I am going to put the kid thing on hold because this came up yesterday and I wanted you to see this.
I got an email yesterday.
It was constructive criticism.
Lets get right to it.
Hi John,
My friend, Sally, shared something with me at church tonight that I thought you would want to know. She's been looking for a new dentist for a while and I've highly recommended you several times. I told her how impressed I was with the handwritten note you sent us after my son and I had our first visits to your office and how you said you hoped we saw the light of Christ reflected in the office.
Anyway, I guess she had an emergency this morning and called your office, went in and ended up having a root canal. She said you were great and put her at ease, but she was really shocked at the attitude and language of whoever was assisting. She said the woman kept complaining about the office and was just very negative, but what shocked her was that she kept saying "hell" and I guess just the whole way she was talking. It made Fran very uncomfortable and did not at all reflect the atmosphere of the office that she expected. She just kept telling me she was so shocked by it and I could tell she was really turned off. She's not the kind of person who complains or judges others, so for her to share that with me means it really bothered her.
I really wrestled with whether or not to say anything to you, but I thought you would want to know because I know you do care about your patients and want them to be comfortable, and I know that the impression Fran now has is not the impression you want to convey.
Sincerely,
Patient
Well what do you think?
I can be totally honest with you and tell you that I wanted cuss someone out when I got this (and use a lot nastier words than "hell").
So many emotions go through your mind. Anger was first but then it becomes doubt.
Maybe I am just not doing this thing right. Maybe when I think people like this office they really don't. Maybe I turn more people off than I think.
Then it is self loathing.
But after I calmed down from my bipolar disorder and started thinking rationally it wasn't that bad.
I appreciated her constructive criticism.
First, I want to tell you how we do it here. You all know I am a jokester. I like to play and having new people here doesn't stop me.
My assistant and I have been working together for 13 years. She jokes too.
We banter back and forth all day long. We genuinely like each other and constantly bounce things off each other.
The topic all depends on the day. I might just ask her, "Why do woman always do X?"
Then it is on. She will say it is because men do Y. Then it is back and forth.
We get the patient involved in the conversation. You can see there eyes go back and forth as we are arguing/playing/discussing.
There is absolutely nothing sacred. We talk about office politics, religion, women stuff, men stuff, we talk about other patients (without names), current events, bratty kids, our kids, tuition, college... ANYTHING.
Is there cussing involved? Well....yes. Sometimes. Not all the time but yes there is.
Is this stepping over the line? Probably.
I am not going to beat myself up about this (and I don't want you to either), I mean my wife sometimes gets on me (she really is looking out for the office's best interest) about this.
Also she talks about a Christian looking different than the any other regular person.
We do it to have fun, learn more about everything, and make the patient comfortable. We do it to look real to the patient.
I am a person, a husband, a dad AND and dentist.
So, I showed my assistant the letter.
We had a nice talk. We will try to be better about not scaring people on their first visit. Make them feel comfortable but not to over do it.
And about the "hell" thing. My assistant loves her job. I mean to tell you she tells me all the time.
Now she has freedom to talk to me about what she doesn't like the office that day.
That day it might of been hot as "hell" in the office. Or she might of asked me, "what the hell is Susan doing at the front desk." It is all in her wheelhouse.
Now, we have had so much positive feedback that we know that we have to do it. It is part of the job. "The show".
The feedback is mostly, "You guys are so funny." or "You guys are just plain crazy, you made me forget I was at the dentist." or "I love coming here to hear what you guys are talking about."
Sometimes patients can't talk back (because there is work going on in their mouths) so at the end of the appointment they says, "Okay this is what I think...."
So it is effective.
I thought about what she said in the letter.
I remember Sally and that she was scared and that another dentist just pulled her teeth.
I remember telling her we are going to try to save this tooth and I remember putting her mind at ease about the procedure.
I remember talking to her about money and how we were going to try to make this part as painless as well, by working with her and not charging her for the xray and the Limited oral exam.
I remember giving her injection that didn't hurt at all. I remember removing all her decay getting into the nerve and then doing a pulpectomy. I remember her not feeling a thing.
Do I remember saying or hearing the word "hell" ....No.
Maybe she forgot all the above things and remembered only the last line. I remembered the top part of this and forgot the last line...it is all about perspective isn't it?
I wrote her back.
Patient,
I am so glad you wrote to me. I know that it must have been very hard. To put you mind at ease, I can handle constructive criticism.
Now about Sally....
Most of the time this is not people's favorite place. It has been our experience that coming to an office for the first time is even worse for people.
And this is kind of making an excuse but...we kind of try to talk in a way that would make people feel more at ease.
We have always tried to erase people"s fears of this over bearing, strong armed dentistry they may be keeping them from the dentist. In our effort, admittingly sometimes we may go overboard (if you hang around here longer you may hear a lot more than the word "hell").
As you know that my primary objective is to honor our King and sometimes (okay most of the time) I fall short. I will indeed work on making people comfortable and doing it in a way that is okay for everyone.
I appreciate you "iron is sharpening iron". And lastly I am sorry that your friend did not have a great experience here. I know you put your name on the line for me and I kind of "blew it."
Thanks for writing,
john
This patient and her son have cleaning appointments coming up this month.
Paybacks are hell. I mean heck.
I have so much more to say, but it is Friday.
Have a great weekend
john
Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
A purpose driven kid
Yo, what up?
I have to tell you that being with my kids is like a constant comedy show.
Yesterday was a classic.
My son and daughter are in this thing at school to raise money. Yeah a school that cost $9000 a year per kid has about 4 money drives during the year....but I digress.
The organization that was brought in to help raise the money gives the kids prizes for reaching certain plateaus.
So the prize my daughter got was a wrist band with a watch in it.
So she is in the front seat and my 5 year old Noah is in the back seat.
So Madison says, "I wonder what this thing is", looking at her wrist band.
I said, "It is to wipe your brow."
So she says, "What is a brow?"
So Noah from the back seat says, "It is what girls wear to hold up their boobies."
I am not making this stuff up. I have been laughing on and off all day thinking of this.
Its these kids I want to talk about today.
This blog started on my way to Chicago on Feb 19. I was flying out of Orlando.
You know that where ever you from Orlando there is going to be kids. Either they are coming to Disney World or leaving Disney World.
I always travel with movies. I always travel with something to do. I can't sleep for the life of me.
Anyway we were blessed to sit directly in front of the Tasmanian Devil. She was about 4 years old and she was making everyone in a five row vicinity miserable.
The plane was situated that there was three seats on one side of the row and two seat on the other. The family of four sat on both sides of the aisle. Mom and Dad, the Tasmanian Devil and her little sister. The father and TD sat behind me.
She screamed and kicked and screamed some more.
Most of the trip I am occupied by my movie and these headphones that are so awesome that you can't hear much but the movie.
But when you are being rocked by the kicking it is hard to ignore and when you can hear the father tell the 4 year old to "Shut up!!!"
Then he is yelling at her through his teeth, "please shut up!"
This poor couple were so inept. I mean it is bad parenting 101.
The parents bent to her every whim.
When she yelled (and I mean yelled), "I want MOMMY!"
Every got up and changed seating arrangements.
Now you may be thinking that I was upset with the kid. But really I was more upset with the parents. I felt sorry for them in a way.
It is the parents responsibility to teach this young person how to act. It is their responsibility to teach this kid that she will NOT get EVERYTHING she wants.
