'Dentistry is Hard': Has The Covid Pandemic Crystallised Doubts and Uncertainties in Your Mind?

January 31, 2021

“I just don’t know anymore, this was all I ever wanted to do, but since March 2020 I have started to question my commitment.”

“The thought of going back to churning out UDAs (Units of Dental Activity) and spending my life covering my backside in case someone makes a complaint is starting to look very unattractive.”

“I was on my way into work last Tuesday and I had to stop the car and try to find the answer. Is this it? Is this all there is?”

There’s a similar message from these three different conversations. All three people were, on the face of it, successful, caring and popular practitioners. They had better than average standards of living, apparently good career prospects and were all thoroughly miserable.

Overwhelmed dentist bent over sitting on stool in clinic

The Covid pandemic has crystallised the doubts and uncertainties that many dentists, and other professionals, have had over recent years. We all accept that there has been a growing problem, with many new, and less new, graduates suffering from anxiety and depression but I see evidence that there is a wider spread general malaise and lack of confidence.

I have written and spoken the three words, “Dentistry is hard” more times than I care to remember. Whilst making the transition from clinician to full-time coach and consultant I worked as a practice analyst. This is an excerpt from one of the first in-depth reports that I produced, for a new practice owner who was close to burnout. “Dentistry is hard; it can be a very lonely place, being a medical professional has unique pressures, having to make immediate decisions with patients that are awake and where you have finite time to complete procedures produces even more pressure. Being the owner and main producer of a small business adds to that sense of the solitary.”

Stressed female clinician with her head in her hands.

In the decade and a half since I wrote those words the pressures have only increased. External forces include the rise in litigation, formal compliance and societal expectations. These can manifest themselves as greater pressure on individuals to do things right first time, every time, faster and more profitably. The rise of social media has tended to distort perspectives where those who shout loudest are seemingly happiest and more successful.

The external forces can become internalised and very few of us have sufficient resilience and self-esteem to escape some feelings of doubt and worry.

It’s hardly any wonder that people in dentistry say to me that, “This isn’t what I signed up for, I’m not sure what I do want but I know it isn’t this.”

When I am asked what I do to help people, I answer that I act as a catalyst for change. The majority of my clients can be described as either at a crossroads or having reached a plateau. What they usually have in common is a need for someone to help them to help them to carry on helping others. The answer seems simple, “find out what you want and do it”. I wish it were that easy, trust me.

Young male dentist looking frustrated

Dentists are intelligent people, trained and experienced as problem solvers, they have initiative and are resourceful. As professionals they exhibit intellectual agility meaning that means they are able to learn, to develop or refine their existing knowledge and skills in response to changing environments.

All those things are great when you are doing things for others but less useful when you are trying to sort things out for yourself or facing challenges that are difficult to comprehend.

There are reasons why you can get stuck and they are often the same reasons that make it is hard to become unstuck. Einstein said, “We cannot solve problems with the same thinking that created them” and who am I to argue with that?

Thoughtful and anxious clinician thinking

An old Russian proverb says, “Chase two rabbits and both will escape”. It reminds me of the line from Matthew’s Gospel about a man being unable to serve two masters. Unfortunately many dentists find themselves trying to serve more than two and their lives resemble one of those circus plate spinning acts trying to deal with demands from patients, the NHS, the bank, the tendrils of the GDC, your team and your soul.

For a re-set you need to take some time out, this is not easy even at the best of times and in 2021 just about impossible. I used to suggest that clients took an overnight retreat but this can be managed simply by walking and thinking. Some broad questions to consider are:

  • Where am I now and what has led to my being in this situation?
  • Is there one thing that I can do that will make a significant difference and improve things?
  • In an ideal world how, and where, would I like to work?
  • What is stopping that from happening?

I think that you can get the picture. Next, imagine that you are looking down at your situation from a viewpoint several miles high. Take time to see everything as part of a bigger picture and try to get some perspective.

Pensive businessman looking in the distance.

Write down your findings, your feelings, and frustrations and start to consider your options.

The next exercise is to imagine that three years have passed and everything in your life has been successful. Feel free to let your imagination flow, nothing is off-limits, no one can stop you dreaming large. Visualise that you are having a holiday with those who are closest to you and you are looking back.

  • Where are you and who are you with?
  • What has happened during those three years that has resulted in your success?

Write this down, either as an essay or bullet points, be detailed, explore every element of your life, including career, family, finances, health, personal growth, physical environment, fun and recreation and love.

Woman writing and creating notes on her laptop

The more in depth the picture that you can paint the better it will be. For instance if you want to move your home, where will you live? What sort of house? What size? And so on. If you want to start your own business get right down to the nitty-gritty of the what, where and why.

Now you have the dreams for three years written down, turn the clock back by two years and describe what will have happened in the first of those years to move you along the path to success. Then, describe what you will do in the next three months, the next month and the next week to take steps forward. What will you do tomorrow?

If it was that easy why doesn’t everyone do it? Great question and one that needs you to look at successful people and the way that they live their lives. Try to adopt their winning habits, adapt them to your needs and improve them for yourself.

You must to want change enough to make things happen, for that you need conviction, clarity and consistency if any of these are missing then you will not be successful (my thanks to Gavin Ingham for teaching me this triad).

Confident and happy male dentist

Of course, if it were that easy, we would all be millionaires. Why do people fail? Firstly, and most often, they give up, the first second or third fence brings them down and they retreat into the old habits and routines. Second they batter themselves against the exit door without trying to open it. Third they attempt to make huge changes in a short time, get your focus on one or two big things and enjoy the satisfaction of completion before retaking your guard and moving on.

We are living in trying times, anxiety and stress are everywhere, you have enough in your own life, don’t let others make you carry their baggage too.

 

Alun Rees - The Dental Business Coach

 

 

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