Early in my dental training, I spent a week in a rural village in India that permanently shaped my understanding of this profession. Our volunteer team examined and treated nearly 6,000 schoolchildren in just seven days. The numbers were overwhelming, but what stayed with me was not the statistics; it was the human moments. I remember a young… Read More »
The transition from dental school to private practice is one of the most rewarding phases of a dental career. Dental school provides a strong clinical foundation, discipline and an evidence-based approach to care. Entering private practice builds on that foundation by offering new perspectives that deepen clinical judgment, communication skills and professional confidence. As I began working outside… Read More »
Student loans quietly shape many of the biggest decisions in a dentist’s life: where we work, how much we work and when we feel financially ready to buy a home or start a family. Yet repayment and forgiveness rules are complex, constantly changing and easy to postpone dealing with. For me, postponing wasn’t an option. As a father… Read More »
I hear it all the time: “Where do you find the time to be so involved in organized dentistry as a new dentist?” My response: “I am not alone!” I am the chair this year of the ADA New Dentist Committee, and we are a group of 17 dentists, 10 years out of dental school or less, who… Read More »
As January comes to a close, it is that time again. Will your New Year’s resolutions become habits? Before I share some of my favorite ways to dig in, it is worth taking a moment to assess whether a particular goal is truly worth your time. Letting go Many cultures view January as a time to clean house.… Read More »
Work-life balance is often discussed as a personal lifestyle choice. In reality, it is a professional variable that shifts as responsibility, production and decision-making expand. At different stages of a dental career, pressure does not disappear. It changes form. Early on, it is physical and financial. Later, it becomes cognitive, emotional and systemic. From my experience, balance is… Read More »