And when the answer is "No" then she has to be okay with this.
So because the parents, who were I am sure were tired from giving this kid everything she wanted at Disney World for 5 straight days, didn't have any more to give.
By the end of the flight the dad was so annoyed (and with his own ineptitude with his daughter it was hard to watch.
But a couple weeks ago I was driving my 9 year old home from baseball practice and we were listening to the news on the radio.
And it was one of those news days. There was a governmental take over in Lithuania, there was a murder, and a kidnapping and couple of other really bad things.
I said, "Luke this world is going to pot, I am telling you." Sounding more and more like my dad every day.
So later on that night I thought of a teaching moment. I brought the news up to him.
I started with, "Hey Luke the news today was pretty bad.
"There is so much crap going on in the world. What do you think our role is? Yeah, me John and you Luke Gammichia, what is our role?"
"How can we make a difference?"
Now I have debated this for the last couple of weeks. Is this conversation too much for a nine year old to handle? I don't know...but it is now too late.
I want to start the broadening of the mind thing. I want him to see a world that is more than just Luke.
Of course his answer was, "Idunno."
This maybe a little early but I started in on him, "What are you going to do with your life?"
But my angle was different than the movies when they say, "What are you going to do with your life, you degenerate?!"
No, this was more kingdom focused. Kind of like...What are you going to do to make this world better?
"What do you mean, Dad?"
"Well, I want you to start thinking about how you are going to impact this world."
I said, "I am a dentist. You wouldn't think that a guy that fills cavities can impact the world. But I think in my job I think I have a skill that people need.
I have the ability to help people. It might be one person a week. It might be on a mission trip. It might be after you kids are off at college opening up a free clinic. I don't quite know how I am going to impact the world quite yet. It is something I am still trying to figure out."
Is everyone called to change the world? I think yes, but not everyone is equipped the same way.
Some people make the money to fund the ones equipped to serve.
(So I am talking half the time to him and going over these things in my head the other time).
Then I say, "You can be a lawyer. You can be a doctor. You can be a vet. You can be an electrician. But remember whatever you are going to do, it has to be for the greater good.
It is not about Luke Gammichia. It is about Luke Gammichia and how he is going to impact the world.
Now you have to remember I am totally making this stuff up as I am going along with him.
I never had this conversation with my parents.
We never talked about anything but grades and moving on. There was no purpose talk.
Like questions about motive.
I did have a chance to sit around a circle with some buddies this weekend and drink some beer and smokes cigars and we had a great talk about purpose. Our own purpose and our kids purpose.
There were about 7 dads there and the ages of kids ranged from 2-20.
So it was great.
Let's talk about this talk about this on Friday.
What do you think?
Have you had this talk with your kids?
I would like to know,
john
I have to tell you that being with my kids is like a constant comedy show.
Yesterday was a classic.
My son and daughter are in this thing at school to raise money. Yeah a school that cost $9000 a year per kid has about 4 money drives during the year....but I digress.
The organization that was brought in to help raise the money gives the kids prizes for reaching certain plateaus.
So the prize my daughter got was a wrist band with a watch in it.
So she is in the front seat and my 5 year old Noah is in the back seat.
So Madison says, "I wonder what this thing is", looking at her wrist band.
I said, "It is to wipe your brow."
So she says, "What is a brow?"
So Noah from the back seat says, "It is what girls wear to hold up their boobies."
I am not making this stuff up. I have been laughing on and off all day thinking of this.
Its these kids I want to talk about today.
This blog started on my way to Chicago on Feb 19. I was flying out of Orlando.
You know that where ever you from Orlando there is going to be kids. Either they are coming to Disney World or leaving Disney World.
I always travel with movies. I always travel with something to do. I can't sleep for the life of me.
Anyway we were blessed to sit directly in front of the Tasmanian Devil. She was about 4 years old and she was making everyone in a five row vicinity miserable.
The plane was situated that there was three seats on one side of the row and two seat on the other. The family of four sat on both sides of the aisle. Mom and Dad, the Tasmanian Devil and her little sister. The father and TD sat behind me.
She screamed and kicked and screamed some more.
Most of the trip I am occupied by my movie and these headphones that are so awesome that you can't hear much but the movie.
But when you are being rocked by the kicking it is hard to ignore and when you can hear the father tell the 4 year old to "Shut up!!!"
Then he is yelling at her through his teeth, "please shut up!"
This poor couple were so inept. I mean it is bad parenting 101.
The parents bent to her every whim.
When she yelled (and I mean yelled), "I want MOMMY!"
Every got up and changed seating arrangements.
Now you may be thinking that I was upset with the kid. But really I was more upset with the parents. I felt sorry for them in a way.
It is the parents responsibility to teach this young person how to act. It is their responsibility to teach this kid that she will NOT get EVERYTHING she wants.
And when the answer is "No" then she has to be okay with this.
So because the parents, who were I am sure were tired from giving this kid everything she wanted at Disney World for 5 straight days, didn't have any more to give.
By the end of the flight the dad was so annoyed (and with his own ineptitude with his daughter it was hard to watch.
But a couple weeks ago I was driving my 9 year old home from baseball practice and we were listening to the news on the radio.
And it was one of those news days. There was a governmental take over in Lithuania, there was a murder, and a kidnapping and couple of other really bad things.
I said, "Luke this world is going to pot, I am telling you." Sounding more and more like my dad every day.
So later on that night I thought of a teaching moment. I brought the news up to him.
I started with, "Hey Luke the news today was pretty bad.
"There is so much crap going on in the world. What do you think our role is? Yeah, me John and you Luke Gammichia, what is our role?"
"How can we make a difference?"
Now I have debated this for the last couple of weeks. Is this conversation too much for a nine year old to handle? I don't know...but it is now too late.
I want to start the broadening of the mind thing. I want him to see a world that is more than just Luke.
Of course his answer was, "Idunno."
This maybe a little early but I started in on him, "What are you going to do with your life?"
But my angle was different than the movies when they say, "What are you going to do with your life, you degenerate?!"
No, this was more kingdom focused. Kind of like...What are you going to do to make this world better?
"What do you mean, Dad?"
"Well, I want you to start thinking about how you are going to impact this world."
I said, "I am a dentist. You wouldn't think that a guy that fills cavities can impact the world. But I think in my job I think I have a skill that people need.
I have the ability to help people. It might be one person a week. It might be on a mission trip. It might be after you kids are off at college opening up a free clinic. I don't quite know how I am going to impact the world quite yet. It is something I am still trying to figure out."
Is everyone called to change the world? I think yes, but not everyone is equipped the same way.
Some people make the money to fund the ones equipped to serve.
(So I am talking half the time to him and going over these things in my head the other time).
Then I say, "You can be a lawyer. You can be a doctor. You can be a vet. You can be an electrician. But remember whatever you are going to do, it has to be for the greater good.
It is not about Luke Gammichia. It is about Luke Gammichia and how he is going to impact the world.
Now you have to remember I am totally making this stuff up as I am going along with him.
I never had this conversation with my parents.
We never talked about anything but grades and moving on. There was no purpose talk.
Like questions about motive.
I did have a chance to sit around a circle with some buddies this weekend and drink some beer and smokes cigars and we had a great talk about purpose. Our own purpose and our kids purpose.
There were about 7 dads there and the ages of kids ranged from 2-20.
So it was great.
Let's talk about this talk about this on Friday.
What do you think?
Have you had this talk with your kids?
