Message Boards
Today's Active Topics Today's Active Cases Browse Forum Categories My Recent Activity My Messages Private Groups My Marked Threads My Subscriptions
Today's Active Images Today's Active Polls Most Active Topics Global Townie Map Advanced Message Board Search Message Board Terms of Use

Professional Courtesy: The Magic of Mentorship by Dr. Thomas Giacobbi

View Comments (1) More by this author (299)
Categories: Practice Management, HR and Accounting;
Professional Courtesy: The Magic of Mentorship


by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, editorial director

Many dentists are self-described perfectionists, but dentistry is not a perfect pursuit.

Most people are familiar with the “good/fast/cheap” triangle, in which you can pick only two sides of the triangle because the third will always be left out. In the context of perfection, I’d add another triangle for dentists—patient/procedure/provider—but in this case, all three sides would be required to achieve perfection. For example, a patient who’s easy to numb needing an occlusal composite on a day you’re feeling great with plenty of time to work.

However, many of our days can be filled with the pursuit of perfection against the challenges posed by difficult patients, challenging procedures and a stress level that challenges your patience.

Sometimes dentists let perfection become an obsession and it only leads to an increase in poor outcomes. A perfectionist will become more critical of every small detail, which in turn will erode their self-confidence and result in more errors.

To be clear, I am not suggesting that the best defense against being a perfectionist is to accept poor outcomes or do sloppy work! I think it’s more important to understand the limitations of each situation and that the three factors for success—patient, procedure and provider—are equal partners. When you face a procedure that has not gone to plan, ask yourself what could be done differently if you did it again—if you could have used a different approach or a different material or had more time … the list goes on. Then do it again.

Whether you call it a warranty or something else, standing behind your work is the best form of quality control. A simple example: If you did a filling and it falls out in two years (and you expected it to last five), then you do it again for free. Determining why it failed will be a valuable lesson that improves your dentistry moving forward. If something is likely to fail beyond your control (you attempt herodontics), then great communication skills with your patients will prevent future disappointment. If the communication of your expectations does not happen at the start, you’ll be in for a valuable lesson in the future.

One of the best examples I can give of the failure to warranty a restoration is the new patient I saw with sensitivity after a simple Class II restoration from their previous dentist.

The previous dentist adjusted it a bit and essentially told the patient to just give it time. The reality is that the bond between composite and tooth was contaminated and the filling needed to be redone. I removed the filling, placed an interim restoration to allow the tooth to calm down, and then restored when it felt better. When I explain this to patients, I tell them that I would do the same procedure if I had placed the initial filling myself. (In reality, I rarely have to do this because once you have to fix one of these, you pay very close attention to your bonding protocols.)

Every time we meet a patient and assess their dental needs, we must answer these questions:
  • Can I manage the patient and their expectations?
  • Do I have the materials and knowledge to deliver the necessary treatment?
  • Do I have the skills and confidence to be successful with this patient?
Of course, the answers to these questions are not always yes or no. The gray areas in between are opportunities for us to be creative and to find new solutions. Dentists are the teachers of all things dental, but our patients provide endless opportunities to learn.

Do you have a case to share that illustrates your clinical creativity? Can you share a lesson you learned the hard way? Please share your thoughts in the comments below. And if you’d like to reach me by email, send your messages to tom@dentaltown.com.


More In Practice Management, HR and Accounting
Dental Office Cultural Relevance
Dental Office Cultural Relevance
by Jay Geier
May 2021
Division of Duties in a Dental Practice, Part 4: The Finance Coordinator
Division of Duties in a Dental Practice, Part 4: The Finance...
Sandy Pardue
CE Credits: 1.5
Improving Case Acceptance
Improving Case Acceptance
Dr. Mark Murphy
CE Credits: 1.5
Office Visit: Dr. Ross Oberschlake
Office Visit: Dr. Ross Oberschlake
by Arselia Gales, assistant editor
December 2021
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2023
Dentaltown Magazine September 2023 Read Current Issue Read Archived Issues
Sponsors
Townie Perks
Townie® Poll
How many labs do you use on a regular basis?
  
Related Articles
Cover Your Assets
Cover Your Assets
by Tom Jewkes and Dan Gavin
July 2021
Office Visit: Dr. Delaney Spaulding
Office Visit: Dr. Delaney Spaulding
by Arselia Gales, assistant editor
May 2022
Professional Courtesy: Just Say No to Doom and Gloom
Professional Courtesy: Just Say No to Doom and Gloom
by Dr. Thomas Giacobbi
January 2023
Site Menu
Message Boards Magazine Continuing Education Podcasts Blogs Classifieds News Events Townie® Poll Ebooks Townie Choice Awards
Company Info
Contact Us Advertise With Us Howard Farran DDS, MBA Policies and Agreements
Site Help
Sally Gross, Member Services Specialist
Phone: +1-480-445-9710
Email: sally@farranmedia.com
©2023 Dentaltown, a division of Farran Media • All Rights Reserved
9633 S. 48th Street Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 • Phone:+1-480-598-0001 • Fax:+1-480-598-3450