LIFE AS AN ASSOCIATE
Be as nice as possible to everyone – the nurses, the reception, the admin teams and especially the patients as much as you humanly can. The below is a reflection on my previous experiences and reflections at time of writing, I'll probably disagree with myself as always as I get older lol.
What I have learnt is that the dental clinic is a very small intense environment, even if it does not seem like it at first. All the small things can build up and become a problem. Also staff like to gossip a lot so be wary of what information you share. If you tell or 'trust' one person with some confidential information, do not be surprised if others become aware of it also.
The owner is always concerned about your lack of ability to be a team player and look after ‘their’ patients that you treat (they are never really your patients in certain owners eyes). One day they will castigate you and say “we have had reports that this happened last Tuesday and that she told us she was upset about the situation and we can’t have team members being upset”. Even though the ‘issue’ was unapparent to you or deemed insignificant or completely unintentional it can still be blown up way out of proportion (rarely does the person come and talk to you directly if they have an issue they will do it some other way as they normally do not have the courage to do so personally or maybe they think that if someone else tells you it’s nicer for you in their logic). Say for example multiple little things like this happen, the owner will not forget and will not hesitate to bring all these issues up in a ‘conversation/meeting’ with you, (no matter how small or when they occurred or how factually inaccurate they are). 9 times out of 10 they have heard the other persons opinion before yours and have already made their mind up or decision of action about you before your chat). All they want to do at that meeting is put you in your place and assert their dominance and make sure you behave like a good little boy or girl. You can of course defend yourself and so you should but it will make no difference to what they think or do. The reality is that if you argue your point even if just too much you’ll be just deemed as a contentious trouble maker or always causing issues and headaches. My advice is just agree nod politely and say you will take it on board and continue trying your best. The reality is that as an associate you do lots of things to help the team that doesn’t filter back to management. They only generally highlight the bad things because that’s what filters back the quickest. All those times you went beyond to help patients, cover for staff or when they had a personal problem and helped. Or prevented a complaint for another dentist or made sure a future problem was averted, that doesn’t get highlighted, it is forgotten about or passes without significance and just put down to being part of the job - that’s fine but every time you do something good like that make a note of it in your phone and have it recorded to prove to yourself you are being a positive influence. The owners will talk about everyone being a leader in their own way and taking responsibility for their actions (basic concepts learnt in a management seminar led by some payment plan company or management/marketing no note 'guru') but in reality the aim is that they themselves do not lead by example ie it is one rule for them and another rule for everyone else. You are not an equal to them no matter what they say and they are right to think that because they own the place and deal with all the grief of running it so it has to have some advantages. That's life accept it - it is not fair.
From their perspective addressing their direct employees’ issue can be easily dealt with by ‘having a word’ with you. Firstly, the nurse/employee feels better that their issue has been addressed and feel that the employer is listening which then allows the owner to probably to placate them or take advantage of them in other areas (where they have to just suck it up or leave). The other benefit is that the owner can develop leverage and diminish you as a person (where it is justified or not), it gives them the upper hand or an air of superiority. In the sense that ‘you are creating an issue for me due to your incompetence or inability to work correctly’ therefore I have the superior position of correcting you. Yet as we know many practice owners make a lot of mistakes and if you correct them on each of their mistakes even if very large compared to your insignificant little issues they blow it off because they have the upper hand and they know it. It is very easy to give criticism but very difficult to take it on board but hey we all have to improve someway (they will rarely admit to their mistakes and/or apologise as they see it as a sign of weakness in fact it will be you admitting all your errors and apologising mostly just to keep the peace). I always find it funny that management spend a lot of time critiquing staff but very rarely do they look at themselves as managers and get honest objective advice on how they are doing (your staff won't always tell you the real truth because you pay them and they want to keep their job). I want any owners who read this to really think 'did or do I make my associates life easier or harder and have I supported them enough in areas where they need to improve or help? Or I have just given them a blunt ultimatum in dealing with their problems?' We need to look at people's problems from all perspectives and their eyes.
Obviously if you are making people intentionally upset then that’s a completely different issue and they are justified to have a chat with you but chances are, you are a good person doing your best under difficult circumstances without the greatest support. A relationship with you and others is like a marriage you do not give up at every road block you try and find an amicable and compromised way of moving forward and improving.