I would like to know,
john
Monday, March 9, 2009
Suprise!!!!
Hi all,
Well, I did it. I never thought this was going to happen to me. My mom is in her sixties and we make fun of her memory all the time. We laugh at the fact that she can see a movie in the theater and by the time it comes out on video she can see it again because she has no recollection of it.
Well this weekend I got a movie from Netflix called Next. It came in the mail and my wife said, "You have seen this movie already."
And I said, "No, I haven't."
"Yes, you have."
Well we started watching it and it took awhile (about 40 minutes into the movie) but I realized I have seen this movie.
Man, I hate it when my wife is right, even though I should no better.
And this is happening so close to my 40th birthday.
Speaking of my birthday, my wife threw me a surprise birthday party on Friday night.
I don't know if this is related to the above story but usually I am much more intuitive when it comes to this. I have to admit that I was looking for clues in the month before my birthday but there was none.
What I think threw me off the scent was that my wife and I were planning a joint 40th birthday party. See her 40th is in May. So we planned to have a get together sometime in April.
Well for this (pretend) party I made a list of all the people I would invite and I even picked out the stock of paper for the invitations. We had discussed what food I would like at OUR party.
Well she took my list and invited the people on my list with the invitations on the paper I chose and planned a party with the kind of food I liked.
I even picked the DJ.
My Friday's are usually very busy. After work, that ends at 3pm, will usually try to catch up on paper work. I usually am a couple days behind on writing up charts and I am scrabbling around trying to get the blog finished. Then I go straight to 4:30 basketball practice. Then after practice it is straight to a 5:30 (Noah's) soccer game. Then home. But this Friday was a little different.
It was very slow at work. I caught up on my paper work and finished the blog all during work hours.
So I called Hilda on my way home and told her I was coming home before basketball practice. Well unbeknownst to me this would have been disastrous. The house was all decorated and there were tables and chairs outside. Our living room was all moved around and the caterer was setting up.
So my wife asked me to stop at Home Depot to get a light bulb for her.
I am getting a little annoyed because she keeps calling me. I stop at Home Depot and I am in and out. So she calls me again and says, "Are you going to Home Depot for me?"
I said, "Yes and I am driving out of the parking lot as we speak and I will be home in 10 minutes."
So she is thinking, "Oh sh@!$#%*&t . "
So she says, "Do you know how to jump start a car? Because Marie just called me and her car won't start."
"Yes, you guys can do it. Red to red and black to black."
"Well, do you think you can come and help us?"
"WHAT?!!! Fricking fine I will meet you at Marie's house. But I want you to know that this means I probably wont be able to come home before practice."
All is well.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you something. We had dinner plans with our friends (one of the couples that were coming to this party). I asked my wife if we have locked down plans with them I said, "I will call them."
I called my friends and I asked them where they wanted to go.
We we talked for a couple of minutes and locked down FAKE restaurant plans.
So when I got to the soccer game my wife wasn't around. Noah was playing in the game and Madison is playing with her friends but there is no sign of Hilda anywhere.
I am thinking she is in the bathroom or something. But after about ten minutes I start to wonder. So I called her.
And she says, "Oh, I came home to get ready for our date."
So I gave her the business, "Honey, it is 2 and a half hours before we are suppose to meet them. What the hell are you doing? You left our daughter unattended and our kid playing in a soccer game. And no one around her knows that you left. Have you completely lost your mind?"
So I just shook my head and hung up the phone.
After the game I packed everyone in the car. Now imagine how hard it was for my kids, who are 9,8 and 5 years old who knew about the party, not to blab it out.
Well when I rolled up in the driveway. Everyone was standing there yelling "SURPRISE".
Your first reaction is like, "What the hell?" Because I had no idea.
There was a DJ in my driveway and a whole bunch of people in my back yard.
"Oh wait, Oh my gosh, no way. Awesome, all this for me? Totally awesome."
You all know how much I hate attention.
Anyways, It was a great party. Much food and fun and laughs had by all.
Turns out the theme was Cigars. So everyone was instructed to bring a cigar for the birthday boy.
My dad got me a cigar made by Fidel Castro's personal cigar maker and a humidor from the same dude.
I am not really a cigar connoisseur but I like an occasional cigar with my buddies once a month or so.
It was totally great.
But that was not all. I woke up on Saturday and I was volunteering at a clinic called "Special Day for Special Kids". If you are a regular reader you will remember this is a educational clinic for families with kids with Down's Syndrome.
My son and I had our last basketball game before the playoffs at noon. So I high tail it to the game which we won.
We finished the season 4-3. (Good news and bad news. We finished in a three way tie for third place. The top four teams go to the playoffs. Bad news is that we lost to the other two third place teams. So we are out of the playoffs.
Man was I disappointed.)
Then Luke and I jumped into the car to catch a 2pm Gator basketball game in Gainesville.
Then finally back home at 7pm.
You know when they say Sunday is suppose to be a day of rest. Well it was for this hombre.
Came home from church and plopped down on the couch. Watched the Magic beat the Celtics and then watched Duke lose. I doesn't get any better than this weekend.
Talk to you guys on Wednesday.
john
Well, I did it. I never thought this was going to happen to me. My mom is in her sixties and we make fun of her memory all the time. We laugh at the fact that she can see a movie in the theater and by the time it comes out on video she can see it again because she has no recollection of it.
Well this weekend I got a movie from Netflix called Next. It came in the mail and my wife said, "You have seen this movie already."
And I said, "No, I haven't."
"Yes, you have."
Well we started watching it and it took awhile (about 40 minutes into the movie) but I realized I have seen this movie.
Man, I hate it when my wife is right, even though I should no better.
And this is happening so close to my 40th birthday.
Speaking of my birthday, my wife threw me a surprise birthday party on Friday night.
I don't know if this is related to the above story but usually I am much more intuitive when it comes to this. I have to admit that I was looking for clues in the month before my birthday but there was none.
What I think threw me off the scent was that my wife and I were planning a joint 40th birthday party. See her 40th is in May. So we planned to have a get together sometime in April.
Well for this (pretend) party I made a list of all the people I would invite and I even picked out the stock of paper for the invitations. We had discussed what food I would like at OUR party.
Well she took my list and invited the people on my list with the invitations on the paper I chose and planned a party with the kind of food I liked.
I even picked the DJ.
My Friday's are usually very busy. After work, that ends at 3pm, will usually try to catch up on paper work. I usually am a couple days behind on writing up charts and I am scrabbling around trying to get the blog finished. Then I go straight to 4:30 basketball practice. Then after practice it is straight to a 5:30 (Noah's) soccer game. Then home. But this Friday was a little different.
It was very slow at work. I caught up on my paper work and finished the blog all during work hours.
So I called Hilda on my way home and told her I was coming home before basketball practice. Well unbeknownst to me this would have been disastrous. The house was all decorated and there were tables and chairs outside. Our living room was all moved around and the caterer was setting up.
So my wife asked me to stop at Home Depot to get a light bulb for her.
I am getting a little annoyed because she keeps calling me. I stop at Home Depot and I am in and out. So she calls me again and says, "Are you going to Home Depot for me?"
I said, "Yes and I am driving out of the parking lot as we speak and I will be home in 10 minutes."
So she is thinking, "Oh sh@!$#%*&t . "
So she says, "Do you know how to jump start a car? Because Marie just called me and her car won't start."
"Yes, you guys can do it. Red to red and black to black."
