Dentistry, Helping Hands, and Me: the person behind the mask

When I go to the office each day, there are so many things that I enjoy. I enjoy the ability to work, most of the people I work with, the craft and potential for growth as I learn to be a better practitioner and help eliminate pain. And I enjoy educating people about dental health and making them smile. But I was reflecting today and one of the things that I realize I enjoy most is that for a few hours a day, I don’t think about myself and my problems and personal issues. Instead, I put myself aside, put on my coat, put on my loupes, put on my mask and gloves, and focus on helping others – addressing the tasks at hand, addressing SOMEONE ELSE’S needs. I am able to learn about others and connect with them. I get a glimpse and am included in the lives of others.

I know that I am very blessed and have a lot of fun and excitement in my life. But just like everyone I am dealing with some personal issues– crossroads regarding work, crossroads regarding family, trying to think of future professional plans while still thinking of personal plans and issues, health, my aging parents, my own desire for family, mortgage, bills, student loans, etc. But when I’m at work I realize that how I deal with my own complex and perplexing situations is to not think about them so much and focus on other people. While reflection (and self-reflection) is very important to our ability to learn from situations– I feel that sometimes we take too long to think about ourselves and our worries (current, future, or past situations). It can become a vicious cycle and skewed memories of events that don’t even matter anymore. As we become involved in our own fun, exciting, and complicated lives – worrying about the future, worrying about a bills, worrying about family matters, anything – it is easy to spiral and get lost in your own concerns.

But when I come to work – problems are presented to me that I feel that I can solve or learn from and help solve and REALLY help someone else. It is inevitable that patients share their current life issues when you spend time with them – and I see that everyone is going through their own personal experiences trying to survive, like me, this wonderful and complex situation called LIFE. Even with personal matters on my mind, the smiles and encouragement and help and assistance I give to my patients each day is genuine and out of genuine caring for them and the end result of their improved dental and overall health. And even, if I make them smile for a moment, their mental health…and mine.

I read an article from 2010 after writing my above post today and it talked about how helping others improves mental health (http://www.momlogic.com/2010/01/how_helping_others_improves_me.php) and this holds true probably for many in the medical, dental, health, and public service professions.

And then, I come home tired from work and tired from talking and sharing myself with others, but at the same time I am REFRESHED & REJUVENATED. I have a refreshed, different opinion, perspective of life and appreciation for the important things– family, love, happiness… and all in partly because I am happy that I helped that scheduled list of patients and people during the day. I come home, make and eat dinner and share myself with my friends on the phone, or husband while eating dinner, and realize that perhaps the problems I might have now will settle and resolve, and I SMILE and look forward to the next day of scheduled patients that I can help.

image courtesy of: www.momlogic.com