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    1. Dentistry

    A view from above: how taking off your loupes enlarges your perspective of dentistry

    Dec. 10, 2013
    Dr. Barry Polansky suggests taking off your loupes and backing up. Let’s get metaphysical for a minute. What makes you who you are is your relationship with other people. He holds that an overemphasis on technical dentistry has made dentists myopic, and this myopia is affecting not only our patients, but our staffs, our families, our communities, and the entire dental profession.

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    Dreamstimeloupes

    Imagine that you are deeply concentrating on a crown preparation, or placing an implant or even obturating a palatal canal of an upper first molar. You have your high-resolution 3.3x super loupes on and you can’t see anything but tooth, orifice, or bone. This is your world. You’re in flow and totally in the present moment. That’s how most of us do dentistry these days, and for most of us it’s accepted dental practice because that’s the way we were taught ... to get as close to the action as possible.

    I would like to make a suggestion. Imagine backing up a bit ... slowing down and taking a different look. Go ahead; take off the loupes. What do you see? More teeth, a tongue, a cheek? Back up more. Now what? A face, a person? Someone you know? Now let’s get metaphysical ... back up more, and imagine you are looking down from the corner of the room. You see your dental assistant. Now look from the roof (imagine it’s glass), and you see your entire staff engaged in working with other patients. Keep going ... now you see your community, your local as well as your professional and business community. Yes, from these views you realize just how connected you are to others. You realize that what makes you who you are is your relationship with other people — people who you don’t even know.

    And yet you spend most of your day looking at gums and teeth and orifices.

    ON A DIFFERENT NOTE |Dental professionals are not alone in our efforts to promote good oral hygiene

    There is an ad campaign created by GEICO that is currently being shown on television. It begins with two people in conversation and one says, “Did you know 15 minutes could save 15% with GEICO?” The other person says, “Everyone knows that.” Then the first one says, “Yeah, but did you know that some owls aren’t so wise?” Then the ad shows a cute skit with two owls. The point of the ad is that we take so many things for granted ... until we really think about the implications.

    One of my mentors once said that he never saw a tooth walk into the office. Yet, when I mention that during my presentations, I feel I might have said, “You know 15 minutes will save you ...” That’s because dentists seem to take relationship-based dentistry for granted. Don’t! It is probably the key to your success.

    ON A DIFFERENT NOTE | The economics of ergonomics: 3 steps to maintain longevity throughout your dental career

    Long before we can achieve success, we must live in the world and be aware of other people and their circumstances and problems. Understanding people and creating relationships are the key. Most of our education is spent with our loupes on ... looking way too close at teeth rather than at people. The overemphasis on technical dentistry has made dentists myopic, and this myopia is affecting not only our patients, but our staffs, our families, our communities, and the entire dental profession.

    I am not suggesting that technical dentistry is not important. I am saying that it may be wise (like an owl) to take off the loupes every once in a while and spend time learning about self-development, leadership, and communication.

    Editor’s Note:You may order Dr. Polansky’s new book, “The Art of Case Presentation,” atTAOofDentistry.com.

    Drbarrypolansky
    Barry Polansky, DMD, is a graduate of Queens College class of 1969. He obtained his DMD degree from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1973. He spent two years in the U.S. Army Dental Corps at Fort Dix, N.J. Dr. Polansky entered private practice in 1975 and has been practicing in Cherry Hill, N.J. since then. The Pankey experience began in 1990 and he has been on the visiting faculty since 2004. Dr. Polansky is the author of the book, “The Art of the Examination.” He has written nearly one hundred articles for numerous dental journals. He is founder of the newsletter, “Private Practice,” which has become a popular blog, TAOofDentistry.com. His current blog CasePresenter.com previews work from his new book, “The Art of Case Presentation.” He has lectured to many groups throughout the world including the Dawson Alumni Meeting, American Dental Association Annual Meeting, and Texas Dental Association. Dr. Polansky currently is the owner of Niche Dental Studio with his son, Joshua Polansky. He and his wife of 37 years, Madeline, have two sons, Bret and Joshua. His hobbies include health and fitness, reading, and writing. Dr. Polansky is an avid practitioner of Bikram Yoga. The hobby that has consumed both him and his wife for more than 15 years is breeding, raising, and showing boxers ... the canine variety.