"Well, do you think you can come and help us?"
"WHAT?!!! Fricking fine I will meet you at Marie's house. But I want you to know that this means I probably wont be able to come home before practice."
All is well.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you something. We had dinner plans with our friends (one of the couples that were coming to this party). I asked my wife if we have locked down plans with them I said, "I will call them."
I called my friends and I asked them where they wanted to go.
We we talked for a couple of minutes and locked down FAKE restaurant plans.
So when I got to the soccer game my wife wasn't around. Noah was playing in the game and Madison is playing with her friends but there is no sign of Hilda anywhere.
I am thinking she is in the bathroom or something. But after about ten minutes I start to wonder. So I called her.
And she says, "Oh, I came home to get ready for our date."
So I gave her the business, "Honey, it is 2 and a half hours before we are suppose to meet them. What the hell are you doing? You left our daughter unattended and our kid playing in a soccer game. And no one around her knows that you left. Have you completely lost your mind?"
So I just shook my head and hung up the phone.
After the game I packed everyone in the car. Now imagine how hard it was for my kids, who are 9,8 and 5 years old who knew about the party, not to blab it out.
Well when I rolled up in the driveway. Everyone was standing there yelling "SURPRISE".
Your first reaction is like, "What the hell?" Because I had no idea.
There was a DJ in my driveway and a whole bunch of people in my back yard.
"Oh wait, Oh my gosh, no way. Awesome, all this for me? Totally awesome."
You all know how much I hate attention.
Anyways, It was a great party. Much food and fun and laughs had by all.
Turns out the theme was Cigars. So everyone was instructed to bring a cigar for the birthday boy.
My dad got me a cigar made by Fidel Castro's personal cigar maker and a humidor from the same dude.
I am not really a cigar connoisseur but I like an occasional cigar with my buddies once a month or so.
It was totally great.
But that was not all. I woke up on Saturday and I was volunteering at a clinic called "Special Day for Special Kids". If you are a regular reader you will remember this is a educational clinic for families with kids with Down's Syndrome.
My son and I had our last basketball game before the playoffs at noon. So I high tail it to the game which we won.
We finished the season 4-3. (Good news and bad news. We finished in a three way tie for third place. The top four teams go to the playoffs. Bad news is that we lost to the other two third place teams. So we are out of the playoffs.
Man was I disappointed.)
Then Luke and I jumped into the car to catch a 2pm Gator basketball game in Gainesville.
Then finally back home at 7pm.
You know when they say Sunday is suppose to be a day of rest. Well it was for this hombre.
Came home from church and plopped down on the couch. Watched the Magic beat the Celtics and then watched Duke lose. I doesn't get any better than this weekend.
Talk to you guys on Wednesday.
john
Friday, March 6, 2009
Discussion
Hi all,
First of all Paraject.
I wrote to REALITY and asked what the expert knows about the Paraject system and if they heard of anything wrong with it.
I got about 5 responses from people that DIDN'T know what it is.
But I did finally get an answer from someone that knew what it was and here is her answer...
From Editorial Team member Dr. Lori Trost:
This is ALL about technique and anatomy. I use 1/2 carp of Septo on my blocks on at least 80% of my patients with NO ill effect. Having said that...watch "something" happen. But the bottom line is: less is better, aspirate, and know your anatomy. I also use paraject on occasion on vital teeth and have had good experience.
So I kind of challenged her with the blocking with Septocaine and wrote her back saying, "If all the other people on the "Editorial team" say not to do it...how do you feel about being on this proverbial island?"
I haven't received a response yet.
So I don't know what to think.
So far I have received two comments that say not to use the interligamental injections.
I don't know, it is really working for me and I am really loving it.
I am going to say one negative thing about REALITY (because you know how much I like it). Last year they didn't have a publication. They only have the website.
I went to "The Ratings" section to see what they think the best cordless headlight is.
I know there are a ton of these on the market. But in this section they had only rated ONE.
What the heck is going on? One!!?
How can I make an informed decision about any product with just one review to read?
So I write them and ask them what the heck is going on. And they reply, "we have two more coming down the pike."
Seems kind of weak to me. I know they have to be careful because they can ruin someone with one article, but...
Okay lets talk about Wednesday's ghost writers article.
His first soapbox is..
When we talk of Dentistry, what comes to mind?....Have you heard that a “Root Canal” is the worse that can happen to you? Do you remember “Marathon Man” or “Little Shop of Horrors”? You all know what I am talking about. What has happened is that over the years, “Dentistry, the Health Profession” has gotten lost in translation.
I think about this often. How can we make our profession more respected?
How can we get a better rap.
I don't know.
Here are the cold hard facts.
We treat hundreds of people a week and they all have great experiences (okay most of them). They all love us.
But here comes that guy walking through your door. You know the person, the one that hasn't been to the dentist in 12 years and they are hurting. Their face is swollen.
"My tooth is freaking killing me can you help me? And by the way, I hate the dentist. Oh and I don't have any money."
"Yes, we will help you. Come on in and have a seat."
"Did I tell you how much I hate going to the dentist? It is not you, I don't hate you, I just hate going to the dentist."
"No offense taken, but why don't you come in here and let me take a look?"
"Dude, I am in so much pain I can't even open my mouth that much."
"Well lets try to get an xray."
I know you have seen this guy. How do you think the rest of this appointment is going to go?
This patient is jumpy. This patient is irritable because he hasn't slept for days.
The shot hurts because, of course, nothing is going to go right with this patient.
You open the tooth and lets just say it is real sensitive to the touch. You are doing your best to be gentle but it is what it is.
You guys finish up doing a pulpectomy trying your darndest to save this mans tooth. You are trying to impress him and change his mind about dentists.
But basically the appointment goes about the way HE expected.
He gives you a rubber check and leaves. You are exhausted and he is pissed.
Now Jack (we will call him Jack) the hurt patient goes home is miserable.
He is now on the phone telling his boss that he can't come in to work tomorrow because of this quack dentist hurt him and his tooth is killing him.
Now the boss tell all his coworkers that Jack is not coming in today because he went to this quack dentist and had a root canal. All the workers say a collective, "Ahhh. Dude that sucks."
Remember the hundreds of patients that you saw this week. Yeah, not one of those patients who love you have told anyone about you or the awesome work you did.
I mean I did 5 root canals this week. How many of them do you think went home and told everyone about the great root canal they had done. NO ONE.
So that was a long way to say we are fighting a long hard uphill battle to change the way people think about us.
You do the best you can. You just try to touch as many people as you can in a positive way. Being as gentle as you can. What else can we do?
It is so telling when someone finishes a root canal in my chair and says, "That wasn't bad at all."
They were expenting what the media portrays and what Jack told her.
Or if this doesn't work we can always go to dancing toothbrushes and flying floss.
The ghostwriter talks about how pitiful it is when the government tries to get involved.
The mom who gives her kids candy at the checkout line to keep them quiet does not get blamed when the child misses school with a tooth ache, you do. The ABC special on Appalachia featured a dentist who was providing free care for the kids in an area. He was blaming the high use of soft drinks the kids love as a big part of the problem. Oral Health literacy is everyone’s business, the government, the educational system, the health department, along with dentistry.
You can't blame the soft drink company for tooth decay. You can't blame the cigarette company for lung disease. Or McDonald's for obesity. Personal responsibility people.
Now if this sounds too Republican I am sorry but...
