Are you bored in the dental office? Do you want a more rewarding job?

By Lisa Newburger, LISWS

I am so bored! This is a problem many of us are dealing with. You want MORE out of life and your job. Every day you get up and deal with the same old same old. You take your dog for a walk when you’d rather be sleeping. (Do you realize how much beauty sleep I need to look this good? Beige cover-up only covers up so much!)

Others of us say a prayer each day when we climb into our cars. I wonder if my 1996 Honda will start and if I’ll make it to work on time. If I’m lucky, I’ll snatch a warm blueberry waffle out of the toaster on my way out the door. (You know what I mean. A half frozen waffle. Great way to start a day.)

When I get to work what happens? It’s time to paste on my happy face! Really? I just want to stay under my covers and ignore the world. Why can’t I just watch Maury and spend my days in bed wondering “Who’s your daddy?” Nooooooo, I have to work. (Where is that wealthy husband-to-be when I need one?)

It’s the same thing, day in and day out. My patients come in and talk about their fascinating lives. They travel, have tans, and wear workout clothes as though they’re actually going to work out. (Unlike moi. I just look good in spandex!)

Do you ever get the feeling that there’s more out there than what we’re doing? Come on; be honest. Is this the job you always wanted? If so, fantastic! You’re one lucky person! Some of us don’t feel that way. Oh yeah, we all went to school thinking it would be so much fun and so rewarding when we got out. But reality hit like a ton of bricks. We have patients we don’t like and coworkers — well, you get the picture. So you can either stay numb and bored, or you can do something.

What can you do if you aren’t satisfied? Dream. It’s that simple. Dream about what would make you happy. What would it be like to get rid of your obnoxious patients? (Hey, this is the dream sequence, so anything goes.) What about going back to school to be a dental hygienist or even a dentist? Forget that — dream bigger! How about becoming an oral surgeon, or running a university level dental school program? Why not? You’re smart enough. You’re a hard worker.

If you want it, do something about it. If you want to make more money, figure out how you can accomplish that. Keep in mind that the only thing limiting you is YOU! I know, you have bills. You have kids. You have a boyfriend who isn’t supportive. But guess what? When you start believing in yourself and thinking big, an entire world will open up to you that you didn’t even know exists.

I never knew I could be an author. Who would have thought that Diana Directive would be writing for DentistryIQ? Or that I’m an award winning writer? I am making my dreams come true. Are you? If not, what’s stopping you?

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MORE BY LISA NEWBURGER:
Make your dental office atmosphere fun
5 tips to getting that dream job in the dental practice
What all dental personnel should know
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Email me at [email protected] and let me know what you dream about or how you’re going to get rid of your boredom. Until next month.

Lisa Newburger, LISWS, aka Diana Directive, provides humorous ways to deal with difficult topics. Check out Diana’s webpage at www.discussdirectives.com.