Zen Dentistry?


When a dentist is truly"in the groove",  he or she performs their procedures without thought about the degree of difficulty involved or the time a particular procedure is taking to complete. The only thing on their mind should be the proper performance of their work.  Thought  given to non essential matters can be counter productive.

Most dentistry performed with a dentist's drill involves creating "micro sculptures" and as such is a a creative process, often accomplished by performing a series of small cuts into the tooth. Some are "milling motions" and other times the drill is used like a paint brush, refining the preparation, until it takes exactly the desired shape.  Because of the inherent artistic component, thinking about the time involved or the difficulty  can get in the way because it interferes with a dentist giving their full attention to the task at hand. The challenge should be fully embraced!

The best analogy I can think of, is driving a car through a narrow tunnel ( the Queens midtown tunnel is a good example for New York Readers) since it requires a drivers complete attention. Thinking about failure or the time involved is just a distraction that will make "failure" more likely.

When I was a neophyte dentist, I worked in clinics that scheduled me tightly, and the clock was my enemy.  In the middle of a difficult procedure, the thought would come up, that this procedure was taking too long. My anxiety level would increase and the temptation to "rush it along" would constantly intrude into my mind. Suffice to say, in dentistry and in many other situations as well, "haste makes waste." and "good work take time" should be a constant montra. 

Fast forward thirty years forward, and I am at work in my own practice. There is always music playing in the background, and I often allow more time than is actually needed for each procedure. Dentistry is definitely more enjoyable when not rushed and when there is enough time,it is not unusual to find myself often in a "peak performance moment".  When in this groove, my mind is clear and only thinking about my tooth sculpture and completing it to perfection. Yes, sometimes my Zen state is disturbed by an intruding phone call or a fidgety patient, but for the most part all goes well. If a patient has problem sitting still or has a problem keeping their mouth open and I know this in advance, I will intentionally schedule more time for them. 

The ultimate reward for me and my patients, is in the final products; healthy mouths with crowns, fillings and Veneers that most often truly stand the test of time. I enjoy , when my schedule allows, to  do some of the cleaning for my patients. This affords me the best opportunity to clean and inspect each of my restoration margins and see how well adapted and healthy the surrounding gingival tissues remain . I don't really credit my skills  alone, since the patient is ultimately responsible for caring for their own mouths between cleanings, but when we have done good work together l, examining their mouths can make all the hard work worthwhile.


from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2018/05/zen-dentistry.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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