“Your old role is rapidly aging
Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend a hand
For the times they are a changing “
Bob Dylan – Times They Are A Changing Lyrics
Today, the dental industry is at a crossroads. There are still many dental offices out there using paper charts and film processors, and sending all their work to the dental lab. But across the street from these traditional practices are the dental offices that have made the transition to technology. These offices are paperless and have every gadget to make their work more precise and efficient, while also appealing to the savvy consumer who wants their crown the same day they request one.
When thinking about what’s been happening in our field, an old Bob Dylan tune comes to mind. “Oh the times, they are a changing.”
Remember this song?
Technology in both our personal and professional lives is moving at lightning speed. As a dental professional, are you simply going through the motions? Day in and day out, working in a time warp? Is your head in the sand?
I recently spoke with a career dental assistant, who I will call “Patricia” because of privacy purposes. Upon the retirement of her employer, Patricia found herself without a job after working in the practice for 17 years. I listened to her story with empathy because I knew where it was going–the same place it always goes in so many stories I’d heard before. When I asked her if she had a resume prepared, there was a long silence. “I never needed one,” she finally responded. I asked her to find a pen and paper to take notes, and I proceeded to rattle off a quick resume outline for her to use as a tool to get her thoughts together.
Next, I began to explore her technology skills, asking what dental office technology she was familiar with. Again, there was a long silence. “Hello?” I said, worried we had been disconnected. “I’m here,” she said. “I don’t have any computer skills for work. We used charts, we processed x-rays in an automatic processor, all our lab work was sent out. My employer knew he was retiring and did not invest in any of the new toys. Our office was old-school”.
If you’re a dental professional, don’t get stuck in this time warp. Right now, you may be comfortable with the rhythm of your work and strolling along just fine, but one day you could be in Patricia’s shoes–out of a job and lacking the skills employers are seeking in today’s market. How do you acquire these high-tech skills?
At a recent meeting I attended in Jacksonville, Fla., this topic came up. Not one person in the room knew of any local classes or schools offering programs for career technology and dental equipment skills updates. I think our industry is behind in this area. The experienced high-tech job candidate pool is small.
To all of the Patricias out there: My advice is to be creative and network. Speak with your dental sales representative for leads to online training resources and/or dental offices you can visit and spend time as an extern. Maybe you have a friend who works in a cutting edge practice that will allow you to shadow and learn the technology. Contact the technical/vocational schools in your area to find out about their programs.
The world is at your fingertips online. Reach out to your industry professional organizations nationally and on a local level, join local study clubs, read online industry journals and keep your finger on the pulse of the dental industry. Lift up your head, shake off the sand and take a look around. Seize the moment, broaden your horizons and take your career to the next level. If you don’t, you’ll find it very difficult to get hired.
Take it from me, don’t wait until it’s too late; now’s the time to be proactive! We’re experiencing a very exciting time in dentistry. Technology is evolving, getting easier and faster. Our understanding of how computers benefit our business is expanding, and dental office equipment development is bursting at the seams and not slowing down. The highly tuned-in and skilled dental professional is in demand. Be the best you can be and the employee your employer can’t work without! The times, they are a changing. Don’t be left behind.
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