New faces
As I walked through the door of the new practice, everyone knew who I was. I was the new guy.
I had no idea who anyone else was though. It was exciting and there were a lot of other things that I had to get used to. For starters, I now had a dental nurse. I had to develop a regime that would suit both of us. You hear a lot about four-handed dentistry at dental school, but it's something that you rarely get to experience. It takes a while to get used to, but once you do, you'll never want to work without it.
Too young?
Being young in a professional setting can be difficult to deal with. Everyone has to start somewhere, but patients tend to associate the word dentist with someone who looks a little older. I suggest that you let your dentistry do the talking. Patients soon realise that you possess the necessary skills.
Teamwork
I've tried to get involved and learn as much about the practice as possible. It's a good way to learn about the business aspects of running a practice. I found that the staff appreciated the extra help too. Working in a large practice means that there are always colleagues available to help you. Associates who have previously worked in the practice as a foundation dentist can be particularly helpful. Since they were once in the same situation this allows them to understand some of the problems you may have particularly when they may have treated that same difficult patient in the past!
Reassured
Of course not everything will be perfect. We all make mistakes. I have also found patients that I couldn't get on with. As a result, they decided they would prefer to be treated by someone else. It's only natural to question why, what went wrong and what you could have done better. A chat with my trainer solved this. After he told me that this is something that happens to every dentist throughout their careers, I felt a lot better. Part of being professional requires us to accept that the patient must be free to choose what treatment they wish to receive, when and from whom - and to support them in that decision.
Doing more
Networking can be a useful tool if you are to make your way in a profession bursting with opportunity. You will meet many people who over time will turn out to be your friends and colleagues, or possibly future business partners. The possibilities are endless and you are the future of dentistry.
The opportunity for progress continues throughout a career and the foundation training year has a steep learning curve. A trainer's experience and insight can be invaluable and without substitute. Listen to it and you can't go far wrong.
Dental Protection provides a whole range of risk management to support you through your career.
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