It happens every day in dental offices across the country. It’s probably happened to you. Dental assistants and other team members try to find some time to grab a quick bite and, in their haste to eat something between patients, they end up plowing through an energy bar, sandwich, or whatever they can find to regain some energy and prepare for the rest of the day.
According to recent research in the Journal of Clinical Obesity, that very quick bite could cause problems in the short- and long-term.
Tom Viola, RPh, CCP, one of dental’s pharmacology expert, read the research and immediately thought of dental assistants. “I’m thinking about all of the dental assistants out there who are eating on the run,” Viola said. “You grab a bite when you can, but the problem is that you blow right by the feeling of fullness, and you basically end up overeating.”
Research shows that if people eat on the run, they tend to eat more and, as a result, may gain weight and become obese. Some of this style of eating may be preprogrammed into you if you grew up with other siblings. You may remember what mealtime was like growing up, and those same instincts of having to eat quickly to get some food may still be a part of who you are today and how you eat.
Viola joined me for a recent episode of the Dental Assistant Nation podcast to talk about the obesity study, and what dental assistants can do to take a breath and find time to enjoy the calories they’re consuming.
Listen to the episode here and be sure to subscribe to Dental Assistant Nation wherever you listen to podcasts.
With more than 20 years in the dental publishing industry, Kevin Henry is the former editor of Dental Assisting Digest. He now serves as the cofounder for IgniteDA, a community designed to empower, enlighten, and educate dental assistants. He has spoken to dental assistants throughout the world, in person and through the Dental Assistant Nation podcast series, to remind them about the important role they play every day in their practice.
