Dentaltown August 2013 - (Page 56)

stress management feature by Douglas Carlsen, DDS P ulitzer Prize-winning American novelist Ellen Glasgow wrote, “The only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions.” This makes me wonder, if dentists find themselves in so many daily ruts, why do they keeping digging their own graves? What’s the cause behind the compulsive attitude and behaviors commonly repeated by dentists that kill their practices? Answers came to me recently when a theme emerged while working with some of my clients: Stress. Jen Butler, M.Ed, MCC, BCC, owner of Jen Butler Coaching, will be addressing stress in a series of articles for Dentaltown Magazine in November 2013. This month, I have the honor of interviewing Butler to intoduce her to the Dentaltown audience. Carlsen: Is stress really significant enough to be called The Silent Killer of Dentistry? Butler: Stress is the silent killer of dentistry. Even though dentists experience a high level of stress, they rarely talk about it. Just go to any study club and ask a member, “How are you doing?” and you’ll get the standard, “Oh fine, and you?” Although in a group of their peers that understand on a deep level what each other goes through on a daily basis, the vulnerability it takes to share feelings of stress often holds dentists back from telling how they really feel. Also, many dentists do little to deal with their stress in permanent and calculated steps. For example, when attending conferences where both clinical and stress-related topics are offered, the clinical workshops are most often chosen. Although there are a number of studies that support the claim that stress is the silent killer of dentistry, one particular report stands out. The American Dental Association conducted a comprehensive wellness survey in 2003 and published the results (2005) as the “2003 Dentists Well-Being Survey.” Of the 2,565 respondents, 2,052 stated their work was stressful with 1,416 (69 percent) claiming “moderate” stress levels and 247 (12 percent) claiming “extreme” stress levels. Respondents were also asked how they felt due to their stress and 17.8 percent claimed “depressed” while 10.3 percent stated they felt “hopeless.” In spite of signs of depression and being overwhelmed, only six percent sought professional support. When applied to the general population of dentists, these numbers would register into the tens of thousands of dentists experiencing moderate continued on page 58 56 AUGUST 2013 » dentaltown.com http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown August 2013

Dentaltown.com Highlights
Howard Speaks: Dentists Are Still Doing Way Too Many Three-Unit Bridges
Professional Courtesy: Hire Slow, Fire Fast
Continuing Education Update
Second Opinion: Finally, One Adhesive that Can Do It All
All-on-4?
Intracornal Bleaching of Endodontically Treated Teeth
Product Profile: CAESY
Product Profile: ClearCorrect
Product Profile: DENTIS USA
Product Profile: Imaging Sciences
Corporate Profile: 123 Postcards
New Products
The Silent Killer of Dentistry
Industry News
Smile Design
Endo Versus Implants: Does Your Treatment Plan Pass the “Mama Test”?
Improving the Future of Overdentures with Small Diameter Implants and Locator Attachments
The Democratization of Dental Implants for General Dentistry
Single Tooth Implant Case
Continuing Education: The Dental CAD/CAM Evolution of 2013
Beatlemania Has Deep Roots
In This Issue: The Value of Saliva Testing
Perio Reports
Ad Index
Profile in Oral Health: Salivary Testing in the Office
Dentally Incorrect

Dentaltown August 2013