Who you rolling with? Or better yet: who are you hanging with? Who is feeding you information and giving you suggestions regarding you professional development? You not SOLO are you? Navigating this profession of dentistry by yourself is brutal and not necessary. So, don’t make the mistake of not finding a MENTOR or coach that can guide you through your professional journey. This is especially critical the first 5 years of obtaining your DDS/DMD. Ask someone to mentor and help guide you. Specifically someone that you aspire to be or someone that has achieved some professional/personal milestones that you seek.
Mentors come in different titles, positions, genders, and at different times in your career. The point here is to seek and ask to be mentored. It is a honor and an unwritten obligation for us as professionals to mentor and uplift one another. Someone did it for me early in my career and it was the best thing to happen.
Actually, I have had several mentors ,or Big Brothers in Dentistry (BBD’s) I call it. They have had a tremendous impact on my personal and professional development. Learning the business of dentistry, how to communicate effectively, how to implement strategy, how to cultivate and maintain relationships; how to empower and reward myself; how to develop and manage Teams – all skill sets that allow me to flourish and prosper continually. And all mostly learned via my mentors.
This is why you need a mentor: exposure to years of experiences on what to do and what not to do. Don’t be mistaken. Feel free to contact me directly if you need help on this activity. I have a list of colleagues interested in mentoring you.
