“I’ve tried everything, and I’m still stuck,” said a dentist the other day. There is a silent epidemic going on in dentistry. The daily work vibe has changed in recent years. Now dentists have to worry about more than just doing their best clinical work. They have to worry about Google reviews, maintaining a reliable team, and how to navigate changed social norms. I believe it’s a result of social media. Many have told me that patients have changed since Covid– that they’re harder to work with because they have higher entitlements and, frankly, aren’t as nice. With all these...
Do you ever feel like you’re trapped in an endless loop of unhappiness with your dental career? And no matter what you try– more vacations, dropping down a day a week, or learning that new procedure– nothing ever really fixes your career. You always end up in the same feelings of depression and anxiety. (Hint: your career is not supposed to feel this way, so stop justifying that it’s normal!) Ask me how I know this. I spent years riding the roller coaster of dentistry. For weeks I tried my best to love it, then the next few weeks I’d...
I wrote this blog post on March 14, 2013. At the time, I reflected on what worked for myself in creating change. Despite having no experience coaching at the time, these are some of the principles I use today to help others create their own path and design their career on their terms. If you’ve followed my blog over the past 11 years, you’ve had a front row seat to witness my huge and daunting career change. “Huge and daunting…” Hmm. Today I read that and am intrigued by that description from 11 years ago. Indeed, that was exactly how...
Hard to believe I originally wrote this post about leaving dentistry on November 29, 2012. A lot has changed, and not a lot has changed in dentistry. With another leaving-dentistry anniversary behind me, I remember how grateful I am to break free from feeling trapped for so long. Years ago I received this email from a fellow dentist that inspired this blog post. It was a breath of fresh air to read “10 Reasons Your Dentist Probably Hates You Too”! As a dentist of 12 years, I could relate to your article. As a fellow colleague, I commend you for...
Ever wonder if you should become a dentist? If so, knowing the REAL pros and cons of dentistry is crucial. For years, US News and World Report crowned the dentist as the #1 best job. I first wrote this post in 2013, and being a dentist won that designation for years. In 2018, something changed, and they caught onto what some of us already knew. It slipped to #2 and stayed there, but in 2021, being a dentist slipped all the way down to #9! Maybe they’ve started to see the pros AND the cons of dentistry. What changed? Could...
Help me celebrate the 10-Year Anniversary of 10 Reasons Your Dentist Probably Hates You Too! On November 17, 2011, I turned in my last key to the last dental office I ever worked in. It was a momentous day. I had spent 10 years as a dentist and hated dentistry and my life. For years I felt stuck in the wrong career, and I didn’t know how to change. I thought I had no other skills besides being a dentist. Couple that with the fact that no one in the field ever mentioned they hated dentistry as well. Thinking I...
There, I said it. I hate dentistry… sort of. When I was younger, I chose dentistry as my forever career because I loved smiles, and I wanted to work with people. I really liked people. I always considered myself social and friendly, and I was a good student who enjoyed math and science. Dentistry seemed like the perfect fit for me. As a patient, I always loved learning about my teeth, and the day I got my braces off, I loved the result. It seemed impossible that I would get to a point in my career where I would one...
I’m at a crossroads, facing a dilemma that feels huge. Logically, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal, but in my heart, there is something keeping me stuck. I don’t know if I should shave my head. These days we have access to amazing technology that can actually help save our hair during chemo. It’s called a cold cap. The cold cap has been around for a while, but now they’ve developed a system that makes the process simpler, more manageable, and more accessible than ever before. The cold cap freezes your scalp, restricting blood flow to the...
Yes, you’ve read that correctly. I have cancer. It’s still weird to say it, and it’s just as weird to read it back. You may (or you may not) have noticed I’ve been quiet lately. It’s because I’ve been busy having cancer. (See? Even with cancer, I still can’t help being silly at times.) Before you get too worried about me, I’d like you to know that there is good news: it is curable. Even though we are planning for a happy ending, it’s still hard. I still have to go through the physical, emotional, and mental crap of wondering...
Most of us really value the importance of work life balance. Especially now, it seems to be more important than ever. My guest today is Andrew, a dentist in the UK. Andrew came to a crossroads in his career when he was forced to make a tough decision. He had to choose between continuing on in a very happy, successful dental practice or walking away from that to maintain the most important relationship in his life. See how it turned out for him… Three years ago, I came to a junction in my life where I really struggled. It turned...
