list? Regardless of what you would include, without question this is a great time to be in dentistry. From all of us at Dental Intelligence, we wish you a safe and joyful holiday season. There’s so much to be grateful for!
Want to learn more about how to create a growing, data-driven dental practice? Dental Intelligence would love to help! To get started, visit us today and request your free practice analysis, courtesy of Open Dental. We’re here to help you grow like never before!