Do you practice dentistry?

Learning any new skill requires practice.

Currently I'm having lessons to learn a foreign language (German) and improve my tennis. It would be nice if those skills were easily acquired but they both require sustained effort. Not like the old joke...

Club professional to golfer: "Would you like a lesson?"

Golfer: "No thank you. I learnt yesterday."

That doesn't work for golf and that doesn't work for dentistry.

When was the last time you:

• Role played what you were going to say to patients to explain treatment?

• Got your clinical camera out and practiced with the nurse so you can quickly take prefect photos?

• Practiced taking a patient history on your receptionist?

• Memorised how to explain simple treatments like crowns and root fillings?

• Let your nurse practice taking clinical notes with you coaching her?

If the answer is "never" then you really should.

Many dentists attend my Case Acceptance course and then go back to their practice and never practice the skills they were taught. Instead they just take one or two simple tricks and let the rest go.

I suggest to you that next time you have a patient cancellation and some free time practicing your skills with your nurse will be vastly more beneficial than sitting around chatting about the weekend.

Practice works. Try it!