They will take advantage of you and they know that you will do what they say, when they say and just have to accept it or leave. The problem is that if you find a practice you like especially a private one, they will probably give you a low percentage and demand the high levels of clinical experience and quality. What can you do? It’s rare to find a practice thar doesn’t give you grief in one way or another, it is just the nature of the business...
The truth is that to work in private practice you don’t actually have to be very good clinically (credentials may only just get you the job), you just have to be safe and decent and get on well with people. Being the best clinically does not ensure your life as an associate will be smooth. The owner is generally in the luxurious position to say you can like or leave because chances are there are always multiple associates that can replace you.
They will also deny you a lot of materials or say "do you know how expensive it is to be a practice owner?!" and normally point out how they spend soo much for materials on you and your ‘excessive’ lab bills. They will then talk about quality being delivered to patients with no real understanding that even as a general dentist what it takes to really achieve that. To be honest, to be a dentist that provides world class work does not fit in with too many practices in the UK. The owners just don’t get it because generally the owners are not world class dentists in the field you work in so don’t really understand the level of training, equipment and skill it takes to be at that level. The truth is when you are a general associate dentist you are looked down upon by the profession (essentially the lowest rung of the ladder), even the one day a week hygienist will be placed higher up than you. Oh I forgot they will randomly come up to you with some crazy perfunctory money saving idea or restriction that makes no sense and makes your existing working conditions even more strained - expect it, it will happen or they will have been on some business development course and analysed that if they use 1 less paper cup a day it will save them a massive £9.00 a year or something stupid like that - just nod and agree and say that you understand their position in these tough economic times. Most owners end up being quite ruthless and end up making their private practices with an NHS like money saving mentality - they will want the best for as little a possible and will compromise on quality delivered for money saved (I call it the privatised NHS dentistry mentality). This is totally logical and understandable within reason as they have to make a profit to survive as the margins in dentistry are small compared to other retail sectors. My advice is if there is something you really want just be prepared to buy it yourself. For example I had to buy my own disposable gloves for certain delicate procedures because I liked the feel and grip more than the basic nitrile ones. C'est la vie.
The amount of money you earn is never enough. If you have had 11 amazingly profitable months the one month you don’t will be highlighted. They will then talk to you about what your hourly rate should be etc even though they have no real understanding of what you go through on a day to day basis. The issue with this is firstly you have to have the full book of patients (they always base their estimates on a totally full book or some other ridiculous inaccurate analysis/comparison), which you rarely ever do have. Even if busy, a lot of the time is wasted or exams (which can be booked from anywhere from 15-30 minutes which is highly unprofitable). Then they want the quality and money at the same or less time. If there is a clinical complaint from a patient about you then you are royally screwed, as chances are they will not support you and just tell you to go ring your indemnity. Do not leave these to be dealt with someone you do not trust and don’t make the mistake of trusting someone who you think you can trust. Work-wise, no one will care about what happens to you than you.
As an associate, you will be critiqued for your referrals to other practitioners. If some other idiot dentist you work with keeps getting you involved with their stupid badly planned cases or is constantly asking for help because of their ineptness. They will complain about the fact that you do not help them or you’re not a team player again to cover their own weakness. The owner will highlight this immediately as it jeopardises their profits and harmony and will seek that you solve it immediately. You have to work well with the other dentists in the practice otherwise it’s just another mark against you. It’s very tough dealing with these people but that’s the reality of what you will have to learn to deal with in a positive way.
Some practices will send other work that you may wish to do to other dentists. They will often be seen by a treatment co-ordinator who will then be seen as taking business you wish to do away from you. Or in certain scenarios you will be told that as a general dentist you must refer all your root canals to the practice endodontist and that you should not offer it as you are not a specialist. This is ethically wrong you should always have complete clinical freedom where you work. If you are adequately trained to do a procedure such as a root canal and feel competent enough to carry it out then you should offer this to the patient but obviously you should also offer the specialist referral option impartially also. That way the patient has the freedom to understand the risks and benefits and costs of each option and make an informed decision themselves.
You will no doubt have bought your own equipment as an associate such as a camera or instruments etc. These will eventually get damaged or lost make sure you have a clear understanding beforehand who replaces what. The long and the short of is that you will end up paying and replacing anything that someone else in the practice damages or loses so be aware of that.