People know soft drinks are bad for their teeth as much as they know cigarettes are bad for their lungs.
Although I think more hitting people over the head with this is never a bad thing. Keep reminding them.
How about we save money by telling people that if they smoke the government will not pay for healthcare for anything related to lung disease.
I bet you can save a pretty penny.
Then the ghostwriter starts talking about Dental Care Providers. Well I don't have enough time to discuss all the poop that goes along with this topic. Maybe later.
Thats it for the week.
Have a great weekend.
I am going to watch the University of Florida play the Kentucky Wildcats in basketball.
Our basketball team has been tough to watch this year. We have been so close but really we just stink. We have dropped so far from glory. "Just wait until next year."
John
First of all Paraject.
I wrote to REALITY and asked what the expert knows about the Paraject system and if they heard of anything wrong with it.
I got about 5 responses from people that DIDN'T know what it is.
But I did finally get an answer from someone that knew what it was and here is her answer...
From Editorial Team member Dr. Lori Trost:
This is ALL about technique and anatomy. I use 1/2 carp of Septo on my blocks on at least 80% of my patients with NO ill effect. Having said that...watch "something" happen. But the bottom line is: less is better, aspirate, and know your anatomy. I also use paraject on occasion on vital teeth and have had good experience.
So I kind of challenged her with the blocking with Septocaine and wrote her back saying, "If all the other people on the "Editorial team" say not to do it...how do you feel about being on this proverbial island?"
I haven't received a response yet.
So I don't know what to think.
So far I have received two comments that say not to use the interligamental injections.
I don't know, it is really working for me and I am really loving it.
I am going to say one negative thing about REALITY (because you know how much I like it). Last year they didn't have a publication. They only have the website.
I went to "The Ratings" section to see what they think the best cordless headlight is.
I know there are a ton of these on the market. But in this section they had only rated ONE.
What the heck is going on? One!!?
How can I make an informed decision about any product with just one review to read?
So I write them and ask them what the heck is going on. And they reply, "we have two more coming down the pike."
Seems kind of weak to me. I know they have to be careful because they can ruin someone with one article, but...
Okay lets talk about Wednesday's ghost writers article.
His first soapbox is..
When we talk of Dentistry, what comes to mind?....Have you heard that a “Root Canal” is the worse that can happen to you? Do you remember “Marathon Man” or “Little Shop of Horrors”? You all know what I am talking about. What has happened is that over the years, “Dentistry, the Health Profession” has gotten lost in translation.
I think about this often. How can we make our profession more respected?
How can we get a better rap.
I don't know.
Here are the cold hard facts.
We treat hundreds of people a week and they all have great experiences (okay most of them). They all love us.
But here comes that guy walking through your door. You know the person, the one that hasn't been to the dentist in 12 years and they are hurting. Their face is swollen.
"My tooth is freaking killing me can you help me? And by the way, I hate the dentist. Oh and I don't have any money."
"Yes, we will help you. Come on in and have a seat."
"Did I tell you how much I hate going to the dentist? It is not you, I don't hate you, I just hate going to the dentist."
"No offense taken, but why don't you come in here and let me take a look?"
"Dude, I am in so much pain I can't even open my mouth that much."
"Well lets try to get an xray."
I know you have seen this guy. How do you think the rest of this appointment is going to go?
This patient is jumpy. This patient is irritable because he hasn't slept for days.
The shot hurts because, of course, nothing is going to go right with this patient.
You open the tooth and lets just say it is real sensitive to the touch. You are doing your best to be gentle but it is what it is.
You guys finish up doing a pulpectomy trying your darndest to save this mans tooth. You are trying to impress him and change his mind about dentists.
But basically the appointment goes about the way HE expected.
He gives you a rubber check and leaves. You are exhausted and he is pissed.
Now Jack (we will call him Jack) the hurt patient goes home is miserable.
He is now on the phone telling his boss that he can't come in to work tomorrow because of this quack dentist hurt him and his tooth is killing him.
Now the boss tell all his coworkers that Jack is not coming in today because he went to this quack dentist and had a root canal. All the workers say a collective, "Ahhh. Dude that sucks."
Remember the hundreds of patients that you saw this week. Yeah, not one of those patients who love you have told anyone about you or the awesome work you did.
I mean I did 5 root canals this week. How many of them do you think went home and told everyone about the great root canal they had done. NO ONE.
So that was a long way to say we are fighting a long hard uphill battle to change the way people think about us.
You do the best you can. You just try to touch as many people as you can in a positive way. Being as gentle as you can. What else can we do?
It is so telling when someone finishes a root canal in my chair and says, "That wasn't bad at all."
They were expenting what the media portrays and what Jack told her.
Or if this doesn't work we can always go to dancing toothbrushes and flying floss.
The ghostwriter talks about how pitiful it is when the government tries to get involved.
The mom who gives her kids candy at the checkout line to keep them quiet does not get blamed when the child misses school with a tooth ache, you do. The ABC special on Appalachia featured a dentist who was providing free care for the kids in an area. He was blaming the high use of soft drinks the kids love as a big part of the problem. Oral Health literacy is everyone’s business, the government, the educational system, the health department, along with dentistry.
You can't blame the soft drink company for tooth decay. You can't blame the cigarette company for lung disease. Or McDonald's for obesity. Personal responsibility people.
Now if this sounds too Republican I am sorry but...
People know soft drinks are bad for their teeth as much as they know cigarettes are bad for their lungs.
Although I think more hitting people over the head with this is never a bad thing. Keep reminding them.
How about we save money by telling people that if they smoke the government will not pay for healthcare for anything related to lung disease.
I bet you can save a pretty penny.
Then the ghostwriter starts talking about Dental Care Providers. Well I don't have enough time to discuss all the poop that goes along with this topic. Maybe later.
Thats it for the week.
Have a great weekend.
I am going to watch the University of Florida play the Kentucky Wildcats in basketball.
Our basketball team has been tough to watch this year. We have been so close but really we just stink. We have dropped so far from glory. "Just wait until next year."
John
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Wow, a new look AND a ghost writer
Okay,
I have finally figured out how to mess with this blog thing.
In the past I have just did the writing but I have always thought the "home page" was a little boring.
I know what you are thinking.
1) Nice picture, but I can't read the words overlayed on it.
2) Nice picture, but what does that have to do with teeth.
3) Wow that is a nice picture, I wonder where he got that?
I took this picture myself in the keys.
4)Where is the AGD logo?
These are all the things we are discussing in The Daily Grind board room.
But first and foremost, I want to know what you think about it.
Do you want a dental picture or do you want like a nature photo or something?
Do you like the new template?
Also I almost forgot. I was talking to someone about Search Engine Optimization. They said that if you find the blog from Google it will move up.
So if you have to put in agdblogs.blogspot.com every time to find the blog, do me a favor and put in the Daily Grind dental blog (or something like this) and google search it. Then go to the blog. And do it that way all the time.
And this is how we will rule the world. This is my diabolical plan.
No seriously do this.
Now that that is out of the way...
Today we have a ghost writer. By the way if you have a soap box you want to get on, you can always write a blog. Email me anytime Jgammichia@aol.com we can talk about it and you too can write a blog.
Anyway this person was asked to write an article about the present view of dentistry. The author wrote it and then thought better of sending it in. But this forum can be more anonymous.
We can read what the author wrote and then talk about it.
Well read it and I will give you my opinion.
