After the first few weeks of my new dentisting job I actually was starting to wonder if I could continue in this career for years and years. It didn’t seem so bad, wasn’t too stressful and was almost enjoyable.
Yesterday however, it was like the universe wanted to remind me that no – dentistry is not your forever career.
It certainly wasn’t a horrible day. I did not drive home in tears as I have in past positions. However, I did drive home with a sore neck and back.
Yes, dentistry beats the crap out of your body – even more so than a marathon or Ironman! (And, I do know from personal experience!) I have recently gotten established with a chiropractor where we now live and the cost in money and time is insane to try to keep myself remotely feeling good.
I now work just one day/week in dentistry and I can still feel it. It sucks. I don’t want to give my health to what is essentially a job. As I age I want to be able to be active and do the many things I enjoy!
Dentistry really is a “team sport” and when one team member is out, especially one of your main assistants, it really makes a difference in your day. You can do the best you can but the team can make or break how stressful, or not, your day is.
Do they (the assistant) make it easier for you to prep a tooth? Do they keep your mirror clean? Do they have everything set up so you aren’t constantly having to stop for them to get something?
These little things do add up – stress in a day – and time. Contrary to what patients may think I want to be like Get Go so they can get in, get out, and get going! I want the procedure to be as smooth and fast as possible. Then everybody, including myself, is happy.
I know this is one of my struggles with dentistry. I have to rely on others. Most of the time that is ok but when things don’t go smoothly or a team member is out it makes it much more difficult to do.
Oftentimes things may happen that I have zero control over but in the patient’s eyes it’s perceived poorly on me when again, it has nothing to do with me, my skills or knowledge. But I can’t (and don’t) say that.
I constantly feel like I’m at battle with patients. I have difficult conversations all the time and have to give patients bad news. I know you don’t want to have any cavities but it would be worse if I didn’t tell you and you had a toothache on New Years.
I often have multiple patients to see at the same time, or in the same hour. I wish you were the only patient but dental offices can’t and don’t operate that way. That’s yet another thing that stresses me being a dentist. I like to run on time and not have anyone waiting. However, even though I do my best, and stress myself out in the process, a patient is often waiting. Because I am only one person, trying to see two or three patients on the hour and do multiple hygiene exams.
Another thing that comes to mind from my dentisting days is the waiting – not just a patient waiting for me but me being ready and waiting! I know some of this one is on me and I’m working on “relaxing” at work but I see the schedule and just want to get to it. But oftentimes there are delays, like a new patient filling out paperwork, x-rays being taken, or technology not cooperating and working correctly.
And on that note with the two paragraphs above – it seems like in a dental office it’s either what I call “feast or famine.” What I mean is that there are either 5 patients to see or no patients to see. Everything seems to happen at the same time, or not at all! Waiting, waiting, waiting and then bam! I need to be in 3, 4, or 5 places at once!
If you are a fellow dentist, I hope you can relate to some, most, or even all of this. If you are a patient, I hope maybe the next time you see your dentist you remember these things and perhaps offer a little grace because at the end of the day dentists are people too. Most of us sincerely want to help you, not cause you pain, and do our best!
And, I’m going to keep on dentisting for now, but also continue to work on figuring out what’s next for me!