A big piece of advice is do not be too reliant on one nurse, learn to know how to set up and close down the surgery and where everything is for yourself. Always go through your book the day before to check lab work and prepare for possible issues. As a dentist you are always fire-fighting whether problems clinically or issues within the practice.
Owners are always open to selling the business obviously at the right price - even if they say they have no plans... plans can and will change. Always have a get-out plan in place if needed.
Sometimes some of the nursing or admin team will randomly tell you that your clinical or work behaviour needs changed as that’s what they have been told by the owners/management to enforce. Do not blame them as direct employees their loyalty lies with the people that pay them not you. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security that just because you had a laugh and get along with some of staff really well especially your nurse/assistant, they WILL abandon you or indirectly put you on the firing line (if it’s them or you they will not hesitate). You will think you can trust them but the reality is you never know what is going through someone’s head, they will surprise you if you do not think of every particular behaviour they may carry out – for the most part they will complain and moan to each other about their jobs but you are different you are an associate and they will report issues about you at no hesitation whether because they are bored and gossiping/want to feel important or listened to/whether they just dislike you/whether they want it to be used as leverage or distract the owners from some of their own failings (distraction technique).
You will be nice and polite to most people that you meet. But you will work with some people that just do not like you or vice versa and can make your life very difficult. My advice is that if you have to work with them be as polite as possible do not give them an excuse to report or not to like you. If you really want to be ahead of the curve note down every time someone makes a mistake and then have the list ready if one should ever need to defend themselves (this is a very time consuming task and one should try to avoid this unless as a last resort – try to resolve it amicably first).
Practice meetings may seem like a waste of time but you HAVE to attend them all where possible as if you do not, you will not be seen as a team player. Essentially, it’s a form of pseudo-democracy where trivial things that do not really concern you are discussed and any major points that you wish to have an influence upon will already have been decided by management but it has to be seen that you had the opportunity to voice your opinion. That’s just it though, it is just voicing your opinion nothing more in many instances… people will know where you stand and you will be none the wiser or better off in general. Nonetheless you have to be seen to participate and be ‘positive’ because you want to be seen as a team player. My advice is give your opinion in the nicest and most efficient way or if you do not really have one just reiterate what the owner wants and agree with that.
Try to not react or get too stroppy at work when your time is wasted or things do not go your way, you will be deemed as childish or arrogant. There is a fine line between silence, confidence and arrogance many people cannot tell the difference and will just deem you as arrogant if you are very good at your job… even if you joke about being a good at a procedure you will be reported as being arrogant. This is looked upon poorly and as a negative even though you have just expressed that you are good at a procedure just to make you or the patient feel better for a moment. A sentence said in the heat of the moment can be taken massively out of context in the wrong environment and make you look bad.
People have a habit of bringing their personal lives into work. We can’t help it sometimes, so if someone is having a bad day just give them a bit of room to settle. We all have bad days and rude patients buts there’s normally a reason for peoples behaviour and just have to let it go and not take it personally which is very hard sometimes.
Doing extra shifts or helping out in difficult situations to help others will be appreciated at the time and even expected but do not think it is worth anything in the long term. If the favour is relatively small and easy to do then do it but if a major inconvenience then reconsider all options. If it is a self-less act to help someone out in a really tough situation like sickness or bereavement then do it.
The reality is that you need to make other people’s lives that you work with especially the nurses and admin, as easy and as simple as possible. For example, try not to run too late too often. Every now and again is ok but they will get upset if it's consistent. It doesn’t matter if someone else is always late or the owner does this or that, as an associate you have no luxuries or benefits. It is literally a case of do what you are told and do not upset the people you work with or the patients. If you can’t do this you will be replaced simple as this, it does not matter how good you are at your job - this is the sad reality.
As I always say you could be the best dentist in the world but if you do not know how to communicate then you are worthless in the eyes of most. Yet if you are an average dentist but a very good communicator people will worship the ground you work on. I was once told that being clinically good is only worth 20% percent of the job. That’s really sad if you think about how much of your life you have devoted and sacrificed to it.
If you want to succeed in a small way as an associate I would advised the following:
I hope that one day associates are much more valued by owners than they are now.
