Dentaltown New Grad 2013 - (Page 6)

professional courtesy column » So You Want to Be Successful? Be Professional. by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, Editorial Director, Dentaltown Magazine I have had the pleasure of meeting many current dental students and recent graduates. You are definitely in a different position than we were in my day – I graduated dental school 18 years ago! First and foremost is the debt burden that today’s graduates must repay. I know my student loan tally was intimidating when I graduated, but the debt balances new graduates carry today are absolutely frightening. These burdens can cloud your judgment and I’m here to be the little voice inside your head that says, “Think first about your professional life and the money will find you.” Let me explain. You did not graduate dental school with all the knowledge you need to be successful. Embrace the fact that the profession of dentistry requires continuous learning, beyond what may be required by your dental board to maintain your license. My personal bias leans towards Dentaltown.com as a premier source for your continuous learning as it is accessible 24/7/365. You can ask questions and get answers, or simply learn from reading the conversations of thousands of dentists around the world sharing cases and issues from their practice. As examples, I have selected a couple of message boards from our website to include in this special edition of Dentaltown Magazine (page 8). In addition to the very popular message board section of our site, we also have a massive library of accredited CE courses available to you. One new grad explained to me that the hospital-based residency was a humbling experience for her, and she left knowing that there is still a lot to learn. I think this is one of the great benefits to a hospital-based residency or AEGD program. In fact, if you do not have a family member or relative waiting for you to join their practice, I would strongly suggest you consider this option. In most cases the experience you will get in a hospital-based program will exceed the run-of-the-mill life in private practice and you will gain a valuable perspective on what you still need to learn. Similar to the business of running a practice, many dental schools do not have much time to devote to ethics in dentistry. The schools have many rules that require ethical behavior during your time in the program, but this is a topic that is very critical to a new dentist. After graduation you will discover there are a variety of practice opportunities available in the marketplace. Some may be experienced dentists looking to bring someone in and provide valuable mentorship as they develop their skills, while others may simply be looking for a warm body to continue their fleecing of the general public. If you are entering the marketplace for an associateship, you will find a wide spectrum of opportunities. In spite of the fact that we do not take a “Hippocratic Oath” in dentistry, you should always operate on the principle of ‘doing the right thing’ for your patients. The golden rule is often the best mantra for your treatment planning: treat others as you would like to be treated. Perfecting and maintaining professionalism in these ways will find your career more successful, and your practice more profitable. If on the other hand, you would feel comfortable in a profession that already has dwindling respect and a lack of trust from the general public, do us all a favor and go to law school! If you have a question, please e-mail me at tom@dentaltown.com. I welcome your comments and discussion on the digital version of this article online or within the digital version of our magazine. ■ Would you like to read more articles like this one? Visit Dentaltown.com/magazine.aspx. “The golden rule is often the best mantra for your treatment planning: treat others as you would like to be treated.” 6 NEW GRADS » dentaltown.com http://www.Dentaltown.com http://www.Dentaltown.com/magazine.aspx http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown New Grad 2013

Howard Speaks: Informed Decisions
Professional Courtesy: So You Want to Be Successful? Be Professional
Continuing Education Update: Never Stop Learning
After Going Through Dental School, What Advice Would You Give Students?
Checklist for Reviewing an Associate’s Work
You Should Know: Townie Meeting
Office Visit: Resident On Call
Office Visit: In His Element
Are You Prepared to Begin Practicing Dentistry?
Three Stages of a Dental Career
What You Need to Know About Student Debt Relief
Gain an Early Financial Edge
Pregnancy and Employment in the Dental Practice
Personal Protective Equipment
Win Patient Loyalty
Denture Stabilization with Small-diameter Implants
Partnerships: A Match Made in Heaven or a Pathway to Financial Hell
Taking Oral Health Care Education from the Classroom to the Clinic
Continuing Education: Nine Lessons from the Real World

Dentaltown New Grad 2013