For many of you, your only experience of a dentist will be your six-monthly check-ups, so you only see us in action for 40 mins a year!
What do we do for the rest of our time though? There’s no such a thing as a ‘normal’ or average day, as each appointment is different.
One of the most enjoyable things about being a dentist is that there is no such thing as a routine day. Every day is different, and every day is varied. However, here’s is a bit of an outline and insight into what we are up to all day!
Patients
Most of my days are spent in surgery assessing and treating patients. I am always pleased when someone chooses us to look after them and want to ensure that we always offer the highest possible standard of treatment.
Dental Emergencies
We ALWAYS try and get you out of pain, but we can’t always do the full treatment there and then, as we simply don’t know how long we will need until we’ve seen you. Sometimes I have to rebook you back in for a longer appointment to carry out the full treatment once I’ve patched you up.
Notes
After every appointment – regardless of the reason for the visit, there are notes to write on the computer and I need liaise with reception, so they know if you need to come back for any reason.
Managing the team
I would not be able to work efficiently without a skilled and efficient team and at Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre I am incredibly lucky to have one of the best. The nurses help to keep the surgery running to time, whilst the reception team are amazing at ensuring that my appointment book is always full but that we always have the ability to see a patient in a dental emergency.
Training
As part of my ongoing registration with the GDC I am required to complete a certain amount of training every year, some of this is linked to improving my skills and knowledge so that I can provide a higher service to patients, whilst other parts are involved in health and safety, safeguarding, infection control or medical emergencies. To name but a few!
Why did I want to become a dentist?
I loved science, I loved working with people, and I couldn’t stand the idea of sitting behind a desk.
One thing I really like about dentistry is that you can usually help someone pretty instantly. You can take a tooth out, do a root canal or put in a filling there and then. I like the instant feeling – I can put my gloves on and I can fix your tooth.
There is also a lot of planning involved and it’s nice to have a mixture of both. Sometimes I look at a patient’s mouth and see they haven’t been to the dentist in a while and need a number of different treatments. I do enjoy the planning and staging, doing the appointments and seeing the results over a longer period of time. That’s equally satisfying.
What’s The Best Thing About my Job?
I like the variety. I like being able to rebuild someone’s smile.
I like seeing patients who were previously too nervous to even come into the room, and now we’re doing treatment. I like seeing patients over a long period of time, from little kids to teenagers, to bringing in their own children and even grandchildren.
Every patient is different, so every day is different. Yes, there are the most common treatments: fillings, root canals, making crowns and check-ups. But every day still brings something different, a new challenge or a more unusual procedure.
Over the years dentistry has changed far more than I could ever have imagined when I first qualified and I am sure will continue to grow and evolve in the years to come, ensuring that patients are pain free and feel confident in their teeth and smile.
If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment contact Maidstone Dental & Implant Centre today on 01296 712264.