I hope that one day associates are not treated as dispensable and are always expected to be near perfect at all times and every little defect is not held up under the magnifying glass by owners.
I hope that patients realise how stressful and tiring the job can be and try not to argue over insignificant details and just trust that we are trying our best to help them and that it doesn’t always go to plan no matter how much one pays.
I hope that one day general dentists are not looked down upon and that they are just as important to a practice as specialists and that owners do not take advantage of this fact and pay them a fair wage.
I hope that your career is far more pain free than mine and that things go much easier for you than they did for me. I always tried my best but most times people didn’t really care how hard I worked or tried. To be the best dentist in the world is only 20% technical the other 80% is how much you can get people to like you and want to work with you - for me that’s always been the toughest part of the job. Good luck and I wish you all the very best with your career - Thomas
Be as nice as possible to everyone – the nurses, the reception, the admin teams and especially the patients as much as you humanly can. The below is a reflection on my previous experiences and reflections at time of writing, I'll probably disagree with myself as always as I get older lol.
What I have learnt is that the dental clinic is a very small intense environment, even if it does not seem like it at first. All the small things can build up and become a problem. Also staff like to gossip a lot so be wary of what information you share. If you tell or 'trust' one person with some confidential information, do not be surprised if others become aware of it also.
- As an associate you will be critiqued for every single interaction. If you are stressed and become too acute and sharp with the patient, nurse or reception or do not say please and thank you for everything, they will find a moment to complain about you to others that will eventually filter back to the owner or manager. The owner just wants you to create as little 'grief' as possible and to agree with and do everything they say because if you don’t they will see you as being contentious and a non team player. Because you are trustworthy individual and honest you won’t repeat all the bad things the staff may say about one another or management but remember if it’s the other way around... if you should say anything even small against someone else (even in jest), I guarantee it will get back to that person. Therefore listen, be polite and quiet and try not to jump in on the band wagon of negative talk about anyone else - I always try to avoid drama and keep my mouth shut. This can end up ostracising you a little but if you’re polite and happy and have nothing bad to say about anyone (even if you think otherwise) your life will be much easier. Take note that your body language can speak volumes so try and be aware of that also. It took me a long time to realise that even though I was never rude, or shouted at anyone, my body language or my tone of what I would say to people upset others just as much as I had said something. Even though you may not say what you are thinking, if your body or tone expresses negatively it has a very large impact upon people. So body communication is equal to if not more important than what you say many times. Remember the staff talk about you more than you think and if they don't like you, you will be sacrificed over them in a heart beat by management - so you need them all on board.
The owner is always concerned about your lack of ability to be a team player and look after ‘their’ patients that you treat (they are never really your patients in certain owners eyes). One day they will castigate you and say “we have had reports that this happened last Tuesday and that she told us she was upset about the situation and we can’t have team members being upset”. Even though the ‘issue’ was unapparent to you or deemed insignificant or completely unintentional it can still be blown up way out of proportion (rarely does the person come and talk to you directly if they have an issue they will do it some other way as they normally do not have the courage to do so personally or maybe they think that if someone else tells you it’s nicer for you in their logic). Say for example multiple little things like this happen, the owner will not forget and will not hesitate to bring all these issues up in a ‘conversation/meeting’ with you, (no matter how small or when they occurred or how factually inaccurate they are). 9 times out of 10 they have heard the other persons opinion before yours and have already made their mind up or decision of action about you before your chat). All they want to do at that meeting is put you in your place and assert their dominance and make sure you behave like a good little boy or girl. You can of course defend yourself and so you should but it will make no difference to what they think or do. The reality is that if you argue your point even if just too much you’ll be just deemed as a contentious trouble maker or always causing issues and headaches. My advice is just agree nod politely and say you will take it on board and continue trying your best. The reality is that as an associate you do lots of things to help the team that doesn’t filter back to management. They only generally highlight the bad things because that’s what filters back the quickest. All those times you went beyond to help patients, cover for staff or when they had a personal problem and helped. Or prevented a complaint for another dentist or made sure a future problem was averted, that doesn’t get highlighted, it is forgotten about or passes without significance and just put down to being part of the job - that’s fine but every time you do something good like that make a note of it in your phone and have it recorded to prove to yourself you are being a positive influence. The owners will talk about everyone being a leader in their own way and taking responsibility for their actions (basic concepts learnt in a management seminar led by some payment plan company or management/marketing no note 'guru') but in reality the aim is that they themselves do not lead by example ie it is one rule for them and another rule for everyone else. You are not an equal to them no matter what they say and they are right to think that because they own the place and deal with all the grief of running it so it has to have some advantages. That's life accept it - it is not fair.
