The stress closet. A euphemism for all things scary, dark, and feared. A place we shove unwanted items or things we don’t want to deal with in a given moment. The closet is such a visual representation of all things deep and dark we have cliches about being in them, where our skeletons lie, and…
Read MoreHow stressed are dentists, really? The American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Dental Association used the same Likert scaling question* to determine the perceived stress levels of the American population and that of dentists, respectively. On the 10 point scale, Americans claim stress levels equal to a rating of 4.9 (mild-moderate) while dentists report…
Read MorePulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Ellen Glasgow wrote, “The only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions.” This makes me wonder if business owners find themselves in so many daily ruts, why do they keeping digging? What’s the cause behind the compulsory attitude and behaviors commonly repeated by owners that kills their practices,…
Read MoreProgressive Relaxation has been scientifically proven to help with reducing stress. It can be done anywhere and takes just moments to complete. Tips for Dental Pros: The dental chair is the perfect chair to practice progressive relaxation. Get to the office 15 minutes early, take out segments of your lunch hour, and stay late…
Read MoreYour ability to manage stress is equal to the number of tools, resources, and coping methods you can tap into to navigate your stressors. This is easily done when stressors happen one at a time or when a trigger is perceived as a minor threat. Utilizing common coping methods such as deep breathing or relaxation…
Read MoreHow Stressed are Dentists? Short answer: Severely! Long Answer: In completing a thorough literature review of the relevant studies available 86% of dentists experience moderate to severe stress. Considering less than half of the general population claims moderate to severe stress levels (48.1%), dental professionals are definitely the outlier. I also found no statistical difference between…
Read MoreInfluences on Stress In all my work with dental professionals and the massive amount of reading I do around the topic of stress management, I have found consistently four really big factors that influence stress levels and the data to go with it. Feeling of control You can call this control, autonomy or ownership. What…
Read MoreTop 5 Stressors Each dentist has their own stress triggers depending on their ability to resolve a situation and the number of tools and resources they can mobilize to create solutions. Keeping that in mind, there are the Top 5 stress triggers that are common. Just read through any message board or eavesdrop on a…
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How big do you dream? How vast do you let your dreams inspire you? Honestly, as I watched the MLK “I Have a Dream” speech video (you can find it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs) and I’m humbled by the bold truth in which MLK dreamed. He saw colors, heights…details. He saw the end results and how it would…
Read MoreRead the whole series by going to the start: Working with Patients You Want to Punch in the Face. Difficult Patient #8: The Guardian Problem: Parents, grandparents or guardians bring kids into the office with a predetermined list of Doctor-Dos-and-Don’ts. They demand exceptional care for the beloved child while refusing to complete all office forms, rejecting…
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