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Mental Fortitude
16 Plays14 days ago
About the Hosts:
Dr. Savanah Craig is a practicing dentist who is passionate about sharing her journey and experiences as she navigates the early years of her dental career. With a commitment to patient care and dental education, Dr. Craig is an advocate for resilience and adaptability in the field of dentistry.
Dr. Ronnetta Sartor is a seasoned dentist with years of experience in the field. With a deep understanding of patient care and dental practices, she brings a wealth of knowledge and empathy to her profession. Dr. Sartor is dedicated to mentoring new dentists and fostering a supportive environment for colleagues to thrive.
Episode Summary:
In this insightful episode of "Beyond Graduation," Dr. Savanah Craig and Dr. Ronnetta Sartor delve into the crucial topic of mental toughness in dentistry. From handling patient anxieties to managing expectations, they discuss the multifaceted challenges that dental professionals face and the resilience required to navigate them. Dr. Sartor emphasizes that dentists often encounter initial negative perceptions, stating, "It's hard when someone hates you and they haven't even met you yet just based on what you do for a living."
Throughout the episode, Dr. Craig and Dr. Sartor exchange their own strategies for developing mental toughness, including maintaining a sense of humor and giving oneself grace. They highlight the importance of having candid conversations with patients about the realistic outcomes and necessary upkeep of dental treatments. Dr. Sartor notes, "There's nothing that I can do that's going to not have any risks. Every treatment option will have risks and benefits." Incorporating these practices helps manage patient expectations and fosters more successful treatment outcomes.
Key Takeaways:
- Developing Mental Toughness: Dentists must build resilience to handle negative perceptions and challenging patient interactions effectively.
- Importance of Communication: Clear, thorough communication with patients is critical for setting realistic expectations and preventing misunderstandings.
- Continuous Learning: Keeping up with the latest research a
- Balancing Humility and Expertise: Dentists should acknowledge the limits of current dental materials and techniques while striving to provide the best care available.
- Team Support: A cohesive, supportive team is essential for maintaining a positive environment and delivering exceptional patient care.
Connect with Us:
- Savanah Craig, DDS: @savanahcraigdds
- Ronnetta Sartor, DMD: @dr_sartor
- FutureDentists Beyond Graduation: @futuredentistsbeyondgraduation
- Dental Residency Guide and Beyond Graduation eBooks: https://ignitedds.com/subscription-resources/
In this engaging episode, Dr. Savanah Craig and Dr. Ronnetta Sartor offer valuable insights into the mental resilience required for a successful dental career. Their candid discussion on patient relationships and personal growth is a must-listen for all dental professionals. Stay tuned for more enlightening conversations on "Beyond Graduation."
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
Join Dr. Savannah Craig and Renetta Sartor as we navigate life beyond graduation. Real conversations about forging our own paths in our early years in our careers. There's a reason it's called practicing dentists.
00:00:16
Speaker
All right everyone, welcome back for another round of Beyond Graduation season two. So I am Savannah Craig with me as always. I am Renetta Sartor and we are happy to be back. Today we've got a big topic. We're talking about mental toughness and what that looks like from the dental perspective. Renetta, we were chatting before we started recording and you had a great great take on this topic so share share it with the people. We were just um laughing and joking but it's it's it's sort of true as well. we My comment to her was in order to be in dentistry we have to develop um mental toughness because one of the first things we hear a patient say as soon as we walk in a room before we can introduce ourselves is I hate dentists.
00:01:14
Speaker
And so it's hard when someone hates you and they haven't even met you yet, just based on what you do for a living. So um we joke about it. um But I think just the industry that we have chosen to be in and um how we have chosen to serve patients um makes it really difficult um for us. We're probably one of the most feared professions just from a historical standpoint, um because a lot of people have had um negative dental experiences, especially in childhood that have as a result caused them in adulthood or later in life to have dental phobias. And all of those things compound to you know the statement that so many patients tell us each day.
00:02:13
Speaker
What's your take on it, Savannah? Yeah, I totally agree. um And I think it's one of the like unfortunate ironies of life is that these patients that fear us so much end up needing so much more work by the time they finally get in our chair. And it almost, you know, even on my best day, right? I'm still sticking a needle in somebody's mouth. Like there's just nothing, nothing enjoyable. And, you know, you can do all the tips and tricks to make it
00:02:53
Speaker
better. I'm never gonna say it's painless. um But it's a vulnerable position. Like I hear the patients I totally get where they're coming from. And it beats me down.
00:03:09
Speaker
sh it's It's hard when you're like, you know, give me ah give me a shot here to and And I do, you know, for every for every tough day in dentistry, you've got the the great ones and you can walk out of one really hard. I think that's the nice thing about how quickly this job moves is, you know, you can have a really hard time in one operator and walk over to the next one. It's somebody who's really grateful that, you know, you're there and taking care of them. And I like to
00:03:42
Speaker
You know, I do sedation dentistry. I like to win over those scared, uh, terrified, difficult patients. That's my own secret, you know, kryptonite, I guess, but yeah, it's, it, it is a challenge. Um, I think another piece we were talking about is there are just like in society in general, the expectations around dentistry are so.