From their perspective addressing their direct employees’ issue can be easily dealt with by ‘having a word’ with you. Firstly, the nurse/employee feels better that their issue has been addressed and feel that the employer is listening which then allows the owner to probably to placate them or take advantage of them in other areas (where they have to just suck it up or leave). The other benefit is that the owner can develop leverage and diminish you as a person (where it is justified or not), it gives them the upper hand or an air of superiority. In the sense that ‘you are creating an issue for me due to your incompetence or inability to work correctly’ therefore I have the superior position of correcting you. Yet as we know many practice owners make a lot of mistakes and if you correct them on each of their mistakes even if very large compared to your insignificant little issues they blow it off because they have the upper hand and they know it. It is very easy to give criticism but very difficult to take it on board but hey we all have to improve someway (they will rarely admit to their mistakes and/or apologise as they see it as a sign of weakness in fact it will be you admitting all your errors and apologising mostly just to keep the peace). I always find it funny that management spend a lot of time critiquing staff but very rarely do they look at themselves as managers and get honest objective advice on how they are doing (your staff won't always tell you the real truth because you pay them and they want to keep their job). I want any owners who read this to really think 'did or do I make my associates life easier or harder and have I supported them enough in areas where they need to improve or help? Or I have just given them a blunt ultimatum in dealing with their problems?' We need to look at people's problems from all perspectives and their eyes.
Obviously if you are making people intentionally upset then that’s a completely different issue and they are justified to have a chat with you but chances are, you are a good person doing your best under difficult circumstances without the greatest support. A relationship with you and others is like a marriage you do not give up at every road block you try and find an amicable and compromised way of moving forward and improving.
They will take advantage of you and they know that you will do what they say, when they say and just have to accept it or leave. The problem is that if you find a practice you like especially a private one, they will probably give you a low percentage and demand the high levels of clinical experience and quality. What can you do? It’s rare to find a practice thar doesn’t give you grief in one way or another, it is just the nature of the business...
The truth is that to work in private practice you don’t actually have to be very good clinically (credentials may only just get you the job), you just have to be safe and decent and get on well with people. Being the best clinically does not ensure your life as an associate will be smooth. The owner is generally in the luxurious position to say you can like or leave because chances are there are always multiple associates that can replace you.
They will also deny you a lot of materials or say "do you know how expensive it is to be a practice owner?!" and normally point out how they spend soo much for materials on you and your ‘excessive’ lab bills. They will then talk about quality being delivered to patients with no real understanding that even as a general dentist what it takes to really achieve that. To be honest, to be a dentist that provides world class work does not fit in with too many practices in the UK. The owners just don’t get it because generally the owners are not world class dentists in the field you work in so don’t really understand the level of training, equipment and skill it takes to be at that level. The truth is when you are a general associate dentist you are looked down upon by the profession (essentially the lowest rung of the ladder), even the one day a week hygienist will be placed higher up than you. Oh I forgot they will randomly come up to you with some crazy perfunctory money saving idea or restriction that makes no sense and makes your existing working conditions even more strained - expect it, it will happen or they will have been on some business development course and analysed that if they use 1 less paper cup a day it will save them a massive £9.00 a year or something stupid like that - just nod and agree and say that you understand their position in these tough economic times. Most owners end up being quite ruthless and end up making their private practices with an NHS like money saving mentality - they will want the best for as little a possible and will compromise on quality delivered for money saved (I call it the privatised NHS dentistry mentality). This is totally logical and understandable within reason as they have to make a profit to survive as the margins in dentistry are small compared to other retail sectors. My advice is if there is something you really want just be prepared to buy it yourself. For example I had to buy my own disposable gloves for certain delicate procedures because I liked the feel and grip more than the basic nitrile ones. C'est la vie.