When we talk of Dentistry, what comes to mind? For those of us who know and love the profession, we speak of helping people and changing their lives and making them healthier. We speak of being part of the community and of giving back. All of this is part of the discussion. Have you ever listened to what others say about dentistry? Many get it and understand what an important part of their lives dentistry plays. However, there are those who have over the years continued to speak of dentistry as a joke or punch line, something to be avoided and ridiculed.
I remember when Dr. James Edwards, an Oral Surgeon from South Carolina, became the Secretary of Energy in the Reagan administration. Johnny Carson said that Dr. Edwards would be checking out oil wells by looking down into them with his little mirror. Not a horrible comment but it disrespects Dr. Edwards and the profession. Have you heard that a “Root Canal” is the worse that can happen to you? Do you remember “Marathon Man” or “Little Shop of Horrors”? You all know what I am talking about. What has happened is that over the years, “Dentistry, the Health Profession” has gotten lost in translation.
When we talk of Dentistry today we need to talk about “Dentistry, the Oral Health Authority”. We were hiring a Public Relations Firm for the national Academy of General Dentistry and this well known and respected firm immediately started talking of a dancing toothbrush and flying floss. Is that the best image that our years of care and service in oral health can portray to a group who should be able to see the big picture?
Dentists treat people. We eliminate pain and infection. We improve overall health and are on the front line for diagnosing some systemic diseases early. We are THE Health System that looks at prevention as the model and has been for a long time. We want to get you healthy and show you how to and help you to stay that way.
Now in Congress, the House and Senate are looking at Health Care reform. I would think they would come to us in Dentistry and ask us how to make it work. Instead, the perceived value for dentistry is so low that instead of helping those who don’t utilize the services available to get the best comprehensive care and get healthy, the government and policy makers want to blame dentistry. The mom who gives her kids candy at the checkout line to keep them quiet does not get blamed when the child misses school with a tooth ache, you do. The ABC special on Appalachia featured a dentist who was providing free care for the kids in an area. He was blaming the high use of soft drinks the kids love as a big part of the problem. Oral Health literacy is everyone’s business, the government, the educational system, the health department, along with dentistry.
Lack of transportation is another factor. Is that a dental issue or a social services issue? Other factors like cultural differences and belief systems can cause individuals to not use the services available. There are economic issues but in a number of studies recently, this was not the big factor. Again, government and social services can address this. How many millions of dollars have been spent on notifying the public of the television switch to digital? These are government ads on behalf of an industry. How many ads have you seen on Oral Health literacy, decay prevention, and having a dental home? It is not only the Millions on advertising, but the government will give you a coupon for the converter box if you can’t afford it. Where are the dental care coupons?
President Obama signed into law a massive expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on February 4, 2009. Containing eight specific dental provisions, the legislation makes several significant changes relative to general dentistry.
One is:
To require the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the non-partisan investigative arm of Congress, to study:
The extent to which dental providers are willing to treat Medicaid- and SCHIP-eligible children and
“[T]he feasibility and appropriateness of using qualified midlevel dental health providers, in coordination with dentists, to improve access for children to oral health services and public health overall.”
Please note the term “dental providers”. Am I no longer a dentist or are there are they looking for someone other than a dentist treat Oral Disease? Dentistry is willing to treat everyone and welcomes to chance to help. You can not expect anyone to lose money as a business model and as great as charity is, it is not a health care system. Remember a billion plus dollars so no one will miss a TV show, congress voted themselves a raise in the middle of a recession, and now we are looking at bail out funds going to the UN. The problem is that Dental care is not seen as valuable. It is to be discounted at every turn. The sad part is that the Return on Investment ends up saving money for the government if they would help us make this a priority.
Qualified Midlevel Providers is seen as a low cost quick fix. With respect to the Tom Dachle issue, President Obama said : "We can't send a message to the American people that we have two sets of rules- one for prominent people and one for ordinary people.”
I wonder if President Obama wants two sets of rules for the American people when it comes to health care. Two tiers of care is not correct care.
I have finally figured out how to mess with this blog thing.
In the past I have just did the writing but I have always thought the "home page" was a little boring.
I know what you are thinking.
1) Nice picture, but I can't read the words overlayed on it.
2) Nice picture, but what does that have to do with teeth.
3) Wow that is a nice picture, I wonder where he got that?
I took this picture myself in the keys.
4)Where is the AGD logo?
These are all the things we are discussing in The Daily Grind board room.
But first and foremost, I want to know what you think about it.
Do you want a dental picture or do you want like a nature photo or something?
Do you like the new template?
Also I almost forgot. I was talking to someone about Search Engine Optimization. They said that if you find the blog from Google it will move up.
So if you have to put in agdblogs.blogspot.com every time to find the blog, do me a favor and put in the Daily Grind dental blog (or something like this) and google search it. Then go to the blog. And do it that way all the time.
And this is how we will rule the world. This is my diabolical plan.
No seriously do this.
Now that that is out of the way...
Today we have a ghost writer. By the way if you have a soap box you want to get on, you can always write a blog. Email me anytime Jgammichia@aol.com we can talk about it and you too can write a blog.
Anyway this person was asked to write an article about the present view of dentistry. The author wrote it and then thought better of sending it in. But this forum can be more anonymous.
We can read what the author wrote and then talk about it.
Well read it and I will give you my opinion.
When we talk of Dentistry, what comes to mind? For those of us who know and love the profession, we speak of helping people and changing their lives and making them healthier. We speak of being part of the community and of giving back. All of this is part of the discussion. Have you ever listened to what others say about dentistry? Many get it and understand what an important part of their lives dentistry plays. However, there are those who have over the years continued to speak of dentistry as a joke or punch line, something to be avoided and ridiculed.
I remember when Dr. James Edwards, an Oral Surgeon from South Carolina, became the Secretary of Energy in the Reagan administration. Johnny Carson said that Dr. Edwards would be checking out oil wells by looking down into them with his little mirror. Not a horrible comment but it disrespects Dr. Edwards and the profession. Have you heard that a “Root Canal” is the worse that can happen to you? Do you remember “Marathon Man” or “Little Shop of Horrors”? You all know what I am talking about. What has happened is that over the years, “Dentistry, the Health Profession” has gotten lost in translation.
When we talk of Dentistry today we need to talk about “Dentistry, the Oral Health Authority”. We were hiring a Public Relations Firm for the national Academy of General Dentistry and this well known and respected firm immediately started talking of a dancing toothbrush and flying floss. Is that the best image that our years of care and service in oral health can portray to a group who should be able to see the big picture?
Dentists treat people. We eliminate pain and infection. We improve overall health and are on the front line for diagnosing some systemic diseases early. We are THE Health System that looks at prevention as the model and has been for a long time. We want to get you healthy and show you how to and help you to stay that way.
Now in Congress, the House and Senate are looking at Health Care reform. I would think they would come to us in Dentistry and ask us how to make it work. Instead, the perceived value for dentistry is so low that instead of helping those who don’t utilize the services available to get the best comprehensive care and get healthy, the government and policy makers want to blame dentistry. The mom who gives her kids candy at the checkout line to keep them quiet does not get blamed when the child misses school with a tooth ache, you do. The ABC special on Appalachia featured a dentist who was providing free care for the kids in an area. He was blaming the high use of soft drinks the kids love as a big part of the problem. Oral Health literacy is everyone’s business, the government, the educational system, the health department, along with dentistry.
