Too Emotionally Invested in Dentistry | Unfiltered Chats With Dr. Khaled

Описание: https://www.herveybaydentists.com.au/
  / lakesidedentalspa180  
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Hello everyone! Today, I want to talk about how over-investing emotionally in dentistry can be mentally draining, can affect your career, and impact your well-being.

My name is Khaled, and I’ve been a dentist for 20 years. I own Lakeside Dental Spa in Hervey Bay, Queensland, where I’ve grown the practice from one chair to ten and expanded the team from three to nearly forty members over 15 years. (Check my details below for more information.)

What Does It Mean to Over-Invest Emotionally?
Dentistry, like any medical or surgical field, carries risks and complications. For example, during a complex root canal, there’s a risk of perforation. When complications arise, it’s easy to become emotionally consumed - thinking about it day and night, questioning your skills, and dwelling on the issue.

One key insight:
Dentists often place far more value on teeth than the general public does - even other medical professionals. This discrepancy can cause us to over-invest emotionally, leading to stress and burnout.

Two Real-Life Examples of the Discrepancy

The Football Incident:
Recently, during a football match between Liverpool and Plymouth in the FA Cup, a player lost their front tooth after a collision. The camera showed the manager laughing - because, in sports, injuries happen. The player finished the game with a missing front tooth, and it wasn’t a big deal to anyone but us as dentists.

The Endodontist’s Patient:
I once worked with a world-class endodontist in Egypt - one of the best globally. After exhausting every option to save a patient’s tooth, he had to break the news that it needed extraction. The patient - an obstetrician-gynecologist - simply said, “It’s fine, just take it out, you’re acting as if you’re removing my uterus!” This highlights how other medical professionals may view tooth loss as far less significant than we do.

How to Protect Your Mental Well-Being
While we must always strive to provide world-class care, it’s vital to:

Detach emotionally after handling a complication.
Communicate openly with patients, be transparent and supportive.
Move forward, just like professional athletes who miss a goal and focus on the next play.

By changing how we value teeth emotionally, we can become:

Better dentists
More resilient
Less burdened by complications

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Thank you for your time, it means a lot to me! #drkhaledshahin