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Professional News Articles : : ON PRACTICE MANAGEMENT by Janyce Hamilton : ‘What I Love About Dentistry’: Valentines to the profession from CDS branch presidents

‘What I Love About Dentistry’: Valentines to the profession from CDS branch presidents

February 12, 2010

This is a love letter to dentistry, hopefully read by dentists and dental students who aren’t “feeling the love.” Sure, there are mundane tasks that come with the business of dentistry: insurance and the lack of it, excessive recordkeeping, staff’s occasional miscommunication. But, these are hardly worth mentioning. The “plusses” far outweigh the “minuses.”

Take it from dentists who are sustaining successful practices, weathering all kinds of economies: they would do it again. 

What do you love about dentistry?

“What do I love about dentistry? I enjoy managing the practice. It took me 24 years to find a staff I am excited to share my days with. I love all of my patients because they drive to my office to see me. And I love my office because it was my starting point 24 years ago. The walls of my private office are loaded with photos of my family, memories and successes.

“I’ve wanted to be a dentist since I was 16 years old! My uncle, Dr. Jacque, was a dentist in Tehran, Iran. He graduated from Tufts Dental School, returned to Iran and worked in the Shah's Palace as his personal dentist and to the family and chiefs of staff. I visited Iran in 1976 just before the revolution and saw "Dentistry for the Rich and Famous." As a 16-year-old, I was in awe!

“Now I am a dentist and I don't have to dress up in a suit every morning and drive an hour to work or take a train. I live 8 miles from the office and enjoy a short commute. I love meeting so many different people from different walks of life. Granted, there are some tough ones, but they are outnumbered by the majority of fun ones. I love to share with them and learn about what they do for a living. I love to watch their children grow up when I start seeing them at age 2 and now they are graduating from college. I ask kids and teens quizzes and trivial questions during their procedures to make time pass.

“I love that I encourage young people to pursue dentistry, and they do. Bogdan, a Romanian immigrant, worked in my office for 3 years. I encouraged him to enter the International Dental Program at UIC (the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry), which he just finished. After $82,000/year in tuition, he just graduated. He is busy working in Peoria. Two of my dental assistants have graduated from dental hygiene school, and one from Marquette University School of Dentistry. Currently, Selissa is in school for his Masters in biology at Rush University, trying to gain entrance at UIC. I love to work and teach dentistry to my staff. I use the intraoral camera to teach them step by step when time allows. I hope all of these young folks will jump out of bed as I do, enjoy the work day and proudly say they are a dentist!”

“I love the branch presidency position: planning the meetings, dinner, speakers. It is an awesome feeling after each meeting, seeing 100 dentists come together for an evening of camaraderie and fun! The best feeling is inviting a dentist who rarely attends a branch meeting, seating them at my table, sharing food, drink and conversation. Recently one said, ‘I thought these meetings were political, but it was a lot of fun— thanks!’”

--Mark Jacob, North Suburban Branch President, Northbrook

“I could be laid off if I had a different job, but I am my own boss. Actually, I have 3,000 bosses—my patients. I don’t have to deal with everyone who walks in the door, however. I can tell them they’d be best somewhere else. I refer to a specialist if they are difficult, so I am independent. Years ago, I was in a group practice on Michigan Avenue and there was production pressure, so I left. As a solo practitioner, I’m not under pressure to do anything, nor produce.

“Every case is different and I never do two things exactly the same, so that’s interesting. A lot of mental dexterity and manual dexterity goes into my work. It’s never boring. In dentistry you have to have an imagination and come up with solutions to difficult problems. It’s satisfying. It feels good when a difficult extraction goes well.

“Being the dentist means that whatever walks in through the door, I can probably take care of it. A lot of personal satisfaction comes into play being a dentist. You can see a problem, know the properties of the materials, and solve the problem — that’s fun about dentistry.

“There’s a certain pleasure in making people’s lives better through their teeth. They say ‘Doc, thanks. My teeth have never felt so good.’ "

“My daughter graduated from Notre Dame, and is now in dental school at Marquette University. She figures, ‘If my dad can do it, anyone can!’ [laughing]. Seriously, I feel a certain pride telling her what’s coming up next in dental school. I think I’ve helped her out. She’s got good hands and not everybody does. She’s going to be a good dentist. She can think on her feet and she’s innovative. I am hoping when she becomes a dentist, I’ll join her practice.

“All sorts of things are nice about dentistry.”

--Gary Clemens, West Side Branch President, Berwyn

“What's not to love?

“I love stepping into my cozy office on a cold morning and smelling fresh coffee brewing. I love being my own boss and not having to ask someone else if I can take a day off to go skiing with my family.

“I love being the hero. I love it when a mom hugs me after I fix her child's broken front tooth. I love it when a grandpa looks me in the eye and shakes my hand firmly and thanks me for extracting a tooth that has been killing him.

“I love handing out fat Christmas bonuses when we have had a great year.

“I love the variety of general dentistry. Every day is different. I never know what problems will be presented for me to solve. I get great personal satisfaction from being able to help other people in a ‘can do’ way when they are overwhelmed.

“My perspective is different from many other Chicago-area dentists. I grew up in a small town in northern Pennsylvania. I spent a summer, when I was in college, washing coal trucks and doing other dirty jobs at the mine where my father worked. In retrospect, I was really fortunate to have that experience. In fact, I think others could benefit in a similar way. I still have some contacts back there. I could start a hands-on seminar for dentists who aren't satisfied with their careers. For a few thousand dollars, I could send them to Pennsylvania and put them to work in a coal mine for three or four days. I'm betting that it would be a life-changing experience. They would then understand, as I do, how truly blessed they are to be a dentist.”

--Kevin Patterson, South Suburban Branch President, Riverdale

Janyce Hamilton is an award-winning Chicagoland freelance dental writer and editor. Send suggestions for topics to be covered, or any comments on this column, to review@cds.org.

© 2010, Chicago Dental Society