00:04:09
Speaker
difficult um in what what we're capable of. what do you What's your take on that? How's that evolved over your career, do you think? Because you've been doing this a lot longer than I. Not a lot. but e so And I know some people may not agree with this statement, but I always lead with telling patients when I asked, you know, how long is something going to last? I always tell them, um,
00:04:42
Speaker
whether they're a believer or not, you know, my, my statement to them is I can't give you something better than what God gave you, um, in terms of teeth. Um,
00:04:57
Speaker
I can make it look nice. I can make it function very well. Um, but what you were given in what I give you, um, the comparison is really tough. Um, there's nothing that I can do that's going to not have any, um, risks. It has risks and benefits to it. So I always try to lead with letting patients know that.
00:05:27
Speaker
And upkeep, right? That's like the other big misconception is, oh, you did it. We're done forever. um Like even implants, you know, some people, they come in and they're like, I'm, I'm going to take all of my teeth out and I want to have implants. And I always have the conversation. Well, you know, implants require upkeep as well. Um,
00:05:53
Speaker
you know, you have to come in and sometimes adjustments need to be made. Things need to be tightened. Um, so there's no silver bullet or magic peel that I can give them to fix everything. And I think, um, over time we joke about like mental toughness over time is not so, so much that we have to be tough. It's just more so that we learn.
00:06:23
Speaker
to communicate and communicate early and thoroughly with our patients. And so that, um, there aren't as many fires after we begin treatment. Yeah. How do you handle, I think for me at this stage, I'm, I'm doing my best to have those conversations and
00:06:51
Speaker
all of the signs are there that the patient's hearing me. And then, you know, in some instances we get down the line and, you know, they forget or, oh, I didn't know that you really meant that. And what, in your experience, how do you, you know, obviously you document the heck out of it in your notes, but What, do you have any tips, recommendations on how to check for that understanding or not to get yourself in this pickle of, and know I know that we talked about this. Did you hear me? Yeah, I think that's a really great question. And I think it's something that in dentistry, we all will strive to always be better at. Yeah.
00:07:42
Speaker
um I think a lot of it depends on the patient. Every patient is different. Every patient comes with different motivators and different personalities. And part of it is our job to figure out what motivates them, um, what type of personality they are, you know, in terms of like, do they need to know all of the details or are they that patient that's like,
00:08:11
Speaker
Oh doc, you know, I trust you. Just, just do what's best. You know, um, it's tough because when we started to talk about case acceptance and all those things, you don't want to talk too much, you know, but you want to make sure that the patient is informed of risk and risks and benefits so that they can make the best decision for, for themselves.
00:08:41
Speaker
So I don't, I don't have a quick and dry answer for you. I just think, um, there are so many variables, but all you can do is if they forget, just kindly and gently remind them, Hey, remember we, we talked about XYZ may be a complication of this. yeah Um, and this is how we can move forward to lessen that complication or this is,
00:09:10
Speaker
These are things that we could do, but this is going to be your homework to make sure that, you know, things go how we want them to. Yeah. All right. I want to, I want to play devil's advocate. Um, so we talk a lot, you know, you and I and Dr. Rice and all everybody about, you know, getting to know your patients, the personality types, what motivates them.
00:09:35
Speaker
And I 100% agree that helps with case acceptance, all of these things. But my devil's advocate moment is one, is that really my job? Two, when I go to my doctors, they're like, here's the cut and dry, man.
00:09:54
Speaker
do it or don't, but like why in dentistry are we like, all right, let me understand your entire psychology that you patient probably don't even know about yourself that these are like what's driving you. And I just, I liked it. You know, like why, why do we do this to ourselves? Well, I think part of it is how we started this whole podcast, right? Yeah. We opened by saying,
00:10:21
Speaker
If a patient, if a patient had a choice of coming to the dentist versus like doing something else, there they would almost 100% of the time like pick the something else. Sure. And so from that perspective, in order, in order for patients to see value in it is our, I believe it's our job to inform them in a way that resonates with what's important to them.
00:10:49
Speaker
yeah Now playing devil's advocate, as you would say, um, there's also some accountability that the patient has to take too. Cause when they leave our office, they have to go home and they have to, as you stated earlier, upkeep, whatever it is we do. yeah Um, you know, they're the ones that is in control of their diet.
00:11:18
Speaker
Um, and to some extent, maybe their health as well. Um, and so it's our responsibility, but it's also theirs as well. And I think sometimes that's a combo that we should have with the patient too. And I don't know that we always have those conversations. Yeah. Yeah. I think.
00:11:44
Speaker
It's super interesting. And like, I don't know, my, my assistants laugh at me all the time, but I stole this from residency. Your mouth, your choice. And I say that all the time. And I'm like, here's, here's the skinny. If you do nothing, this is what might happen. If we do treatment, this, these are still things that might have, you know, like I can, and I think.
