The Struggle is Real
These days, I appreciate patients who continue to acknowledge the Herculean efforts it took to bring the practice up to snuff when we reopened for business in June 2020. The equipment upgrades and the additional PPE are the visible signs of our adaptation, and these are by no means temporary measures, as the lessons we learned from the long drawn-out pandemic mean we can never step backwards into the old ways of operating a dental practice. We must be safer, stricter and more altruistic, no ifs, ands or buts.
Now that we have become used to the new standards, the other side effects of the pandemic are bubbling to the surface. Just this week, the latest dental journal’s cover story is about “The Burnout of Dentists”. A few months ago, there was a news story about an increase of patient complaints against medical professionals, mostly stemming from the frustration with the access to timely care when there simply aren’t enough healthcare personnel to take care of our population. As a nurse patient of mine echoed this reality ominously, “Don’t get sick,” she said. The dental field is no exception. The waitlist for treatment continues to grow because we suffer from the same staffing shortage issues. The “supply chain” issue of 2023 is the “human-power” shortfall, and there are no quick fixes in sight.
“Dr. Fung, something’s leaking in the utility room.” “Dr. Fung, the screen on the sterilizer is blank.” “Dr. Fung, the internet is down again.” “Dr. Fung, the server computer has crashed.” “Dr. Fung, the fluorescent light has burnt out.” “Dr. Fung, ……” the list goes on and is relentless. This doesn’t even include the daily grind of doing the actual dentistry, managing staff, and handling specific patient concerns.
As a fully hands-on small business owner as well as a healthcare professional, I, along with many of my colleagues, am always teetering on the edge of burnout trying to meet everyone’s expectations to the fullest. Money alone cannot solve all the issues. Other than lacking employable staff, what is sorely needed is intangible, and that is TIME. Few dentists are able to take the time to take care of themselves, because the cost of doing so affects the patients they care for and the staff they employ. The cartoon above only offers suggestions for coping, because the factors that lead to burnout cannot be easily changed. I can only add one tongue-in-cheek suggestion: as I always say, the only way for me to accomplish more and to the standards that I am accustomed, is to clone myself. On a more serious note, please be kind to one another. People don’t always suffer visibly, and the bravado is sometimes just that. To those who reciprocate with “How are YOU?”, please know that I appreciate it very much.
