Category Archives: Life as a New Dentist

Separation anxiety: 5 tips for balancing work life and personal life

Sep-a-rate. Just separate your work and your personal life. We say this to others and others say it to us as if we can push a button to turn it on or turn it off. To a certain extent separating is a necessity in the day-to-day life of any dentist or dental professional. We cannot think about the… Read More »

Tips for maintaining healthy eating habits

In 2015, the ADA conducted a Member Health and Wellness Survey that polled 2,122 dentists, spouses, and family members, according to the ADA Center for Professional Success. The survey revealed that 9.7 percent had been diagnosed with an eating disorder. Two percent were diagnosed with Bulimia, 5.2 percent were diagnosed with compulsive overeating, and 2.5 percent were diagnosed… Read More »

Under stress? The ADA is here to help

According to the 2015 ADA Health and Wellness Survey, seventy-five percent of dentists deal with moderate to severe stress. As a result, many dental students and dental professionals are dealing with burnout, substance use disorders (SUDs) and other conditions that may impair their abilities to practice competent dentistry, according to the ADA Center for Professional Success. If you,… Read More »

Reflecting on my first year out of dental school

The last year and a half has been a transitional time starting off as a newly graduated dentist, getting my first real job as an associate, and becoming an owner in my first dental practice. Even though I am no longer freaking out at the idea of going to work, it’s amazing to reflect and watch my concerns… Read More »

New dentists gain experience, pathway to financial freedom

Dr. Brenden Moon didn’t start out with public health dentistry in mind, but following his third year of dental school at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, he learned about a new dental center opening in Carthage, Illinois. A rural town of about 2,700, Carthage was close to where his mother lived and the soon-to-be-open Hancock County… Read More »

Managing debt without deprivation

Dental school is expensive, and someone has to pay for it. By the end of dental school, both of us had accumulated significant debt. Unlike many of our colleagues who borrowed (or allowed their sponsors to pay) more, so that they could dine extravagantly and enjoy Caribbean vacations as a reward for their hard work as dental students,… Read More »