Below are six things dental school didn't teach you, according to Nashid Ahmed, DDS, who received her dental degree a year ago.
In an American Dental Association blog, Dr. Ahmed wrote that she was not familiar with the day-to-day challenges of the dental profession when she was still in school. While pursuing an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency, she gained a realistic understanding of some workplace conflicts.
Here are six things dental school left out, per Dr. Ahmed:
1. It's important to think beyond a prescriptive manual and be open minded.
2. If a patient has had years of negative experiences, it's unrealistic to expect a change in behavior after a single appointment.
3. Be prepared for criticism.
4. Failures are inevitable. Discuss the success rate and the prognosis of invested treatments with patients.
5. A great support staff is everything. When staff is supportive and invested, the synergy can transform the clinic. However, if staff is disgruntled, apathetic or toxic, the negative energy can hurt the workplace dynamic and the practice's reputation.
6. It's easy to become apathetic, but always keep learning.