Dentistry is a great career. We have independence through owning our clinics; it’s not boring, with a variety of procedures and patients; it’s constantly improving with new materials, techniques, and technology; we are constantly being challenged by managing cases and relationships; and we get to help people.
Helping people. That’s why I became a dentist. Funny, how our purpose to choose this career can easily be forgotten when we are focused on completing procedures perfectly under time constraints while keeping our practice profitable. I stress over the crappy root canal I did, the patient who was upset over the bill, the team member who keeps calling in sick, the number of no shows, the negative Google reviews- and I forget about the patient I just helped!
We take our skills for granted because there are hundreds of dentists around us. But we have the gift of the hands of a surgeon. We envy pro athletes for being able to hit a homerun and score game winning goals, yet we don’t appreciate our own unique skills of how we can get someone out of pain, restore their confidence, and improve their overall health. We are amongst a small percentage of people who have the education and ability to do that. We are dentists. People need us.
You probably don’t feel like a most valuable player some days. Like those days when you have to focus on so many other things that you forget that a patient has trusted you, chosen you, and is sitting in your chair with their mouth open. If you want to love dentistry again, love yourself again and remember the reason why you chose to be a dentist, do a dental mission trip.
I volunteer locally with a charity which provides free dental care. It’s very fulfilling to help people like refugees and people experiencing homelessness, as they can’t afford private dental care and aren’t eligible for public clinics. However, I wanted to do more. I wanted to help people in areas where access to dental care was even more challenging. At dental meetings, I was enraptured listening to dentists talk about their experiences going on dental missions. They were the only ones smiling while others would complain about their staffing issues or an upset patient. I wanted to be as happy as those dentists who do dental outreach. I wanted to focus on the reason I went into dentistry – to help people.
I completed my first dental mission trip in 2023. Since then, I have gone on four more. It’s addictive. I use my vacation time and pay to go to the Caribbean to help people in need through the 1000 Smiles program organized by the charity, Great Shape Inc.! Why do I take time off from doing dentistry in my clinic to do dentistry abroad? The answer is love.
When you see hundreds of people lining up all day in the heat to see you to fix one tooth, something shifts. You automatically love that patient. You can’t help loving yourself and your team of volunteers knowing that you have such a unique skill that people wait all year for. You realize you have gifted hands to get someone out of pain and to improve their health. They pay us with their smiles and hugs (and the occasional local fruit). You provide the dentistry and they provide the reminder of why we went into dentistry.
When you do dental outreach, your focus becomes simple: help people. You’re not thinking about production, insurance, or staffing. You’re giving love from your heart, through your hands, to someone who truly needs it.
When you return home, those moments stay with you. You fondly remember the patient who had tears of joy when she looked in mirror and smiled after you fixed her broken front teeth. The patients who were thankful that you took their painful teeth out. The realization that you left your family to help others who need you more than your own. You remember how lucky you are to have the hands to help and the heart to go.
We are lucky to be dentists. We just forget sometimes. If you want to remember how blessed you are, if you want to love dentistry and yourself again, go on a dental mission trip. Remember why you became a dentist- to help others. When you go on a mission trip, you’re not just helping them—you’re helping yourself. Love yourself for being a dentist. Spread that love. And if you don’t have the time or financial flexibility to travel, there are still meaningful ways to give back—you can partner with companies that support dental outreach, contribute to programs that expand access to care, or volunteer in your local community. Whether abroad or at home, the impact is the same—using your skills to help others while reconnecting with your purpose.
Helping others.