You’ve been spat upon, kneed in the groin, gagged at, cursed at, slapped, threatened and sued. And those are just the patients who like you!
Your senior hygienist is dating the office manager; the strip mall you’re in has been rezoned; some dental magazine says your practice is nowhere if you don’t invest in cone beam volumetric imaging and some new office furniture; oh, and you’re way behind in those continuing education points!
I Googled the phrase ‘so, you want to be a dentist’ and here is a sample of what appeared:
• The dentist’s typical day is diverse and interesting;
• Dentists are artists as well as scientists;
• Dentists are highly respected within the community… dentists are skilled, conscientious, civic-minded individuals who work with community leaders, educators, other health professionals and government officials. They often volunteer services to school health programs and to elderly, handicapped or poor citizens, demonstrating a selflessness that is a hallmark of professionalism;
• Dentistry allows you to be your own boss. Dentists can balance their personal and professional lives to meet their individual needs and desires;
• A career in dentistry is personally fulfilling… dentists enjoy the challenge of a lifetime of learning. Tomorrow’s dentists will be at the cutting edge of high technology, making the practice of dentistry even more exciting and rewarding than it is today!
• Although dental school may seem expensive, recent studies indicate that dental school is a good investment… one study showed that dental offices were the third highest-ranking category of start-up businesses most likely to survive.
And what ‘special’ attributes does one require to become a dentist?
• The ability to work for long hours continuously;
• The ability to work under pressure;
• A fair amount of physical dexterity…if you have five thumbs on each hand, do not hope to become a prosthodontist;
• You need to like working with your mind and your hands.
Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
On the other hand, as one Alaska-based dentist said regarding ‘burnout’… “Sell everything! Let someone else treat all the wimpy patients….get a job mowing lawns..”