Lack of transportation is another factor. Is that a dental issue or a social services issue? Other factors like cultural differences and belief systems can cause individuals to not use the services available. There are economic issues but in a number of studies recently, this was not the big factor. Again, government and social services can address this. How many millions of dollars have been spent on notifying the public of the television switch to digital? These are government ads on behalf of an industry. How many ads have you seen on Oral Health literacy, decay prevention, and having a dental home? It is not only the Millions on advertising, but the government will give you a coupon for the converter box if you can’t afford it. Where are the dental care coupons?
President Obama signed into law a massive expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on February 4, 2009. Containing eight specific dental provisions, the legislation makes several significant changes relative to general dentistry.
One is:
To require the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the non-partisan investigative arm of Congress, to study:
The extent to which dental providers are willing to treat Medicaid- and SCHIP-eligible children and
“[T]he feasibility and appropriateness of using qualified midlevel dental health providers, in coordination with dentists, to improve access for children to oral health services and public health overall.”
Please note the term “dental providers”. Am I no longer a dentist or are there are they looking for someone other than a dentist treat Oral Disease? Dentistry is willing to treat everyone and welcomes to chance to help. You can not expect anyone to lose money as a business model and as great as charity is, it is not a health care system. Remember a billion plus dollars so no one will miss a TV show, congress voted themselves a raise in the middle of a recession, and now we are looking at bail out funds going to the UN. The problem is that Dental care is not seen as valuable. It is to be discounted at every turn. The sad part is that the Return on Investment ends up saving money for the government if they would help us make this a priority.
Qualified Midlevel Providers is seen as a low cost quick fix. With respect to the Tom Dachle issue, President Obama said : "We can't send a message to the American people that we have two sets of rules- one for prominent people and one for ordinary people.”
I wonder if President Obama wants two sets of rules for the American people when it comes to health care. Two tiers of care is not correct care.
You to me this is not that offensive. You all know me and I usually don't hold back any punches. He touch on a bunch of different different topics. But because this is getting long, lets talk about them on Friday.
Have a great Wednesday,
john
Friday, February 27, 2009
septocaine...last time. I swear.
Before I get started...all you non dentist people might get lost on this blog (and might not make it to the end). But one thing I would like you to do is check out the AGD's non-dentist site. It is Knowyourteeth.com . Please check it out and let me know what you think.
Hi all,
Hope you had a good weekend.
Oh, my gosh the weather here in Florida is so beautiful. Today it is 65 degrees and breezy.
It is the kind of day you go to the outside shops and just walk around enjoying the day.
A day you just sit outside and read. A day you just open all the windows and watch a movie.
This time of year the azaleas are blooming. The tababuia trees are blooming. Soon the jasmine will be blooming and all will be well with my soul.
It is a Monday and I am off work so I will get right to it. I don't like to be on the computer when I am at home. It sends a wrong message to the kids.
But I have been thinking about this subject too long.
I told you that I was able to talk to all the dentists during Dentistry from the Heart.
I did my own little survey on Septocaine.
Most of the dentists were using Septocaine and most of them were using it for everything.
You know as a dentist that WAS using it for everything, it makes you feel okay. All dentist want to feel like they are a part of a group. Standing alone is tough. So if you are doing something that a lot of people are doing...it is okay.
When I read Reality, I just want to use the most popular brand.
And when I heard everyone was doing it...I felt okay.
And they all reported No Problems.
I have told you I am not giving blocks with Septocaine anymore.
So, I know you are wondering what AM I doing.
Well one of the things I did was at Dentistry from the Heart was I pinned down the oral surgeon and asked him how to give a block.
I know what you are thinking. A dentist 13 years out of school wondering how to give a block.
I know this looks bad. I was a little embarrassed but I know it was for the greater good.
I also know I am not the only one missing blocks because then Septocaine would not be so popular.
But I pinned him down and asked him to show me. So we went into the room and did it together on a patient (with lidocaine). He said most people go too high on their blocks.
He showed me what anatomical things to look for and told me exactly where to put the needle.
I have done a handful of blocks since then and I have to be honest with you....I still am about 70%.
One thing though, I have had an aversion to giving blocks. If I am doing a tooth that is premolar forward I use local. So really I only need a block if I am doing anything on the molars. Well what if I am doing an MO on #30 only. This is a filling that will take me about 10 minutes. If I do a block they will be numb for 2-4 hours.
So I starting using this...
.
This is the Paraject system by Septodont. I love, love, love it.
This is the Paraject system by Septodont. I love, love, love it. I have been using it for a month or two. It takes about 3 minutes to numb a tooth and it WORKS. I have used it about 60 times and it has only not worked once (and I am now thinking that might have been a fluke).
Basically this is a interligamental injection system. The needle is tiny. You give a little in the tissue around the tooth before starting and then push the tip at the MB line angle and squeeze the trigger. It is hard to do because you are forcing anaesthetic in a small space.
Then I put the needle in the furca space and maybe in the DB line angle.
It works so good that I have done 3 root canals with just this type of injections.
Patients love it.
They leave with out ever feeling numb.
Now I am using it for multiple teeth. Say if I have to do fillings on #18 and 19. Well it takes a little time but very effective.
So now, even though it was aggravating my assistance for awhile. I use Septocaine on the upper with the regular set-up (30 short), I use Septocaine with the regular set up from lower premolars forward.
If I am doing more than two teeth on the lower it is Lidocaine in the regular set up (for a block). And if I am doing 2 or less molars it is the Paraject with Septocaine.
I know it seems like a lot of work but...at least I am not sweating that once a year call from a patient that says his lip is still numb the next morning.
But that leads me to my last point.
I think it is becoming official that the side effect to giving a lower block with Septocaine MAY lead to more instances of parasthesia.
When does the memo come out?
Remember I was ticked off about the poor information chain when it came to the antibiotic premed thing. No one knew for about a year whether to change our protocol. And the physicians still aren't with it.
So who is going to come out and say something.
I don't think the dentists want to stop using it because it is so effective.
Septodont doesn't want to come out with it because it is selling like hot cakes.
Who is going to tell the dentist?
Or is <1%>
But if it is bad someone needs to stand up and say something.
If Septodont knows there is a problem then they need to take it off the market.
If there is a way to give the injection that will make it less of an issue...like if you give the injection slower or if you chill the solution it needs to be researched because a lot of people want to know.
I mean almost every dentist has an email address (and as the older guys retire the percentage of email-able dentists goes up). The information can travel very fast.
We need to figure out a way to make this happen.
What do you think?
Am I just talking crazy or am I making sense here?
Have a great start of your week.
john
Hi all,
I went to the Chamber of Commerce "Business after hours" last night. I compare it to like a dating service get together. Everyone knows what everyone else is there for. But not everyone likes to go up to others and introduce themselves. Some people are walking around and just as bubbly as you could be. You know the kind with this huge smile on their face, "Hey, how are you doing? I am Sally from Blind Design. What is your name?"
Oh my gosh does this make me uncomfortable. I told you I am so bad at this.
I saw another dentist there. He was hanging out at the bar. This guy goes to about two events a year. He looked bitter. Like I am so ticked that I have to be here. Things really suck at my office so I am forcing myself to be here.
But you know if you are sitting at the bar and not conversing with anyone then why go.
Well, I kind of fel the same way about myself.
Did I tell you how much I hate doing this stuff?
Okay,
One thing about Dentistry from the Heart that was cool was having 14 different dentists come through your doors. And on more than one occasion some of us were able to just talk shop.
