It has been a long but fulfilling 10 years of hard work in organized dentistry – or “dental-land,” as I like to affectionally call it.

Dr. Patel

I often talk about losing my community of colleagues and friends once dental school graduation happened, and how my work in the associations has brought me a new community. They are the support system I didn’t realize I needed, the mentors who have worked through countless personal and professional situations with me, and the friends who still stand by me, no matter what.

I am lucky.

My most favorite person, the one who I have always looked up to first (and the most), also happens to be my boss, my father. Through his eyes, with his wisdom, we have treated generations of patients in our hometown, Westchester County. It has, and continues to be, the best journey I have ever taken.

But what of the students, residents, and new dentists, who are our successors? I decided long ago that I was going to work hard to pay these blessings forward however I could. For me, its been my work with the new graduates, the members of the dental education community, and those trying to find their way, that has been the most rewarding.

Women, ethnic minorities, and new dentists (the American Dental Association defines new dentists as anyone who graduated less than 10 years ago from dental school), are flooding into the workforce in ever increasing numbers.

The American Student Dental Association, our counterparts in the dental education system, is full of driven, motivated, bright individuals, who lead their organization with conviction and fairness, and truly represent a diverse and inclusive body, reflective of its members.

What about us? The ADA and its tripartite – the state dental associations, and our local component dental societies, are made up of volunteer dentists who move through the ranks of leadership in various pathways to councils and committees. As the landscape of dentistry changes, are we, too, striving to be diverse and inclusive? Some would say yes.

The ADA Institute for Diversity in Leadership teaches valuable leadership skills to a small group each year, culminating in a project that puts these skills to use. I am part of this year’s class. Collaborating with the others in my group, learning and growing, and hearing their insights, have been amongst the most invaluable takeaways for me. It also opened my eyes to the incredible discrimination that we, as younger members of our profession face.

Our House of Delegates is the voting body of our association and is 483 members strong. New dentists make up about 30% of active ADA membership but only occupy 5% of the delegate positions nationally. Yes, some states strive to work at filling the pipeline to leadership with a diverse range of doctors. Many of the most qualified amongst us are former ASDA leaders. However, there is a marked drop-off of former ASDA leaders staying involved in organized dentistry in similar capacities to what they were in dental school.

Why is this?

I can speak from my experience. I have been told I was too young. I have been told I was too inexperienced. I have also been told that new dentists will never be allowed in positions of leadership simply based on age.

For some, this may have put up an unsurmountable barrier. For me, it fueled my desire to fight back against these conscious (and unconscious) biases by working hard and providing real results in the work of the association.

To that end, the New York State Dental Association, my home state organization, passed a resolution in 2019 marking out a new dentist position on every state council. This is in alignment with the council system at the ADA. It was a hard-fought victory, and even on the floor of our House of Delegates, the same concerns were brought up.

After hours of emotionally draining testimony, a colleague of mine stood at the “pro” mic and simply said the following, which brought it home for all of us. Her words were “We are all dentists, aren’t we? We have the same degree. We are all humans.” As she stepped of the floor, there was a stunned silence in her wake. Her words rang true.

There is still much work to be done, together.  The statistics support this. Our leadership is not reflective of the changing landscape of dentistry, and if we are to secure the future of our profession, this must change. Change is hard, and change takes time. But I believe in us. And I believe that we can do better. Because, everyone matters.

Dr. Amrita R. Patel grew up in Chappaqua, New York, and graduated from the New York University College of Dentistry in 2011 before completing a general practice residency at the Nassau University Medical Center. Dr. Patel is a general dentist in private practice with her father, Dr. Rohit Z. Patel, in Westchester County, New York. She chaired the New York State Dental Association New Dentist Committee, is the International College of Dentists – USA Section Fellow Ambassador of Social Media, and currently serves the new dentists on the American Dental Association Council on Dental Benefit Plans for the 2020-21 term. She is also among the recipients of the 2021 ADA 10 Under 10 Awards.

Upon writing this post, I was asked, “What does a typical day look like for you?” I must humbly reply that a typical day does not exist for me. That is one of the reasons that I chose to partake in the profession of dentistry.

