Professional Courtesy: Joyful Dentistry by Dr. Thomas Giacobbi

by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, editorial director

We only need to look at the comments and message boards on Dentaltown.com to know there are many dentists who feel stuck in this profession.

Some recent threads include:

• Ever Worked in a Toxic Work Environment?
• I Guess I’ve Been At This Too Long
• Does Anyone Actually Know Someone Who Successfully Left Dentistry for Another Career?

I’m not suggesting that all dentists feel this way, all the time. However, I do believe we all feel this way at some point, and these feelings sow the seeds of burnout. When dental professionals experience burnout, there can be many unwanted outcomes: losing good team members, substance abuse, mental illness or divorce.

• Recall a happy memory with a team member.
• Reread one of your five-star reviews online.
• Earn a patient compliment.
• Marvel at the precision of your work with your loupes.
• Put a patient at ease about a procedure.
• Solve a diagnostic puzzle.
• Deliver a perfect crown.
• Restore an anterior tooth.
• Invest in new technology or implement new technology that makes your life easier.
• Call a specialist to say thanks.
• Celebrate a team member’s birthday or work anniversary.
• Help a patient who is in pain.
• Arrive early and make the coffee.
• Answer the office phone—your patient’s happiness will be contagious.
• Volunteer outside the practice.
• Call the lab and thank them for a recent successful case.
• Share a funny story/joke with the team.
• Extract a mobile tooth.
• Rejoice at a perfect impression.

Please comment below this article to add your suggestions for positive moments that help you get through the day. If you have a story to share about overcoming burnout, I’d love to hear from you via email at tom@dentaltown.com.