Beyond my commitment and passion for dentistry , my motivation to be successful in life is to show my child the importance and benefits that come with hard work and to teach him to become independent and to stand on his own feet , a value my parents always instilled in me .
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 .
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2022 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 33