The amount of money you earn is never enough. If you have had 11 amazingly profitable months the one month you don’t will be highlighted. They will then talk to you about what your hourly rate should be etc even though they have no real understanding of what you go through on a day to day basis. The issue with this is firstly you have to have the full book of patients (they always base their estimates on a totally full book or some other ridiculous inaccurate analysis/comparison), which you rarely ever do have. Even if busy, a lot of the time is wasted or exams (which can be booked from anywhere from 15-30 minutes which is highly unprofitable). Then they want the quality and money at the same or less time. If there is a clinical complaint from a patient about you then you are royally screwed, as chances are they will not support you and just tell you to go ring your indemnity. Do not leave these to be dealt with someone you do not trust and don’t make the mistake of trusting someone who you think you can trust. Work-wise, no one will care about what happens to you than you.
As an associate, you will be critiqued for your referrals to other practitioners. If some other idiot dentist you work with keeps getting you involved with their stupid badly planned cases or is constantly asking for help because of their ineptness. They will complain about the fact that you do not help them or you’re not a team player again to cover their own weakness. The owner will highlight this immediately as it jeopardises their profits and harmony and will seek that you solve it immediately. You have to work well with the other dentists in the practice otherwise it’s just another mark against you. It’s very tough dealing with these people but that’s the reality of what you will have to learn to deal with in a positive way.
Some practices will send other work that you may wish to do to other dentists. They will often be seen by a treatment co-ordinator who will then be seen as taking business you wish to do away from you. Or in certain scenarios you will be told that as a general dentist you must refer all your root canals to the practice endodontist and that you should not offer it as you are not a specialist. This is ethically wrong you should always have complete clinical freedom where you work. If you are adequately trained to do a procedure such as a root canal and feel competent enough to carry it out then you should offer this to the patient but obviously you should also offer the specialist referral option impartially also. That way the patient has the freedom to understand the risks and benefits and costs of each option and make an informed decision themselves.
You will no doubt have bought your own equipment as an associate such as a camera or instruments etc. These will eventually get damaged or lost make sure you have a clear understanding beforehand who replaces what. The long and the short of is that you will end up paying and replacing anything that someone else in the practice damages or loses so be aware of that.
A big piece of advice is do not be too reliant on one nurse, learn to know how to set up and close down the surgery and where everything is for yourself. Always go through your book the day before to check lab work and prepare for possible issues. As a dentist you are always fire-fighting whether problems clinically or issues within the practice.
Owners are always open to selling the business obviously at the right price - even if they say they have no plans... plans can and will change. Always have a get-out plan in place if needed.
Sometimes some of the nursing or admin team will randomly tell you that your clinical or work behaviour needs changed as that’s what they have been told by the owners/management to enforce. Do not blame them as direct employees their loyalty lies with the people that pay them not you. Do not be lulled into a false sense of security that just because you had a laugh and get along with some of staff really well especially your nurse/assistant, they WILL abandon you or indirectly put you on the firing line (if it’s them or you they will not hesitate). You will think you can trust them but the reality is you never know what is going through someone’s head, they will surprise you if you do not think of every particular behaviour they may carry out – for the most part they will complain and moan to each other about their jobs but you are different you are an associate and they will report issues about you at no hesitation whether because they are bored and gossiping/want to feel important or listened to/whether they just dislike you/whether they want it to be used as leverage or distract the owners from some of their own failings (distraction technique).
You will be nice and polite to most people that you meet. But you will work with some people that just do not like you or vice versa and can make your life very difficult. My advice is that if you have to work with them be as polite as possible do not give them an excuse to report or not to like you. If you really want to be ahead of the curve note down every time someone makes a mistake and then have the list ready if one should ever need to defend themselves (this is a very time consuming task and one should try to avoid this unless as a last resort – try to resolve it amicably first).
Practice meetings may seem like a waste of time but you HAVE to attend them all where possible as if you do not, you will not be seen as a team player. Essentially, it’s a form of pseudo-democracy where trivial things that do not really concern you are discussed and any major points that you wish to have an influence upon will already have been decided by management but it has to be seen that you had the opportunity to voice your opinion. That’s just it though, it is just voicing your opinion nothing more in many instances… people will know where you stand and you will be none the wiser or better off in general. Nonetheless you have to be seen to participate and be ‘positive’ because you want to be seen as a team player. My advice is give your opinion in the nicest and most efficient way or if you do not really have one just reiterate what the owner wants and agree with that.
