Professional Courtesy: This Will Be On Your Final Exam Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

 
This Will Be On Your Final Exam
– by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine

Welcome to the new grad edition of Dentaltown Magazine. If there is one thing you learn in dental school as you develop new skills, it is this: there is tremendous value in taking the time to do things right the first time. Dentistry is a challenging profession with a human element; employees, patients and teeth will not always behave in the same way you learned in school.

When I graduated from dental school in 1995 I had the honor of giving the commencement address to my classmates. The opening line to my speech was adapted from a popular movie at the time, Forrest Gump. I said, “If life is like a box of chocolates, then why was dental school such a bitter experience?” Needless to say, the opening line attracted the attention of my classmates as well as dental school professors. One of the many possible answers to that question: “Dental school is not real life.”

Chances are, by now, you have already figured this fact out for yourself. An objective observer realizes that dental school needs to be this way so that everyone can learn. The real world of dental practice is filled with so much variation that you can never learn all you need to know in four short years. I would encourage graduates to pursue a hospitalbased general practice residency as I did (Editor’s Note: See page 62 for David Kahn’s office visit.), but I realize that is not the best option for everyone. One thing you must realize and accept is that when you graduate you are not finished learning.

I started my practice with my dentist-wife seven years after our graduation from dental school. While this might seem a long time to wait, we both had separate experiences working for other dentists and in our case, moved across the country. This time helped us to understand exactly what we wanted in our own practice and to find a proper location. When new graduates rush to make these decisions they can become disappointed and frustrated as the real world of dentistry is more than just senior clinic over and over again. The greatest challenge you will face is the operation of your business; people issues are at the top of most lists.

Fortunately, today you are blessed to have access to thousands of dentists around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Dentaltown.com is a resource for dentists of all skill levels and in your early years of practice, it can be one of your greatest mentors. Learning takes many forms on Dentaltown; you can view online CE courses, participate in message board discussions, or learn by reading the interactions of your more experienced colleagues. Dentaltown Magazine is the companion to the Web site and provides not only some of the best content from our message boards, but also original articles and industry news.

We have created this special issue specifically for you. The content within is intended to give you a sample of what is available from Dentaltown. Please take a few moments to complete the free, online registration process on Dentaltown.com and maintain your subscription to our magazine. Welcome to the profession!

You can contact Tom at tom@dentaltown.com, or you can find him on Dentaltown.com by his display name “NY2AZ.”

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