Professional Courtesy: Sympathy for the Dentist by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD

by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine


Twenty years, to be exact—that's the amount of time I've been a dentist. And I have been involved with Dentaltown since the beginning. You already know that you are fortunate to be in this profession—other dentists are quick to say it and even the occasional non-dentist acknowledges the fact. However, you will encounter the intermittent barrage of "I hate the dentist" comments from your future patients, and I sincerely hope it doesn't get to you. Some simply dislike the experience, others are bothered because they think you "charge too much," and a few abhor the fact that you killed a beloved lion. You can do something about the last one, but the other two—well, that's the nature of our game.

Introducing yourself
I think the early years as a dentist can be the most difficult because it is a time when you are refining your skills and building confidence. You just came out of school, but you're still learning. In addition, your ability to earn a living will depend on the great variability of humans.

A sad reality about dental school is that you are not there long enough to see things fail. You might see a filling or two that's sensitive and needs to be redone, or a dry socket, or a stainless-steel crown that comes off, but when you spend enough time in one place, you will own all of those problems.

Some will argue that not everything in life is perfect—surgeons don't guarantee their work. If you have the discipline to stand behind your work, patients will respect your integrity and they will understand the things we cannot control. In other words, own the problems that you can fix and anticipate the others before they happen. This is the essence of informed consent. If you are explaining an outcome to a patient after the fact, it's an excuse.

Luckily for you, the magazine you are holding in your hand is the print version of the world's largest group of connected dental professionals. Our members understand the nature of this game better than anybody on the planet. In other words, we get you.


Some courtesy and some sympathy
Dentaltown.com will provide the support that you need throughout your career. Whether you take the time to read another dentist's struggle with a case and learn from the outcome, or you ask a question and discover that dental professionals from around the world are willing to share advice, or you sneak a moment to laugh at another dentist's jokes, you'll find that this community will have your back and understand you like no one else can. When you are ready to sharpen your skills, our extensive library of online CE will be available to you any time.

The most important tool available to you is our mobile app. Available for both iPhone and Android devices, the Dentaltown app is your mobile connection to thousands of dental professionals around the world. Facebook friends are nice for sharing a cat video or picture of their baby, but your friends on Dentaltown will contribute to your professional success throughout your career in dentistry.

I sincerely hope you will take advantage of the tools we provide to improve dentistry and ensure that no dentist practices alone. If you have a question or comment, please share it in the online version of this article or send me an email: tom@dentaltown.com.. If you are on Twitter, I'm @ddsTom.