One of the great things about having parents, is that you can watch what they do, learn by their mistakes and then, either choose to repeat them or go in a different direction.

Well dentistry can be like this too. We can learn from our elders, choose to repeat their mistakes or adopt their successes. Along the way, we realise that dental school equips us for the job but can’t give us the experience. So we go out into the world and by trial and error we develop a style of our own. 

Some of us are wildly successful but sacrifice our marriage and family in the process, a necessary casualty of our own success. Others plod along and just get by, while some thrive in all departments. The problem is that it takes time to work out which one of these people you are.

You work as an associate on a varying percentage, learn all you can from the boss before heading out the door to set up your own dream. You do what he did and if you are lucky you get what he got. On the other hand you struggle not understanding why what worked for her doesn’t work for you!

Before you set up in practice, stay as an associate, prefer to be a locum or just work part time, it is invaluable to understand just what you, as a human being, bring to the table.

 Get this, understand the patients and you will work in your flow, stress will be easy to overcome and life, with its ups and downs will be well managed. Working in your strengths rather than struggling in your weaknesses. Once you gain this understanding you will know where and how to place yourself in the market place, who to employ and which patients are better somewhere else! 

The great thing about being long in the tooth is you get to understand the drill – pun intended. You see what works, what doesn’t work and more importantly what doesn’t work for you.

Come and spend some time with me, be entertained, be stretched and recognise who you are and your particular gift to dentistry.