What advice do you have for new dentists or dental students ?
My advice is to take something away from each job or experience as they all present an opportunity to learn something new . Never stop learning . Don ’ t be scared to step outside of your comfort zone and be adaptable to change . Stay confident , believe in yourself and never give up . Find a good mentor and support system early on . Be the kind of dentist you want to be and practice the way you want to . You worked so hard to get to this point so make the best and most out of your career . Lead by example and stay true to yourself . Listen to your patients and their needs and empower and enable them to have a better quality of life through your care .
What do you think is the biggest challenge that dentistry is facing ?
While there are many challenges facing dentistry today , some that stand out include maintaining high quality of care while also being profitable and finding good work-life balance . Inflation is at a high and with increased costs of operation and PPE , many offices are ditching insurance companies to become fee for service so they can survive and also dictate their own treatment plans ( this in turn widens the gap for access to care ). Insurance company fee reductions should not mandate how we care for our patients . Another challenge is the astronomical cost of setting up a new private dental practice , keeping up with the pace and price tag of new and emergent technology in the profession , and competing with DSOs . While technology is such a blessing and has revolutionized how we practice and can lower costs in the long run , it increases initial operating costs and requires more and more to keep up with on a daily basis .