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6 things dentists are afraid of themselves
Children are afraid to go to the dentist because of the pain, adults because of the bill. Surely many have heard this joke. But what if not only the patient has fears, but also the dentist himself?
The surgeon-implantologist and candidate of medical sciences Anton Gerasimov shared his views.
An expert in the field of implantation, sinus lifting, diagnostics and planning of complex surgical interventions on the facial and cerebral skull.
Dissatisfied patient
Of course, the dentist knows better about dental treatment. Nevertheless, the patient always has his own ideas about the upcoming procedures. And, alas, not always two people fully understand each other. Even if the treatment plan meets the standards of modern dentistry and you yourself are more than satisfied with the result, some patients may be upset because of some unobvious moments. For example, the procedure lasted longer than he expected, or the shape of the crown was not exactly what he wanted. Of course, for many years of practice, any doctor is faced with such situations, but still this fear remains one of the dominant ones.
Fear of an unreached “ideal”
Dentists are basically all perfectionists. This is a kind of professional deformation, which takes its roots from the student years and is embedded in the training system itself. In class sessions, all your mistakes are discussed with other students and in front of the patient. They explain to you: you are nobody. Naturally, as a result, a certain complex arises. In the future, situations even arise when the patient is satisfied, colleagues admire your work, but you yourself know that you could have done better, that you have not reached your professional level. No one will ever know about it, but you yourself get very upset every time.
Another reason for the prevalence of perfectionism among dentists is the specifics of the work. What is health from other organs? In fact, this is if nothing hurts you, and you can live comfortably. Nobody needs a beautiful liver. The main thing is that she does not bother or cause inconvenience. But dentistry or, for example, plastic surgery is a completely different story. It’s not just about function, but also about aesthetics. Here, as you know, a matter of taste plays a huge role. In addition, the aesthetics have no limit to perfection.
Disapproval of colleagues
Often your work is evaluated not only by patients, but also by colleagues. In dentistry, there are different areas: therapy, surgery, implantology, orthodontics, etc. And if a person needs complex treatment, then several specialists will work and he will also have to work. As a rule, each dentist is surrounded by proven colleagues of a different profile, to whom he will refer his patients. For the latter, this is a double responsibility. If an ordinary patient is far from always able to notice any flaws in the performed dental procedure on his own, then even the slightest oversight will not pass by the gaze of a specialist. And not the highest assessment of your work from a colleague, firstly, undermines your confidence as a professional, and secondly, again, it strongly affects the feelings of a perfectionist.
Fear that you won’t be able to work
Occupational diseases can be the reason for this. Dentists suffer from vision, joints and musculoskeletal system. The majority regularly experience painful sensations in the hands, elbows, spine, and neck. Working with pain is in many ways the norm for us. You cannot stop to stretch and take a break. The patient needs help right now, and your inconveniences remain in the background. Dentistry is hard physical labor.
Of course, there is always a fear that sooner or later this pain will become so strong that you will be forced to give up work. And for a dentist, this is the end of everything, since no one needs your skills and knowledge in other areas.
Fear of infectious diseases
Many patients are carriers of certain infectious diseases that can be easily transmitted during treatment. For example, it costs absolutely nothing to inject yourself with the needle you just used to anesthetize. And almost every dentist has come across this more than once in his practice. Or, splashes of blood and other biological fluids can get on the mucous membrane of the eye, even if you are wearing glasses. Of course, this is an extraordinary event, but it is more than real. Dentists are among the leaders in the number of cases of infection from patients. And to catch an infectious disease is again to lose your profession, since then you become a carrier.
Emergency
Or, in other words, the fear that the patient will be on the verge of life and death. Why could this happen? At least due to a sudden allergic reaction. For example, for the same anesthetic. Allergic reactions are the most common cause of death in the dentist’s chair. And even if the patient previously tolerated anesthesia well, this does not mean that it will be the same in the future. The body is constantly changing.
Unlike a doctor who works in a hospital and where there is always a resuscitator on duty in the next ward, the dentist does not have such support. Until the ambulance arrives, you will be helping the patient yourself. I think that every dentist is afraid of this in one way or another. Of course, we all definitely go through training in resuscitation. However, getting trained is one thing and being a professional is quite another. And to become one, you need to deal with emergency conditions on a daily basis.