This Valentine’s Day, show some love to our patients with Medicaid

I love Valentine’s Day, and whether single or in a relationship, I always have. I love the colors, I love the little valentines, I love the crafts, I love the treats, and I love the public being forced to show love. Contrived or not, I love that someone (greeting card companies?) decided to create a holiday based around… Read More »

‘Resilience isn’t all scented candles and yoga’: A fireside chat on how to overcome trauma and improve wellness

In this fireside chat, Cathy Hung, D.D.S., interviews Sheela Raja, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and associate professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, to gain insight on how trauma affects us and how we can develop resilience skills for our wellness. Dr. Raja is currently the director of the UIC Resilience Center, helping students to improve behavioral… Read More »

The positive impact of wellness on productivity

The concept of “wellness” is quickly becoming a buzzword in the workplace. While many employers initially adopted wellness initiatives to reduce health care costs, there is now evidence that these programs can also lead to increased productivity and improved employee morale. When it comes to productivity, we often focus on efficiency and output. But many don’t realize that wellness is… Read More »

Practicing mindfulness as a new dentist

There are too many things happening in life that could make us feel stressed, overwhelmed and less focused. Especially as a new dentist with a lot of responsibilities, your mind is constantly busy trying to get a clearer insight of where you want to take your practice to. The first rule to keep in mind is that there’s… Read More »

Patient autonomy vs. patient-pleasing as a new dentist

The day we obtain our dental license, our role changes from student to doctor. After a lifetime of being told what to do by “grown-ups,” teachers and professors, the roles reverse. It can be challenging when confronted by patients asking us to do things we are not comfortable with doing, especially if we want to please our patients.… Read More »

At SmileCon, Olympic curler and new dentist reflects on busy 2022

Tara Peterson, D.D.S., is a 2018 graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and member the U.S. curling team that competed at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing. Her sister also made the team. She spoke at SmileCon 2022 in Houston and allowed the New Dentist blog to publish her speech. The speech, which has been slightly… Read More »