(by Ann-Marie, DePalma, CDA, RDH, MEd) There are approximately 172 million women in the United States, representing half of the total population. Although awareness of women’s health has increased in recent years, numerous issues unique to women remain underrecognized. Dental healthcare providers frequently conduct only brief reviews of medical histories due to time constraints, therefore may not be familiar with …
The Burnout Monster Is Lurking. I See It!
(by Sandy Baird, MBA) Professional burnout is an epidemic! According to a recent Forbes article, research shows that job burnout affects around 66% of the American workforce. This is an all-time high! Companies across all industries are recognizing the impact on their business, including higher absenteeism, weaker performance, poorer customer service, and reduced efficiency. It is one of the most …
Compassion Fatigue in Dentistry
(by Catherine Murphy, DDS, MSD ) Dentistry demands empathy, compassion, and dedication from its practitioners. Dentists often find themselves immersed in the daily challenges of alleviating pain, restoring smiles, and improving oral health. However, amidst the pursuit of serving patients, there lies a silent struggle known as compassion fatigue. The world renowned traumatologist, Charles Figley, who referred to compassion fatigue …
The Bombardo
(by Dr. Lori Noga) A dear friend called me last week, and I could hear the shell shock in his voice before he even said hello. He had just sold his dental practice. His youngest had just left for college. He sold his dream house. Moved to a new state. And started working in a totally new capacity. In other …
Shift Your Energy to Shift Your Burnout
(by Laura Brenner, DDS) Do you ever feel burnt out by burnout? The word is everywhere these days. I’ll admit, as someone who loves helping others reduce burnout, even I get sick of hearing it. There’s a reason this word gets so overused though. Burnout is a pervasive problem that we, as a profession, still struggle to solve. During my …
Grief Without a Village: A Journey Through Loss, Healing, and the Signs That Guide Us
(by Parul Dua Makkar, BSc, DDS, FACD) When I lost my younger and only sibling, Dr. Manu Dua, my world shifted in an instant. I didn’t have the comfort of a village of grief to wrap around me — no circle of people to act as a buffer from the pain. My parents were in another country, holding on to …
Prioritize Wellness as a Dental Practice Owner
(by Valerie Woo, DMD) How dental owners can understand rest, boost productivity, stay calm, build sustainability in practice leadership & wellness. Understanding Rest vs Burning Out As a dental practice owner, you may think rest is something you “get to” after you’ve burned out: once all the emergencies are handled, once every patient is scheduled, once the books are balanced, once you’ve worked …
Not My Poo. Not My Problem
What Dr. Wayne Dyer Taught Me About Emotional Sovereignty (by Vanessa Emerson, FDSI) Dr. Wayne Dyer was one of my earliest self-development mentors… though he would’ve had absolutely no idea. I’ve listened to every audio version of every book he recorded at least once, and most of them many times. His voice was one of the first to accompany me …
Beyond Dentistry: Achieving Personal and Professional Balance
(by Laura Brenner, DDS) What’s the first thing that comes to mind when I say, “You can have it all?” I get it. Right about now, you’re probably thinking I’m delusional. It’s impossible to balance work, kids, family, rest, and fun – right? What if we changed the cliche to, “You can have what you want!” Does that feel a …
Finding Light in the Liminal
(by Dr. Lori Noga) The Tibetan word “bardo” describes the space between spaces—the liminal realm… …between death and rebirth. …between one life phase and the next. …between who you were and who you’re becoming. Here’s what the ancient texts don’t fully capture: how suffocating it feels to actually be there. If you’ve ever found yourself caught between jobs, relationships, identities, or …