There are a multitude of factors that can contribute to a day in the dental office. One day, it could be a “ho-hum” day of basic hygiene recall exams. The next day could involve a complex series of restorations with subgingival margins, while the subsequent day could involve researching a peculiar fluctuant mass needing a biopsy. Sometimes, a mere morning can encompass all three scenarios before you sit down and have your first cup of coffee. My running joke with my colleagues over the years has been that everyone in the dental community should learn to have an appreciation for iced coffee — as it may be hot when you brew it, but will undoubtedly be cold by the time you consume it.

Jokes aside, it would be wise to take some notes from Edna Mode of Disney’s The Incredibles or Louis Pasteur of scientific fame, who both agree that luck favors the prepared. It is this very preparedness that has kept me in good stead from my dental experiences in both Washington and California. From being a restorative hygiene professor at Eastern Washington University to an insurance dental claims consultant to an active associate in private practice, I have worn many hats throughout my career. This has expanded my network to include all walks of dental life; be it student, 10+ year veteran, hygienist or even a contributor to the ADA New Dentist Now blog team!

How do I manage writing a witty, insightful article while maintaining my role as a dutiful husband, all after a tiring day’s work?

Time management.

Multitasking is the key to effectively and efficiently manage my time. For example,  balancing my finances. Does this constitute me sitting down, blocking out an hour to sit and plan out the debits and credits? No, if only I were so lucky to have that amount of time to accomplish this! What this means for me is that while I wait for the water to boil for a morning cup of coffee (still hoping I can get to try it piping hot), I will check bank accounts and emails concerning finances.

Furthermore, my balancing management approach does not stop in the morning. First and foremost, I am dedicated to treating the patient that is in front of me at my brick and mortar establishment, but, if there is a lull in the schedule, that presents the perfect opportunity to help consult and answer online questions through my work in teledentistry.

Interestingly enough, this mentality does not limit itself to only dental-based ideals, as it can facilitate an increased time with family and friends. This multitasking strategy has taught me that if I can complete errands such as getting my haircut or picking up dry-cleaning during my lunch hour, I will have more time to spend with my wife and family.

Another concept that I wholeheartedly support is to invest time and effort into endeavors now that will be fruitful in the future. I opt to engage in organized dentistry, in particular the advocacy side of dentistry. Ever since I became heavily involved with advocacy in 2017, I have learned that we as an organization have been lobbying hard to reform the Mccarran-Ferguson Act. This topic was a stalwart on our list of topics to discuss with officials almost every year.

Recently, we were fortunate to see that our lobbying succeeded and the bill was reformed! In short, by having the reformation, we loosened the grip that dental insurances had on the future reimbursements that they could provide. Our team’s constant discussions with Congressional members facilitated a momentous change to policy. By allocating time and effort now, we can have a better shot at having a better financial future.

It should be noted that with all the wonderful variety of options available to a dentist, we should not bite off more than we can chew, “Like this Camembert [cheese], I am at my most delicious when I’m not spread too thin.” This season 8 quote from the show Frasier exemplifies the need to not be so bogged down with activities that you cannot focus on what is at hand.

Remember, a patient’s emergency does not mean it’s your urgency. Far less the fact that it was most likely recurrent decay close to the pulp that needed a crown before and now needs both a root canal and a crown. But if there are five patients in the waiting room, chair two will not recline and chair five’s air-water just sprung a leak, take a deep breath and know that it’s OK to offer antibiotics and analgesics until you can properly devote appropriate attention to the case.

In summation, how can a little old dentist such as myself commit to so many roles and be productive? The author Paul J. Meyer put it best, “Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.”

Dr. Amir Kazim was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He completed his DDS at Howard University in 2014 and an Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program in the subsequent year at Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic in Spokane. During his time in Washington State, Dr. Kazim took on roles in many varying capacities such as working in Federally Qualified Health Centers, private practice as well as insurance audits and adjunct professor of restorative dentistry. To this end, Dr. Kazim played an integral role in bringing the merits of teledentistry to Washington by being one of the founding members of their established task force. While keeping busy with dental–related issues, Dr. Kazim enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures and foods. Having recently moved to California, Dr. Kazim is excited to continue his efforts into this exciting new aspect of dentistry. He is a member of the ADA, the California Dental Association and the Harbor Dental Society.

Something feels oddly familiar.

Sitting in my neighborhood coffee shop with my laptop open, staring at a course syllabus as it ominously lays out what my life will look like for the next several months. Coffee, flash cards, and wild Friday nights are in my future. And if I’m lucky, I’ll get the pleasure of writing a research paper or two while I’m at it. I can only hope as I start my endo residency.

