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Learn While You Earn by Dr. Rami Salha

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Categories: Practice Management, HR and Accounting;
Learn While You Earn 

An associate position offers a great opportunity to improve your skills before you strike out on your own. These tips can help expedite the process

by Dr. Rami Salha

Getting acclimated to life as a dentist after graduation can be one of the most difficult things for doctors fresh out of school. Going from having three hours to complete a single filling to multiple fillings and an exam in an hour can be stressful and discouraging if you run behind schedule.

Throughout the past five years, I’ve learned a few things that have helped me become a successful young dentist practicing in a major metropolitan city. Efficient time management, learning how to effectively communicate with patients and utilizing resources around me are some of the things I wish I had known early on. The tips and tricks below can expedite the learning process and help you become a prosperous young professional.


Time management
Running behind is among one of the worst feelings as a dentist. Feeling rushed while patients and staff are waiting on you can be nerve-wracking. As health care providers, we should value patients’ schedules and instill confidence in our staff by performing quality procedures in a time-efficient manner. We accomplish this by knowing our own capabilities and acknowledging our constraints.

A helpful tool is to spend two weeks annually keeping track of the time it takes to perform common dental procedures. During that time, take note of the exact start and stop times for exams, composite restorations, crowns, extractions, etc. It is important to not only measure the time you are physically in the operatory but also keep track of your assistant’s time on the front and back end of appointments. Then take the average of those times and discuss them in a meeting with your office manager, scheduler and assistants. Helping the office manager and front desk scheduler understand the time it takes to perform procedures allows them to schedule appropriately, and sharing the information with your assistants helps them stay organized and on time.


Patient communication
Another major skill in providing successful comprehensive dentistry is the ability to communicate effectively with patients. Like every difficult skill, this takes time to perfect and each doctor will develop a different style that best suits their personality. Nonetheless, patient education is an integral and mandatory facet of our field. I’ve found new (and sometimes experienced) providers tend to use confusing dental terminology when trying to communicate with and educate patients.

Patients don’t generally understand the definition of a bitewing, a composite restoration or scaling and root planing; they know the terms better as an X-ray, a white filling and a deep cleaning. Keep things as straightforward as possible while making sure patients understand the need for treatment. You don’t necessarily have to oversimplify things, but instead try to use familiar verbiage.

I’ve also found the use of dental analogies to be effective in explaining treatment and conditions. For example, when a patient needs a root canal, I tell them, “The nerve of the tooth is injured and it doesn’t have the ability to heal itself. To remedy the situation, the injured nerve must be painlessly removed and a fake nerve will take its place.” Or when helping a patient understand what a bridge is, I say, “A dental bridge is similar to a fence: You have two fence posts on either side that hold up the boards in the middle.” Notice I don’t use terms like root canal therapy, gutta percha, abutment or pontic. Utilizing tangible examples can help a patient understand their condition and in turn be more likely to understand the need for treatment.


Finding and using resources
The last and arguably most important factor is to utilize the resources at your disposal. Seek out study clubs, find a supportive associateship where you can learn from those around you, and consistently expand your knowledge through continuing education. Early in my career, I reached out to specialists and general dentists practicing near me to find local study clubs. During those meetings, I was able to find great mentors with a vast array of information that was invaluable in expanding my skills.

If you are interviewing for an associateship, make sure you are a good fit for each other. Be sure they share a similar treatment philosophy and are excited to help foster your growth and coach you along the way. Don’t be afraid to interview your prospective employer just as they interview you.

Lastly, the importance of expanding your knowledge through continuing education cannot be overstated. I didn’t realize early on this doesn’t have to break the bank; many resources out there are either free of charge or require minimal financial investment. Dentaltown’s online CE courses, message board forums and articles, YouTube, Instagram and DentalXP are all free or low-cost ways to expand your knowledge in your free time.


Conclusion
Utilizing the aforementioned tips can help you become a great practitioner and allow you to quickly gain confidence in yourself to facilitate a smooth transition into life as a “real-world dentist.” Above all, maintain a high level of integrity and don’t compromise your values. If you are honest and have your patients’ best interests in mind, you will have a long and successful career in a very special and rewarding profession.

Discover more about the author and his practice

Dr. Rami Salha and his practice, Capitol Hill–Montlake Dentistry,
were featured in an Office Visit profile that ran in our August 2022
issue of Dentaltown. In his Q&A, Salha discusses the struggles it took
for him to find financing as a young dentist, the business knowledge
he wishes he’d had before he tried to strike out on his own, and more.
Plus, you can check out how he transformed his practice into a space
that’s not out of place alongside Capitol Hill’s neighboring cafes and
coffee shops. To read the profile, click here.

Author Bio
Author Dr. Rami Salha attended the University of Washington for his undergraduate studies and received a degree in biochemistry. During that time, he took a dental mission trip to Panama and fell in love with dentistry because it gave him the opportunity to help and connect with others.

Salha continued his studies at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, where he received awards and recognition for demonstrating superior leadership in community service and supporting patients with disabilities. From there, he completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry though NYU School of Medicine, where he perfected his clinical skills. He now owns and practices at Capitol Hill–Montlake Dentistry in Seattle.

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