Confidence

One of the most important core building words of a successful dental professional, yes….it is confidence. You are ready to make that career happen. Well, know this, you will need confidence whether you are brand new or 20 years in. This means you will have to have total faith in yourself unequivocally. For instance when you start taking x-rays understand you will not get an A plus every time. What you will get is knowledge and with knowledge comes power. You will learn that certain placement has to occur in a pediatric mouth and quick steps to the button will happen. You will learn to collect co-pays now because later isn’t smart. You will learn that each patient is like a new puzzle to be figured out. That patience is kindness as each patient is a special puzzle. Once you figure that out you will learn that notes are everything as you will never be able to remember each special detail of all appointments. You will realize that some people want to talk to you and some just want to chill out like it is an hour vacation with total silence. Read the room. You will realize you could possibly become a therapist but aren’t. Most importantly the team you choose to work with will be your support system. So choose wisely. That can help with your possible success. Also stop being your worst enemy and ask for that co-pay, take that molar x-ray, stand upright while doing a cleaning, tell a patient they did great even when it was difficult for everyone. Retract like a mother for the Dentist. Tell the Dentist they did an amazing job on a hard case. Some situations are hard for the whole team. Grace under pressure. After all confidence is us telling ourselves we can and pushing any fear to the wayside. Besides, as they say “we have only fear to fear itself”. As I learned from someone important to me, lets start asking ourselves “What if it’s great”? Why always assume the worst? Lets see the best in ourselves. Before you know it you will be so confident you won’t remember any other way.