Try to not react or get too stroppy at work when your time is wasted or things do not go your way, you will be deemed as childish or arrogant. There is a fine line between silence, confidence and arrogance many people cannot tell the difference and will just deem you as arrogant if you are very good at your job… even if you joke about being a good at a procedure you will be reported as being arrogant. This is looked upon poorly and as a negative even though you have just expressed that you are good at a procedure just to make you or the patient feel better for a moment. A sentence said in the heat of the moment can be taken massively out of context in the wrong environment and make you look bad.
People have a habit of bringing their personal lives into work. We can’t help it sometimes, so if someone is having a bad day just give them a bit of room to settle. We all have bad days and rude patients buts there’s normally a reason for peoples behaviour and just have to let it go and not take it personally which is very hard sometimes.
Doing extra shifts or helping out in difficult situations to help others will be appreciated at the time and even expected but do not think it is worth anything in the long term. If the favour is relatively small and easy to do then do it but if a major inconvenience then reconsider all options. If it is a self-less act to help someone out in a really tough situation like sickness or bereavement then do it.
The reality is that you need to make other people’s lives that you work with especially the nurses and admin, as easy and as simple as possible. For example, try not to run too late too often. Every now and again is ok but they will get upset if it's consistent. It doesn’t matter if someone else is always late or the owner does this or that, as an associate you have no luxuries or benefits. It is literally a case of do what you are told and do not upset the people you work with or the patients. If you can’t do this you will be replaced simple as this, it does not matter how good you are at your job - this is the sad reality.
As I always say you could be the best dentist in the world but if you do not know how to communicate then you are worthless in the eyes of most. Yet if you are an average dentist but a very good communicator people will worship the ground you work on. I was once told that being clinically good is only worth 20% percent of the job. That’s really sad if you think about how much of your life you have devoted and sacrificed to it.
If you want to succeed in a small way as an associate I would advised the following:
- Create your own brand, website, portfolio of work – create your own patient base and value within yourself. The best investment is in yourself for example courses in improving etc.
- Try and create a specialist interest or specialism in a particular area that makes you happy and focus on that.
- Try and become a practice owner eventually or an expense sharing partner. It doesn’t matter where or how because if you want real independence this is the only way - but it is not easy and takes on a lot of risk.
- You will end up needing a work persona where you are almost perfect – super nice to everyone, asking about their lives or taking an interest in them, earn lots of money and be empathetic and caring to all your patients with little to no failures. Sound tough?... it is!
- Get as many patient video or written or google testimonials as possible.
- Just try to get along with everybody as much as possible even though you might be tempted to say something bad about someone else as a joke or even yourself do not say it. It will get back to someone you don’t want it to. You almost always have to be like a robot with a super nice AI.
- You are responsible for everything that happens in that surgery if it is unsafe or something's not right it is not worth risking your career - just leave. Do not expect practice changes to happen quickly.
- Owners want to squeeze you as much as possible and want to exert their power over you if you’re not in a position where you cannot afford to leave your job you just have to shut up, smile and agree with whatever they say even if it’s wrong or totally unfounded or built up from nothing – that is the reality of associate dentistry. It’s not all smiles and laughs being a practice owner either, as dealing with staff, bills, regulation and people is one of the hardest things to do but that’s a discussion that I will give on another day.
- Coming in doing your job well is not enough any more you have to learn to be better overall and be as humble as possible, as the other members of the team need to like you in order for your life to be easier.
I hope that one day associates are much more valued by owners than they are now.
I hope that one day associates are not treated as dispensable and are always expected to be near perfect at all times and every little defect is not held up under the magnifying glass by owners.
I hope that patients realise how stressful and tiring the job can be and try not to argue over insignificant details and just trust that we are trying our best to help them and that it doesn’t always go to plan no matter how much one pays.
I hope that one day general dentists are not looked down upon and that they are just as important to a practice as specialists and that owners do not take advantage of this fact and pay them a fair wage.
I hope that your career is far more pain free than mine and that things go much easier for you than they did for me. I always tried my best but most times people didn’t really care how hard I worked or tried. To be the best dentist in the world is only 20% technical the other 80% is how much you can get people to like you and want to work with you - for me that’s always been the toughest part of the job. Good luck and I wish you all the very best with your career - Thomas