Dr. Vaughn

I haven’t “studied” in six years. I haven’t even thought about studying. It’s been so long since I’ve studied that I’m not even sure I still know how to do it effectively. But still here I am, a student once more, and residency promises to be very much one of those sink or swim scenarios.

Luckily, I haven’t forgotten everything that I learned in dental school. There’s a few lessons I’m bringing with me this time that I’ve picked up along the way. Maybe you’ve heard these a few times before. Maybe you haven’t. But I think all of us, from brand new dental students to those who’ve been out a while, could use a refresher.  Here’s four important lessons that I learned in dental school and in my years practicing as a general dentist.

1. Get your money’s worth.

Every day you walk into your dental school, it’s like showing up to an 8-hour CE course for which you have paid top dollar. It’s tempting to coast. Many of us are guilty of trying to get through our programs by putting as little effort in as possible.

“D stands for Degree,” right?

But what I’ve learned is that dental school is filled with opportunities to learn more than the bare minimum. Some of the most impressive people in our profession work in dental education. And what I’ve found out is that many of the expensive, top-notch CE courses you take as a practicing dentist are taught by, you guessed it, dental school faculty. Take advantage of your environment. You’ve already paid for it.

2. Listen well

Having been a part-time faculty a few times myself, I’ve found one of the most desirable qualities in a student is the ability to listen well. Are you teachable? Can you take constructive criticism? Are you willing to own that “student” mentality?

Will you agree with all of your attendings? No.

Do you have to agree? Of course not.

But no one ever starts a sentence hoping that you’ll finish it for them. Not every teacher is waiting for your perfectly crafted rebuttal of why you did what you did. Oftentimes, listening is the most powerful tool we have. You will find that this translates well out in practice. Make an effort to actively listen to what your patients have to say, and you’ll have a group of raving fans who trust you wholeheartedly.

3. Hand skills rarely matter

Look through the Google reviews of any dental office in your community and you know what you won’t see? Any mention whatsoever about the occlusal composite staining of the Class I secondary grooves. No 5-Star review on the distoincisal angle of your biomimetically placed resin composite. Not even a single word about that buttery smooth crown margin that you spent an extra 15 minutes polishing for your Instagram photo.

Of course, our hand skills do actually matter (to a degree). But my point is that to the patient, what is often more important (and rarely taught in dental school) are the soft skills required to be a successful practitioner. If I could go back to dental school, I’d spend much more time honing that skill set. Because if you can effectively communicate with your patients, and if you can make a great first impression and win their trust, dentistry becomes a lot easier and a lot more enjoyable.

4. Don’t sleep on business and finance.

From my very first day in dental school, I was told that we wouldn’t learn a single thing about how to run a business, but oddly enough it was essential to our success as a dentist. After hearing that, do you think I made a single effort to learn about business and finance as a dental student? (See lesson #1. Hint: I did not)

Like so many of us, I chose the path of least resistance. I didn’t even look at my student loans until six months after finishing my GPR. I didn’t read a single article on practice management until two years into practice.

What a huge mistake. Such a huge mistake in fact, that now I spend much of my time talking to dental students about how to manage their student debt and avoid common mistakes that are made every single day. Mistakes that can set your career back years, and could ultimately affect the decisions you’re able to make for you and your family.

So don’t do what I did. Don’t do what so many of us in this profession continue to do. Start early. Take control of your student loans. Spend time learning about how they work, how to save and budget, and even how to invest.

Tap into the vast list of resources on practice management and how to run a business. Books, podcasts, blogs, and even YouTube. Ask your part-time faculty how they run their private practices. Take advantage of the ADA Success program and have an experienced dentist come to your school and talk about these topics (I’d be more than happy to visit and tell you everything I know).

Dental school was honestly some of the best years of my life. And although it was very difficult and challenging at times, the memories will last me a lifetime. I want to wish all future dentists the best of luck in this new school year. Cherish these moments and always make an effort to take advantage of the opportunities in front of you. Cheers!

