Have you ever heard of the phrase “when you hear hoofbeats, think horses not zebras?” Well, what happened was what I thought was “horses” (a simple sinus infection) turned out to be something I never would have guessed, in other words, “zebras” (an oral pocket infection).
About halfway through my career, I experienced tremendous burnout. I felt like I was stuck in the hamster wheel of dentistry. However, with the help of therapy and life coaching, I overcame this and returned to enjoying being a dentist.
The beginnings of my implant journey I have been surgically placing and restoring dental implants for over twenty years. During this time, the industry has exploded with new inventions and materials, and I have adapted to these drastic changes with improved workflows and techniques.
There are so many drivers of stress, and it literally becomes a new normal in navigating life for the majority of individuals. While some people manage stressors better than others, it’s concerning that anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health condition in the U.S., and a leading cause of disability.1
As a woman practicing in dentistry, you have the added pressure to always be extraordinary, to live up to the expectations set by those before you. Expectations that were built in a world in which you were not always granted a seat at the table, nor could you always freely share your voice. So much progress has been made since then as women have paved their own pathway through the dental field. We, at Tokuyama Dental America, are incredibly proud of all the women in dentistry and especially those that we have the pleasure of working with. To best honor their work and unique experiences, we asked a few key opinion leaders to share their story, along with the challenges they face in a once male-dominated profession.
An Indespensable Role In celebrating the achievements of women in dentistry, we not only recognize their invaluable contributions to oral healthcare, but also admire the progress made. As we look to the future, we strive to continue to support and uplift women in dentistry fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of gender, can thrive and impart their meaningful contributions to the field.
If you would have told me five years ago that I would become a private practice owner less than one year out of dental school, I would have thought you were absolutely crazy. Take it from someone who decided to have a baby, learn how to be a dentist, and purchase half of a practice all in the same year; becoming an owner dentist of a private practice can be stressful! Here’s a few ways to survive the whirlwind.
As a dental student, I was constantly daydreaming of the days that I would get to practice “real life” dentistry. However, with that great excitement came a lot of anxiety about what that would look like. If you’re a newer grad like me (especially a grad during the COVID days), you know all the horror stories about the first few years of being a dentist. Luckily, I had incredible mentorship throughout my dental school journey that led me to the practice I now proudly co-own with my biggest dental idol and mentor.
As a dentist who runs a “bread and butter” dental practice, I understand how important it is to buy the right products. Our practice has a reputation for providing both high quality work and high quality experiences for our patients all while remaining a PPO office. Since we are a PPO office, sustaining the balance of quality and cost is absolutely essential. Luckily, my practice has had more than 40 years of experience perfecting this stocking process.
On average, people spend 151 minutes per day on social media. We can finish a whole crown prep appointment in significantly less time than that! Whether you are a big fan of social media or not, you have to accept the fact that it has become a huge part of our world and should become at least a small part of your practice. But how do you get started? First, you must answer these important questions.
How many times in dental school were you told that if you had to pay for marketing then you weren’t running a successful practice? All we need to do is recycle our overdue patients, treat our current patients well and internal marketing will bring the numbers in, right? Wrong! We are in the era of social media. You can be the most incredible dentist, but because someone saw a dentist they liked better on their Instagram they’ll pick them over you, all skills aside. Whether you go big or small, social media needs to become a part of your practice. Here are my top tips on how to be successful in doing that.
Tokuyama Dental America Inc.· 740 Garden View Ct., Suite 200· Encinitas, CA 92024Phone: (877) 378-3548E-mail: info@tokuyama-us.com©2018 Tokuyama Dental America Inc.
