Dentaltown December 2017 - 38

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I'm not sure but I think after my explanation he at least sort of understood where I'm
coming from. ■
9/13/2017

ScamperSqueaks
Member Since: 10/13/15
Posts: 120 and 121 of 665

My sister-in-law is a dentist, but all the way in Alabama. (I'm in Ohio.) If it weren't for her, I
don't know what I would do-and I don't even talk to her as much as I would like. This is a very
isolated career, at least in my experience. In school, you have faculty and friends to confide in or
gain knowledge from. Out in the real world if you are a solo doc, you don't have many-if any-
people to turn to. And now you have to have all the answers for your staff and your patients.
I work in corporate because they were the only ones who could give me insurance and a
decent pay to handle my loan. In hindsight, I would have chosen something else and I'm only
two years out. ■
9/13/2017

drsaul
Member Since: 10/12/12
Post: 159 of 665

I started this thread because we have a problem in our profession. The problem is us. I've
been lucky because I have a support system-my partner for 30 years was my brother, and my
best friend growing up is also a dentist. We need to connect more with each other and listen
more to each other. Understanding what works for me may not work for you, but both may be
valid. Exercise and stress reduction only goes so far. We need to accept we don't have all the
answers; we all need a little help from our friends. It all starts with dialog and reaching out. ■

9/13/2017

Timmy G
Member Since: 04/14/02
Post: 164 of 665

We pick up magazines and read articles or hear lectures from the gurus about what we
"should be doing" and then when we can't or it doesn't turn out like the cherry-picked case we
see on the lecture slide, we feel like crap.
Each one of us can only speak from personal experience. We can only say what's worked
or not worked for us, but that doesn't mean it will translate into success for anyone else. There
aren't many universal truths. ■
9/14/2017

alanrw
Member Since: 05/16/11
Post: 171 of 665

While I know there is a disease-driven model for suicide (my wife is a mental health care
professional), one of the things that certainly lightened my load considerably was joining
Dentaltown. Like all of you, I get the magazines and read the articles of the architecturally
picture-perfect practices. But reading about real dentists daily who fight the same fights I
fight-difficult patients, procedures, regulatory compliance, fighting insurance companies,
etc.-really normalized what I do daily.
I am not alone. In fact, I am a lot like all of you guys.
Without others to bounce problems and ideas off, our professional lives can weigh us down
big time. ■
9/14/2017

Timmy G
Member Since: 04/14/02
Post: 173 of 665

This is a nice article I read many years ago, it's not chock full of answers, but at the least it
affirms what most of us are feeling. ■
[Editor's note: To view this article, visit this message board online.]
9/14/2017

Mikehanna
Member Since: 03/22/10
Post: 192 of 665

Why is suicide a "problem"? What's wrong with people taking their own lives when they
decide they do not want to live anymore? Why is it of concern? I can understand the concern for

DECEMBER 2017 // dentaltown.com

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