Take some time to plan your future dental career.
Designing your ideal work-life balance is sometimes difficult to picture and even harder to put down on paper. Many dentists choose their career because the profession offers a flexible lifestyle, but many dentists are not living up to the positive stereotype because they don’t know how to compartmentalize their work and personal lives.
One of the greatest things you can do for yourself is to envision your perfect career. Plan and actually live this vision. The first thing you need to do is write down your idea of the perfect dental career.
1. Create work-life balance.
You thought you had it all planned out when you opted to go into the dental profession because you would have a well-balanced work and personal life, but you were wrong. You’re spending way more hours at the office than ever anticipated and when you’re not in the office, you’re thinking about your practice and patients. Does this sound familiar?
Many dentists sometimes forget how to enjoy their career because they’re constantly stressed and they’re always “on.” In order to create an ideal work-life balance, consider planning your schedule out in advance and stick to it. Patients will always be there for appointments, but your personal time with friends and family is important and necessary.
You also need time to work on yourself so that when you are at the office, you’re offering your staff and patients the best version of you. The only way to achieve this is to dedicate certain hours and time to your office and when you’re out of the operatory, make sure you’re really out.
2. You won’t get there by accident.
Dentistry, although rewarding, is a physically and mentally demanding field. It can be in your best interest to consider taking some continuing education courses in orthodontics to expand your skills and be able to make a lucrative side income. Many general dentists choose to take Dr. Brad William’s Basic Straight Wire Course to learn how to implement orthodontics into their practices.
Some choose the continuing education course to be more skilled and to offer multi-disciplinary services, while other dentists want to transition their careers. Either way, you need to put in the time and effort to find the ideal career vision and sometimes this means carving time out of your busy schedule to learn a new skill.
3. Remember why you chose the career you love.
Try to remember all of the reasons you went into dentistry. You wanted to help people, work with your hands, educate patients on the importance of oral health, and become your own boss. There are numerous reasons why you chose to become a dentist, but in order to maintain a career you love, you sometimes need a reminder.
Jot down all of the reasons that motivated you when you were studying long hours in dental school, and when you’re having a stressful day, take a look at your list to remember why this is the career for you.
4. Create the life you love.
Like other career professionals, dentists need to take a step back, look at their career and determine whether it is helping create the life they imagined. What elements of dentistry are allowing you to follow your passions? Are you spending enough quality time with your family? Do you focus on yourself enough and your own hobbies? If you are not honest and happy with your answers, this may mean you need to change the way you work so you can enjoy your life, find happiness, and fulfill your dreams.
5. Design your ideal career around your passions and core values.
Sometimes small steps will lead to big changes in your career. If you are passionate about patient care, focus on patient care. If you decide you want to change the pace of your career, you need to step up and take the initiative. Many general dentists want to “specialize” and master an area of dentistry for their patients’ benefit and for their own well-being.
Dr. Williams orthodontic course for general dentists is a great way to take the first step in incorporating orthodontics into your practice. When you are able to write down what you’re passionate about and how you can achieve that goal, your career path will be clearer.
Careers are like relationships; they change over time and have their ups and downs. No profession is perfect, but dentistry offers numerous benefits to help you achieve the lifestyle and balance you are seeking.
