Dental Tribune Untited Kingdom Edition

H ello again. So, you’ve decided that you can or can’t change the world. You’ve decided what you are go- ing to focus your time on. Now you need to fight your next challenge, something that comes along every day. Stress. People say that dentistry can be a stressful job. You’re sat there, on your fourth impression for a crown you are having to remake, because the one sent to you by the laboratory doesn’t fit. You are run- ning 40 minutes late, you’re auto- clave just broke down and your receptionist has phoned in sick. To top it off, a letter of complaint arrived that morning, and you have a heart sink patient booked in that afternoon. Not your typi- cal day in the office admittedly, but how would YOU handle such a day? People handle stress in differ- ent ways: • Some people shout and scream, and throw things around the room • Some people go home at the end of the day and drink a bottle of wine to try and cope, but this gives only temporary relief • Some people suffer health wise as stress destroys their system • Some people don’t let it bother them. They seem to glide through life like a sailboat in a gentle breeze. Which one would you prefer to be? We all know of the dental practitioner who throws a fit at the slightest provocation, even in front of patients. We have all heard of the dentist who routinely storms out of the practice, who shouts at his staff, and who has holes in his surgery walls from where the Luxator became firm- ly embedded. Some of us know these people because we are that person. A leader should not do this. A leader must always mask the true feeling behind an exteri- or of calm serenity. You think your job is stressful? Your job is only as stressful as you make it. Going home to disappear into a bottle of red wine is not the an- swer. You are not handling the stress, you are using a chemical depressant to try and ignore the negative feelings associated with it. This works for a while, but eventually you will find yourself in a worse situation. You won’t be sleeping properly, and your health will deteriorate rapidly. You will be physically less able to deal with stressful situations, and a vicious circle will be created. Ask the BDA what percentage of dentists abuse alcohol and other drugs, and you will see what I mean. Things have to change. If stress is ruining your life, it’s time to seek professional help. Not only that but it’s time to start exercising and eating well. That all being said, an impor- tant way of dealing with stress is to change the way you talk to yourself. That little voice that chatters in the back of your mind, during the day and in the dead of night when you lie there awake, worrying your worries: • Why does it always happen to me? • I don’t deserve this? • What if X happens? • Why am I so busy? • Bloody [CENSORED] technician • How will I pay my bills? • Oh not Mrs Smith again! This little voice is your means of communicating with yourself, and is yours to control, should you choose to. Unfortunately, it is like an undisciplined child who likes to run rampant through the de- partment store of your mind. It’s time to tame the voice. • So when the crown doesn’t fit, instead of swearing at the techni- cian, find the positive in the situ- Stephen Hudson concludes his looks at choosing your battles Stress is a reaction…..it is something you do March 5-11, 201214 Feature United Kingdom Edition Approximately 6,000 people in the UK annually are diagnosed with oral cancer - with an estimated 2,000 deaths every year (Source: British Dental Health Foundation, www.mouthcancer.org) Oral Cancer – prevention, examination, referral has been designed to support all health professionals by updating their knowledge, highlighting the importance of oral cancer screening, and providing practical tools for communicating with patients and colleagues The programme comprises four topics: 1: The facts - Providing a background into the incidence, causes and development of oral cancer 2: Team Approach - Looking at all aspects of communication both within the team and with patients 3: Screening Examination - Practical advice on improving the opportunistic screening procedure in practice 4: Case Studies - Providing first hand experiences of examining, making referrals and living with oral cancer For more information call us on 020 7400 8989 or log on to www.smile-on.com