Reclaim your passion!

by Linda Steel, DDS

No. This isn’t one of those tabloid articles you often see at the grocery store checkout counter. I am talking about professional passion — the kind that makes you glad you chose dentistry and excited about going to work every day. You had that type of passion when you graduated from dental school. But we learn that the real world "conspires" to drain that enthusiasm as we try to partner our clinical skills and vision so we can create a rewarding and profitable business.

In the late 1980s my husband, Chip, and I began to experience this phenomenon. Having worked unhappily for others, we took the leap and started a practice. It wasn’t long before our practice began to achieve some success. But, on the heels of that success came the feeling that what we were doing was becoming more of a chore than a joy.

At the time we were both active in our local and state dental organizations, attending meetings regularly and serving on committees. Our peers seemed a pretty unhappy lot. They complained about insurance, patients, staff, and pretty much anything else related to their practices. No wonder we felt depressed after those meetings. We needed a change or we risked being drawn into the same frame of mind as many of our colleagues.

About this point in our lives, Chip spotted a small ad announcing a meeting of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in Miami. At the time, the AACD was a fledgling group. Though we really couldn’t afford to do so, we took a chance and went to the Academy’s meeting.

What an epiphany! The meeting changed the way we viewed and practiced dentistry forever. In contrast to our dental organization experiences, the AACD meeting was filled with enthusiastic dentists who were excited about their profession with none of the gloom and doom mindset we had experienced at home. This spirit filled the lectures and exhibit hall, as well as the social events. The "giants" of dentistry whom we had only heard of or read about were quick to introduce themselves and talk about their practices.

They demonstrated passion and enthusiasm. We were fortunate to have their energy jump-start us. We also met people like Drs. Wynn Okuda, Debra Gray King, and Dennis Wells, all of whom have become true leaders in our industry and have maintained their passion. We were hooked. We joined the AACD, thereby reclaiming our initial passion for dentistry and finding a way to sustain it through our association with the Academy.

When we returned home, we made significant changes. We eliminated amalgam and began to talk about esthetics with patients. We put appearance and cosmetics into our clinical evaluation, and spoke with patients about what was possible. We also realized that we had to be in charge of creating a positive culture that would sustain our enthusiasm. We surrounded ourselves with an energizing and passionate team. We knew there was nothing worse than coming to work with a great attitude, only to have it drained by another. So we learned to leave our "baggage" at the door and asked the same of our staff.

What we learned at the AACD, we implemented at home.

The next objective we sought was to identify a clear goal for direction to keep us stimulated. The AACD Accreditation process was exactly that goal. It kept us focused on improving our skills and providing the best possible services for patients. Accreditation was a big commitment for us as well as our staff.

Drs. Linda and Chip Steel recharging at an AACD social event.

But we succeeded and became the first "husband and wife" dentists to achieve the distinction. Going through the Accreditation process with each other was a wonderful experience. We received great support along with a little healthy competition. Accreditation was an important point in our professional development, and provided a great boost to our office. But it was the process — not the plaque — that provided the long-term rewards. That process revved our enthusiasm for work and was a catalyst for making other professional decisions that help us daily.

But we still had work to do. While dentistry may not be the toughest job in the world, it can be mentally and physically draining. If we could not maintain our enthusiasm, work would become even more difficult. To that end, we have learned to maintain the flow of positive influences in our lives. There are lots of ways to do this.

Take a lesson from a successful company such as Starbucks, which offers tangible products (e.g., music, logo items) but never forgets that its core business is coffee. While Harley-Davidson sells brand items such as clothing, the company derives its strength from its core product.

Dentistry can be as narrow or diverse as you like so long as you maintain a strong central set of services. Attempting to serve everyone in all ways can be a recipe for disaster.

A talented cosmetic dentist I know enjoys occasionally performing endodontics as a change of pace. Others might want an even broader spectrum of work to maintain their interest. If you are qualified to do the work that you enjoy, then you can confidently delegate or refer procedures that go beyond your interest or cause you anxiety.

A healthy dose of planned continuing education works for us. This might be the same for you, too. Some courses focus on helping to increase profits while others are strictly for clinical learning or just for fun. While we must stay current on infection control and CPR, we have many options in constructing practice styles and service mix.

We suggest taking advantage of this freedom to mold your practice to your strengths and interests.

While professional challenges are important, we need a family life, good friends, and good health to fully "fund" our enthusiasm for dentistry. Hobbies that stimulate you and clear your head enable you to remain focused and productive at work. A life of faith and inward contemplation will help you achieve a perspective necessary to retain that positive outlook when life starts to weigh you down.

As we recall our professional career, it is clear that we were in a rut — the rut that is created by "ordinary" dentistry. In affiliating ourselves with the AACD, we were able to escape that rut and move on to a road of our own paving.

Chip and I needed a plan and a map. We needed balance in our lives. We needed a worthy destination to avoid wandering aimlessly. The AACD was the spark that initiated the turnaround of our professional attitude. The Academy continues to fuel our passion almost 20 years later. Chip and I often quote Charles Kingsley, a British novelist and educator:

"We act as though comfort and luxury are the chief requirements of life, when all we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about."

We hope to see each of you at the next AACD Annual Scientific Session, which will be May 7-10, 2008, in New Orleans.

Linda Steel, DDS, is an Accredited Member of the AACD, and has served on the Academy’s Board of Directors. She has chaired the AACD’s Charitable Foundation and been active in Academy publications. Currently, Dr. Steel and husband, Chip, serve as examiners for the AACD credentialing board. Dr. Steel and her husband have a practice in Sandy Spring, Md. She maintains a full and enthusiastic life outside of dentistry. Contact her at [email protected].