To be fair, there is no universally accepted standard of success, even among dentists. However, for the sake of discussion, we will have to agree that a successful dentist is someone who earns enough money to support their lifestyle and feels contentment in their practice.
Our experience in dental recruitment has allowed us to work with several dentists over the years. To give you an idea, here are five traits that many dentists have demonstrated over the years that we think contributed to their success in dentistry:
Foresight
Foresight is a quality that everyone should strive to have, but dentists who want to run a successful private practice need it to survive. Through it, an aspiring professional can identify the areas that they need to improve in to bolster their practice for the possible difficulties in the near future. Foresight also gives one the ability to be ready for any unforeseen emergencies when it comes to patients who may need their help!
A Passion for Improving
Learning about dentistry doesn’t stop once you earn your degree. It doesn’t end even after having multiple fellowships and becoming a respected name in the field. As a continuously developing field, successful dentists keep themselves updated on the latest techniques, materials, and technological developments.
Successful dentists attend numerous seminars, conferences, and hands-on courses to ensure that they are giving their patients the best possible treatment and care possible. While the fees for these events can be steep, successful professionals see these as investments, because it allows them to better their practice!
Flexibility
Dentists who want to grow their dental practice and be successful with it need to wear many hats. Besides being a dentist, they also need to be an entrepreneur, equipment purchaser, and administrative assistant, especially while the practice is still new!
While you technically stop working as a dentist after your clinic hours, your other duties, such as updating your books and ensuring that you don’t run out of dental fillings, will follow you home. You’ll know that you’ve found a semblance of success once you have enough money to hire people who will do that extra stuff for you—but be aware that you might need to do everything on your own, at least during the first few months!
A Frugal Mindset
Most successful dentists who have their private practice live off a comfortable salary, but this doesn’t always happen initially. Many new dentists coming out of university and establishing their private practice will have a considerable debt to pay off. As such, adopting a frugal mindset for at least the first few years will help you get your practice off the ground and pay off any debts incurred during your time as a student.
A Caring Heart for Patients
While it’s true that dental practice can allow you to live a comfortable life, this alone will not help you succeed as a clinician. Caring about your patients and their quality of life as affected by their oral health will manifest in the way you treat them too.
Patients will feel when a dentist cares for their overall state and will keep coming back. In contrast, patients who don’t think they aren’t receiving enough care will look for other dentists to take care of their needs better!
Conclusion
Succeeding in dentistry takes more than just grit and determination to finish university and earn a dental degree. It involves having a holistic outlook and seeing where your education and skills as a dentist are best applied. It also requires you to wear more than just one hat, as succeeding in life is rarely just about being good at one thing!
Are you looking to advance your career into the world of dental care? Dental Talent is a dental job board in the UK. We connect qualified dentists with dentist jobs to help advance their careers. Contact us today to find out more about how we can help you!