00:12:11
Speaker
maybe as a society, I don't know if it's social media, I don't know if it's what it is, but and I would love your take on this, but I think people want, I was just listening to a podcast um about like people want definitive answers, and they don't like that medate medicine and science and dentistry has so many unknowns, and so people want that, like social media viral video that's like this you know take this supplement and it was it was putting in the group chat yesterday that their patient was like no I eat cheddar cheese and it cures my perio like I wish man like I promise you if I knew that you could do this one thing and it would work I would tell you I guarantee like but I think
00:13:07
Speaker
that's the hard part about dentistry is there's such a, there are so many options, one for every treatment plan. Every dentist is gonna be different. The potential outcomes, like I could not even list them all on a consent form. And then to just the unknown of like, I don't know how you're gonna care for this when you go home. I don't know how this material is gonna work in your mouth. Like we're all doing our best.
00:13:33
Speaker
um I think people don't like that, that uncertainty of it. That's a very, very, it's very insightful and a very great point. I think my response to that is be, is that nothing in life is certain. Yeah. Like I could walk in my neighborhood and get hit by a car. Like, yeah.
00:14:03
Speaker
not saying I want that to happen, but you know if we look at the risks of it happening, it's really low, but has it happened to some people? Certainly it has.
00:14:16
Speaker
um
00:14:18
Speaker
What I will say about medicine and dentistry in general is that We are in a very exciting time because technology and research is at an all time high and we're learning more and more every day. Um, and I feel like it's every industry that's out there. Like we do what we know at the moment. And when we know better, we do better. Yes. And when we know better, we can inform our patients better.
00:14:52
Speaker
And over time, I think in dentistry outcomes have been better than they have say hundreds of years ago. And it's just as things continue to evolve, we can do better. I know it's not in an answer that patients or we even like, but it's just a reality.
00:15:13
Speaker
um And sometimes I know you mentioned social media, but sometimes everything you see on social media, It's only a snapshot of time. So like it may look perfect on social media, but what did it take to get that shot? Yeah. Um, but it is something that I think, especially with, um, as generations evolve, they're going to be more technology based and AI based than we ever were. And it's something that in dentistry,
00:15:50
Speaker
I imagine we're going to have to evolve with it or we'll get left behind. But yeah, I think that's a good point. But and I think I think about this all the time, like the irony of.
00:16:07
Speaker
i chose I mean, I always wanted to be a dentist, but like the appeal of dentistry over medicine for me was like, yeah, cavity filling, like A plus B equals C. And the further along I get into this, the less certain I even am, which like, not that I don't know what I'm doing. and But like, I think that makes you a good clinician to be like, there are a lot of options here, man. and This is my best, you know, with what we have now. I had a patient a couple of weeks ago ask me like, you know, some silver amalgams that are now causing fractures in teeth. And I'm like, you know, and and they're like, well, how do you know the material that you're putting in today is going to be the best material 20 years from now. And I was like, honestly, it probably won't be.
00:17:00
Speaker
And it really freaked the patient out. It's like, oh, let me backtrack. Sometimes I'm and too honest. um But I was like, we're doing the, this is the best material we have in this moment. And I can't offer you the material that's going to be here in 20 years. And that's just sort of it. Like, ah e he ah you're either cool with that or you're not. And I don't, I don't know what you want from So what would you say are maybe your top three tips into um establishing and and continuing to build mental toughness? Oof. I think, I think giving yourself grace um and finding friends that you can laugh about the ridiculousness of like, I, again, I put
00:18:01
Speaker
as much if not more pressure on myself to do well, you know, to do the right thing for my patients than my patients are probably even aware of. But knowing that like this was the best we could do in this moment with this patient in this circumstance and just letting that go. um And really trying not to like bring it home and dwell on it. I think finding humor in it is the only way you're going to do this career for 30 years.
00:18:31
Speaker
What about you? I think um what you said is very on point. I would say definitely having a team that's there that you could turn to and, you know, everyone's on the same page that we want dentistry to be a pleasant as pleasant as it can be experienced for our patients and to just be on board with helping the patients the best way that we can. And like you said, just doing, doing our best and by doing our best, we're giving the best that we can to our patients. And the other part too is, you know, staying on top of the newest technologies and the newest research. And in that way we can offer the best that's available.
00:19:24
Speaker
And by doing so, we don't we don't need to be as tough. It just kind of works its its way out. That's a good point. This was ah this was a fun episode. I would love um to hear everyone else's thoughts and experiences and you know how how you find humor in this wild wild profession we've all chosen. but For sure. Until next time, friends.
00:19:54
Speaker
We'll see you soon. Thank you for joining us for this episode of Beyond Graduation. If you enjoyed this week's episode, be sure to share it with a friend. Connect with us on social media, Savannah Craig, DDS, and Dr. Underscore Sartor. And remember, you are not alone on this journey. This episode was sponsored by the Dental Residency Guide and the Beyond Graduation eBooks. These eBooks can be found at ignitedds dot.com slash eBooks. Thank you so much for listening to Beyond Graduation brought to you by Ignite DDS and Future Dentists.