How do you do this? What material do you use for something like this? You got to try this instrument.
It was so nice.
But you know what was weird is how different some of us were.
There was a dentist that didn't extract teeth.
There was a dentist that said she would volunteer as long as she didn't have to work with amalgam.
There was one dentist that does all his extractions with pedo forcepts.
It was like a dental forum right here in my office.
I have this elevator that I really love to use and really hate doing extractions without it.
I walked around with this sterilized elevator telling some guys, "here use this and see if you like it."
I heard of a couple of instruments that others were using that I didn't have.
I started to think what it would be like to work in a group practice. Not a father/son partnership but a group of friends getting together and opening up a practice.
A group of dentists that were passionate about dentistry.
That would be cool.
But then I thought about it for a while.
Partnerships break up all the time. Why?
Plain and simple. Because we are a weird bunch.
If you are a dentist don't get all upset with me...just think about it.
You like it the way you like it. That is it. It is not up for discussion. And if another dentist does it another way, well then they are wrong.
Here is a perfect example. My assistant has been my assistant for 12 years.
Do you think she could leave my office and jump into another office? No way.
First of all, at my office at least, I have brainwashed her and the rest of the staff into thinking that my way is the only way.
We see other forms of dentistry and I say, "Look at that, you see what he/she did here. Can you believe this?" (I would never bad mouth another dentist. But if this dentist is doing it differently than me....they are wrong).
Then after a year or two, the my assistant is saying something like this, "Dr. John look at what this other guy did. It is exactly like you say how it shouldn't be done."
Officially brainwashed.
So they are going to go somewhere else and think every other dentist is a shmuck.
Back to my original point, you wouldn't think it would be hard to work with other dentists.
I mean when I talk to some of my classmates they are all alot like me. They are going through alot of the same things I am. They are struggling with the same things I am. They are family men and like teeth.
Well what would be so hard about this?
Well, I don't know but I think maybe people change. I think people get into dentistry to help people and because they love teeth. But people change and their ideals may change.
Now some of them start to loathe the people they were trying to help.
Now the house and the kids are sucking the life out of the person and the joy of work has been lost. He/she has lost his passion for teeth. A career slowly becomes a mean to an end.
This is not the same person you started this partnership with.
Then it becomes hard to work with this person.
I don't know why I decided to talk about this today.
I just came to me.
I have a patient that is starting dental school in August and we have talked about working together in four years.
I picked him because he is so much like me.
He loves Gator sports. He is a family guy.
He has already been on three dental mission trips before dental school started.
He joined a Christian fraternity in college. Great personality.
Now I can tell you how hard it is to work with your father...imagine how hard it is to work with someone that is not your family.
I want so much out of this kid. I want it to be like Dentistry from the Heart. I want to come over to his side of the office and say, "Hey what are you guys doing over here."
Or say, "Hey come into the office I have these awesome pictures of the teeth I worked on yesterday."
Anyways, let me think about this so more and maybe I will write more on this.
Do any of you have any thoughts?
Did you join an associateship that just was terrible?
Are you a boss of an associate that things didn't work out?
Let me know,
Have a great weekend.
My basketball team lost again last weekend while I was away.
So we are 3-2. We play another 3-2 team tomorrow.
It is going down 9am. Don't sing it....bring it.
john
I went to the Chamber of Commerce "Business after hours" last night. I compare it to like a dating service get together. Everyone knows what everyone else is there for. But not everyone likes to go up to others and introduce themselves. Some people are walking around and just as bubbly as you could be. You know the kind with this huge smile on their face, "Hey, how are you doing? I am Sally from Blind Design. What is your name?"
Oh my gosh does this make me uncomfortable. I told you I am so bad at this.
I saw another dentist there. He was hanging out at the bar. This guy goes to about two events a year. He looked bitter. Like I am so ticked that I have to be here. Things really suck at my office so I am forcing myself to be here.
But you know if you are sitting at the bar and not conversing with anyone then why go.
Well, I kind of fel the same way about myself.
Did I tell you how much I hate doing this stuff?
Okay,
One thing about Dentistry from the Heart that was cool was having 14 different dentists come through your doors. And on more than one occasion some of us were able to just talk shop.
How do you do this? What material do you use for something like this? You got to try this instrument.
It was so nice.
But you know what was weird is how different some of us were.
There was a dentist that didn't extract teeth.
There was a dentist that said she would volunteer as long as she didn't have to work with amalgam.
There was one dentist that does all his extractions with pedo forcepts.
It was like a dental forum right here in my office.
I have this elevator that I really love to use and really hate doing extractions without it.
I walked around with this sterilized elevator telling some guys, "here use this and see if you like it."
I heard of a couple of instruments that others were using that I didn't have.
I started to think what it would be like to work in a group practice. Not a father/son partnership but a group of friends getting together and opening up a practice.
A group of dentists that were passionate about dentistry.
That would be cool.
But then I thought about it for a while.
Partnerships break up all the time. Why?
Plain and simple. Because we are a weird bunch.
If you are a dentist don't get all upset with me...just think about it.
You like it the way you like it. That is it. It is not up for discussion. And if another dentist does it another way, well then they are wrong.
Here is a perfect example. My assistant has been my assistant for 12 years.
Do you think she could leave my office and jump into another office? No way.
First of all, at my office at least, I have brainwashed her and the rest of the staff into thinking that my way is the only way.
We see other forms of dentistry and I say, "Look at that, you see what he/she did here. Can you believe this?" (I would never bad mouth another dentist. But if this dentist is doing it differently than me....they are wrong).
Then after a year or two, the my assistant is saying something like this, "Dr. John look at what this other guy did. It is exactly like you say how it shouldn't be done."
Officially brainwashed.
So they are going to go somewhere else and think every other dentist is a shmuck.
Back to my original point, you wouldn't think it would be hard to work with other dentists.
I mean when I talk to some of my classmates they are all alot like me. They are going through alot of the same things I am. They are struggling with the same things I am. They are family men and like teeth.
Well what would be so hard about this?
Well, I don't know but I think maybe people change. I think people get into dentistry to help people and because they love teeth. But people change and their ideals may change.
Now some of them start to loathe the people they were trying to help.
Now the house and the kids are sucking the life out of the person and the joy of work has been lost. He/she has lost his passion for teeth. A career slowly becomes a mean to an end.
This is not the same person you started this partnership with.
Then it becomes hard to work with this person.
I don't know why I decided to talk about this today.
I just came to me.
I have a patient that is starting dental school in August and we have talked about working together in four years.
I picked him because he is so much like me.
He loves Gator sports. He is a family guy.
He has already been on three dental mission trips before dental school started.
He joined a Christian fraternity in college. Great personality.
Now I can tell you how hard it is to work with your father...imagine how hard it is to work with someone that is not your family.
I want so much out of this kid. I want it to be like Dentistry from the Heart. I want to come over to his side of the office and say, "Hey what are you guys doing over here."
Or say, "Hey come into the office I have these awesome pictures of the teeth I worked on yesterday."
Anyways, let me think about this so more and maybe I will write more on this.
Do any of you have any thoughts?
Did you join an associateship that just was terrible?
Are you a boss of an associate that things didn't work out?
Let me know,
Have a great weekend.
My basketball team lost again last weekend while I was away.
So we are 3-2. We play another 3-2 team tomorrow.
It is going down 9am. Don't sing it....bring it.
john
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