Wednesday, September 18, 2019
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded about $85.3 million to nearly 300 government-funded health centers to expand their oral health service capacity through new and enhanced infrastructure.
Sparking joy while studying: How Marie Kondo changed my study life
Just as quickly as the last semester ended, a new one began. You promised yourself to become more organized, get through all of the recommended readings and stick to a study schedule. One month into the semester, your desk is covered in dirty scrubs, leftover Chipotle and half-highlighted syllabi. In 30 days, your study goal has gone from hero to zero. Semester after semester, I lose the motivation to study because my desk is in the running for the next episode of “Hoarders.” Fortunately, my Netflix obsession let me tumble across the KonMari method, which completely changed my study life.
In her Netflix show, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” Kondo explores the world of clearing out clutter and choosing joy. The National Survey of Student Engagement reveals first-year students spend an average of 13.8 hours a week preparing for classes. It’s almost a necessity to have an environment that brings joy while studying for long periods.
A main difference between the KonMari method and other decluttering strategies is Kondo discards by category, not by location. Cleaning one room at a time would take the rest of your dental school career before you got around to discarding your oral pathology notes from three semesters ago. The key to KonMari-ing your study space is to focus more on the things you want to keep instead of trying to throw everything away.
Get more organization tips from the rest of this article in the September 2019 issue of Contour.
Did you know that you could sign up to receive an email whenever the digital issue of Contour is available? Log in to your profile, select “My ASDA” and update your publications preferences.
Two-thirds of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes have dental caries, according to a systematic review published in BMC Oral Health on September 14 that analyzed cases that spanned 20 years. The authors recommended that these patients be screened for early signs of caries and receive preventive treatment during routine dental examinations.
U.S. men are generally less knowledgeable than same-age U.S. women about HPV, the HPV vaccine, and the relationship between HPV and cancer, according to a study published on September 16 in JAMA Pediatrics. The findings highlight the importance of effective communication between practitioners and patients about the vaccine.
As a practice owner, you want your marketing to convey the right image of your practice, writes Dr. Mikaeya Kalantari. But how do you know that a marketing firm is right for you? She specifies seven questions to help you wisely spend your marketing budget.Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Why dental leadership is necessary for today’s practice
Dental leadership is the set of practices, attitudes and abilities that allow a person to define the direction of a practice or team, and then motivate and influence others to move in that direction toward shared goals.
As emerging dental professionals, you might wonder if this kind of dental leadership is really needed to start and grow a practice. After all, aren’t there many more little details that need to be decided first? Doesn’t the practice need to grow to a certain size before worrying about leadership?
That might have been the case 20 years ago, but today, it’s an attitude that will hinder your practice. Consider all the forces that are shaping oral health professions today:
- New practice/business models
- Changing consumer demands for oral care and cosmetic dentistry products
- Changing consumer demographics and buying patterns
- New financing options for dental care
- Direct marketing of dental products and services to consumers
- Changes in education about oral health
- Advances in oral care and orthodontic technologies
- Privacy laws, patient records and compliance
A dental practice today might seem similar to one that our parents’ generation visited, but the underlying industry dynamics and business models are more complicated.
How are these forces to be navigated? How are decisions made? Who will define what the practice of the future looks like? How do you get your staff and your patients on board with change?
The first step is to ask yourself, “What can I do better today to be a better leader tomorrow?” The next step is to create a self-help plan for improving your leadership skills. It doesn’t need to be complicated; it simply needs to be a guide that will help you hold yourself accountable for your dental leadership development.
For example, you should plan for:
- Continued learning. There’s always more to learn, both about the practice of dentistry and about being a leader in a dental practice. Make time to read books and articles or even take some classes. Join a professional peer group. Reach out to a mentor. Continue to challenge yourself.
- Putting together a vision. It’s easier to lead others when you have a sense of direction. Picture what you want your practice to look like in one year, five years and 10 years. Ask yourself, “What steps do I need to take right now to start moving toward those visions?”
- Working on your mindset. Do you have a passion for what you do? Do others feel that passion and get excited? Do you look forward to working together to achieve your vision? Mull over these questions, then do what you need to do to get into the right mindset for leading.
- Mastering the art and science of decision-making. Effective leaders must perform a balancing act between making firm and fast decisions, and avoiding being stubborn or authoritarian. Decision-making in this way requires skills such as active listening, information gathering, prioritizing and, ultimately, positively influencing others.
- Being open to change. The practice of dentistry and the economy at large are quickly changing. Dental practices that cling to the status quo are going to struggle. Be open to change and help your staff weather that change when it happens.
Want more ideas about dental leadership? Check out our webinar with ASDA’s Career Compass to hear what Heartland Dental-supported doctors had to say.
~Heartland Dental
This blog post was sponsored by Heartland Dental.
The prevalence of caries in primary teeth decreased nearly five percentage points in U.S. children ages 2 to 5 from 2011 to 2016 compared with 1999 to 2004, according to the new "Oral Health Surveillance Report 2019" from the U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) released on September 12.
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