Why I don't give in to Dental Envy?


One of the best parts of being a dentist is that each of us gets to decide how we want to practice. Some strive to have maximum "productivity" while others may have another agenda. The truth is, as dentists we all "play the same game" but sometimes we each set different rules for our selves. One dentist may spend 10 percent of his billings on marketing while another may believe advertising is a dirty word. One dentist may have inexpensive fees and spend less time on each procedure and another may have higher fees and spend more time to complete each restoration. Really it all depends on how we want to practice and what are primary goals are.

Some dental practices are financial juggernauts, while others, not so much. Usually the difference can be due to of a number of factors, including, the skill of the dentists, how they choose to practice, the type and variety of procedures they can perform and the amount of patients they have as well..

Long ago I came  to terms with myself and how I like to practice and although I do find myself experiencing "dental envy" from time to time, I don't dwell on it, because deep in my heart I know that I would not be comfortable or happy running my practice any other way .

Successful people do have "habits" that lead them to success and our most financially successful  colleagues do as well. That being said, the definition of a successful practice may vary, depending on how we define it. I feel successful when my work is performed to a very high standard of care and I can rest assured that it will likely benefit my patients for a very long time. I am not as turned on by doing a high volume of procedures as much as by the quality of my work. I love it when my patients return, year after year for their cleanings and I observe their mouths in health.

When I see  a patient on a re care appointment, whose care I have supervised for decades , and whose mouths have been in a more or less continual state of good health, I feel like a success! Of course from time to time their 'oral garden" may need tending but if repairs and maintenance are timely, their mouths can remain in an excellent state of health for their entire lifetime. Their tooth loss is either minimal or non existent and seeing their smiles when they return is all I need in order  to banish any feelings of dental envy that I might otherwise experience.

from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2018/07/why-i-dont-give-in-to-dental-envy.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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