Dr. Joe Vaughn is a general dentist who graduated from the University of Alabama and currently practices in Seattle, Washington. He works both as an associate in a private practice as well as in a public health clinic. Dr. Vaughn currently serves in roles with both the Seattle King County Dental Society and the Washington State Dental Association. He is passionate about organized dentistry, writing, and talking with other dentists about the many issues we are facing in our profession today. He welcomes any and all of your questions/comments and can be reached at [email protected]

The barriers for dentists to easily move across state lines, aka “portability”/”reciprocity,” has been a sore issue for the dental profession for many years. Dr. Jonathan Nash, who served as the American Student Dental Association chair of dental licensure reform in 1971, strongly believes that if the profession can summon the will to pursue an anti-trust initiative on a nationwide basis, it has a reasonable chance to topple this archaic and egregious barrier in one fell swoop.

Dr. Nash, the founder and chairman of the National Council for Improvement of Dental Licensure 1969-73, examines the state of dental licensure reform today and makes a case for bolder solutions to achieve meaningful reform.

Read the full editorial in the New Dentist News.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=289

Editor’s note: This is the ninth article in a series exploring the business aspects of the dental profession, from starting a practice and marketing to hiring staff and finances.

Dr. Deshpande

If we don’t talk about leadership in a dental office, we aren’t really discussing anything valuable, are we? Because, what is a practice without a great leader? It’s a failure.

Contrary to what most people think, leaders aren’t born, they are made. Some of it comes with experience, other times it is learned. My personal goal is to one day become the most compassionate leader possible, to both my work family and my home family. Fulfilling this big hairy audacious goal means committing every day to reflecting, pivoting and learning.

Here are some of the best advice on leadership that I’ve received from my role models:

1. Based on John Maxwell’s book, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: “failure of a subordinate, is failure of the leader.” Always remember that true leadership begins with the doctor (not the office manager) and that you need to set the tone of the level of excellence and hard work you expect in your office.

2. According to Justin Short, author of the Lifestyle Dentist podcast, “Most of the time people will set goals of a top 10 practice. However, if you have a team of average or below average how will you achieve those goals?”  Consider carefully who you are hiring to be on your team of winners. Will this person help you reach your office goals? If not, why are you even hiring them? Wait for the right person.

3. True measurement of leadership is influence. “We must learn to inspire and motivate people, not manage people.” Think about how you motivate your team and your patients to take actions? Do they quickly follow your advice and treatment plans?

4. According to Guy Raz, author of How I Built This podcast by NPR, “an important aspect of leadership is reflection.” Make it a habit to spend some time journaling, meditating and reflecting on your day. Could some conversations have gone better? Where could you have done better?

5. What gets appreciated, gets repeated. Make it a habit to thank people and mention what you are thanking them for. “I appreciate your leadership in following up with patient S and getting them scheduled! That was very important to me!”

6. From Kim Scott’s book, Radical Candor, “be quick and firm in your reprimands.” Praise lavishly in public, reprimand quickly in private.

7. Communicate regularly with your team, sit down with them and ask for feedback. Sometimes, they are able to see problems before even you can spot them. They also have better solutions. Involve them in the decision making and leadership process. Use their talents to come up with a better system!

8. Make it a habit to read more books on leadership and mindset, listen to podcasts on entrepreneurship, and building authentic relationships within your community.

9. The most important thing we all can do is help others. We are lucky to be in a profession that has plenty of opportunity for us to give back. Are you helping your team members, patients, friends and community members achieve their goals? What more can you do for them?

10, “Find a mentor, hire a coach, and don’t stop investing in yourself.” This is something my dad, one of my biggest role models, told me in 2020 when I was sitting on the couch in the middle of global pandemic, and forced out of employment. I followed his advice and feel like a different person today. If we are not constantly iterating and improving who we are people and leaders, how can we expect that from our employees?

Let’s become role models worth looking up to!

Dr. Sampada Deshpande is a general dentist based in San Francisco. A foreign trained dentist from India, Sampada earned her DDS from the University of Washington in 2018 and is a 2020-2021 UW-LEND fellow. Outside of clinical dentistry, she enjoys teaching at the New Dentist Business Club and improving access to technology in healthcare via her involvement in Samsotech. You can reach her directly at @dr.deshpande on Instagram or visit her website www.sampadadeshpandedds.com for more information.

Editor’s note: We know that finding the right practice can be overwhelming and time consuming. That’s why the ADA created ADA Practice Transitions (ADAPT), a service that matches you with practices that fit your practice approach and lifestyle. We provide customized resources to ensure you feel confident in your decisions and an ADA Advisor supports you during each step of the journey. Learn more at ADAPracticeTransitions.com.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://dentistintulum.com/?p=288