Wanna Be a Dentist?
February 15, 2012
I’m sure you have heard that dentists are always at the top of the list for suicide, divorce, and substance abuse. I did a little research just to verify that is actually accurate…..and yup, it is. I could go into why I think that is the case, but I’ll let you ponder that one on your own.
Despite the many challenges of this profession, if I could do it all over again, I would still choose to be a dentist. I didn’t decide to go to dental school until late in my senior year of college. People ask me all the time, “What in the world made you decide to look inside of mouths every day?” Believe me, I asked myself the same question when I decided to apply to dental school. It was a last minute decision.
Today, I am glad I went into a profession that allows me to problem solve and can be both easy and challenging. I guess it is my approach. I see myself as an educator and a health care provider who wants to help people decide to what level of health they wish to achieve. I have also made the conscious choice to enjoy what I do every day. When things occur that I do not enjoy, I try not to focus on the negative. It is always a work in progress.
For a dentist, and for that matter anyone in any profession to be successful, they must know themselves and have standards they are able to communicate with passion and energy. One thing is very clear, behavior, with its impending results, is a choice. We make choices every minute of every day. What we choose to do with the paths presented to us is a choice. Being frustrated with your job, trying to copy others instead of discovering yourself as well as dental care is a choice.
All dental care is elective. There is nothing that you have to do. That is what makes this profession the most fun and rewarding for me. A dentist who worries about how much of a particular procedure they do, or tries to sell dentistry as a commodity will become frustrated. That is why there tends to be a high burn-out rate in this profession. It should be about education. It should be about people and caring about their health.
It is also about building trust with people. If any of my patients out there ever had a thought that I was trying to “sell” them something, there is an issue with trust there. I use the car analogy often. First, you decide that you are buying a car. It is only after you decide that you are buying a car that you pick the style, the brand, and the options. It is with that information that you make a decision on what car you are buying, based on what you want and feel is right for you. I look at dentistry the same way.
Dentistry combines health care, artistry, psychology and business all into one. As in any job, there are good times and not so good times. There is always room for improvement in all aspects of the profession and the options for continuing education to improve are limitless.
If you, or if you have kids in high school or college who are wondering about what to do with their life, introduce the possibility of a career in dentistry. Ask your dentist if they would talk to you or them about the profession or even do mentorship. It’s a wonderful profession.
What Your Mouth Says
February 2, 2012
A few weeks ago there was a large article in The Wall Street Journal entitled, “If Your Teeth Could Talk.” It was a basic review of some of the connections between oral and systemic health and also offered some newer research that I was unaware of.
I have written many times on the growing evidence linking periodontal (gum) disease with many systemic issues. The fact of the matter is the mouth is truly the gateway to the rest of the body. While some early signs of diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, immune disorders, hormone imbalance and drug issues can show up in the mouth long before the person discovers that there is a “problem”, an unhealthy mouth also puts you at greater risk for things like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and pregnancy complications.
A study done at New York University in 2009 reported that 93% of people who have periodontal disease are at risk for diabetes. The issue is inflammation and the fact that periodontal disease and diabetes exacerbate each other. Inflammation from periodontal disease, a chronic non-symptomatic disease, makes it more difficult for people with diabetes to control blood sugar levels. High blood sugar accelerates tooth decay and gum disease, which elevates inflammation. It is a vicious cycle.
However, more recent studies show that treating gum disease improves circulation, reduces inflammation and can even reduce the need for insulin in people with diabetes. The estimates are that six million Americans have diabetes and don’t know it. The risk of not treating either disease can have irreversible consequences.
If you have ever had a planned surgery you probably were asked about your dental health, how often you visit a dentist and asked to get “clearance” from your dentist prior to surgery. The reason for that is because the type and quantity of bacteria present in uncontrolled gum disease is much higher than in periodontally healthy individuals. Bacteria from the mouth can travel through the bloodstream and cause problems elsewhere. Far too often patients come to me a month before surgery and say they need to get their mouth in shape prior to their procedure….an often impossible task.
There are also an increasing number of people on medication and the number of medications they are taking. Many drugs, including but not limited to blood thinners, bisphosphonates (ex. Fosamax), blood pressure medications, antidepressants and chemotherapy drugs can all have effects on the mouth that can be devastating if not closely monitored.
This is all “real” stuff. I deal with these issues in the office every day. I use this analogy a lot, “Periodontal disease is like diabetes, it is not curable, but in most cases it is controllable.” For most patients, good home care combined with good professional care can control this disease. Just as in the lottery, “you can’t win if you don’t play”. However, the consequences for not playing the dental game are more risky.
If you didn’t take the survey last week that I discussed, go to the Facebook page below to take it. I will be reporting the results in the next couple of weeks. So far, not one respondent would give up their teeth for a million dollars. Would you?
