Navigating the Current: A Shift in Mindset
There’s a curious thing about currents: we rarely notice them when they’re in our favor. But when we’re paddling upstream – against resistance, against entropy, against inertia – they become impossible to ignore. For today’s dental professionals, every day often feels like we’re paddling upstream. But that shouldn’t be a complaint – it’s an opportunity.
Dentistry has never been more technologically equipped, more clinically advanced, or more competitive. The tools we once considered cutting-edge – digital imaging, CAD/CAM restorations, 3D printing – are now commonplace. Much like Batman’s gadgets or Henry Ford’s assembly lines, our “magic” is no longer unique. In a world where almost all practices have access to the same materials and equipment, differentiation isn’t about the tools – it’s about how we use them.
Effort vs. Value
We expend a tremendous amount of effort in our work: staying on top of CE requirements, managing staff, refining technique, investing in infrastructure. But effort and value are not always the same. Our patients, our teams and our communities don’t reward effort – they reward value. That’s a tough pill to swallow when we’ve been taught that hard work is its own reward. But in practice, it’s the value we create – not merely the effort we exert – that ultimately determines our compensation, our reputation and our impact.
This distinction matters because it reframes how we respond to change. If our mindset is tied strictly to effort, then every new challenge feels like an insult to the work we’ve already done. But if we’re committed to value, then each change becomes an invitation to find a new way to serve.
Engagement vs. Enrollment
In our practices, we often focus on enrollment – getting patients through the door, onboarding staff, filling the schedule. But engagement is what keeps them there. Engagement is when a patient feels heard and empowered, when a hygienist feels connected to the mission, when a student dentist lights up during a clinical rotation. Engagement is delight in the process. Enrollment is a commitment to change. Both are essential, but they’re not interchangeable.
Too many dental offices rely on enrollment without cultivating engagement. We fill our schedules but don’t build relationships. We invest in marketing but not in mentorship. True transformation – for our patients, our teams, and ourselves – requires enrollment and engagement. One of the best ways to cultivate one is to invest in the other.
Scarcity vs. Abundance
Some dentists fear abundance. They see new practices, new graduates, and new technologies as threats – more competition for the same patients. But this is a scarcity mindset. The more resilient and generative path is abundance: recognizing that energy, innovation and community strengthen the field.
Consider the bookstore metaphor: books sell better where there are other books, rather than in the grocery store, where they stand alone. Likewise, dentistry thrives where there are thriving practices. A rising tide lifts all boats. When other dentists succeed, they expand public trust in the profession. They inspire better standards, attract better talent, and push the boundaries of what’s possible. If we embrace abundance, we turn competition into collaboration and fear into fuel.
The Power of Activation
It’s tempting to always chase the new patient, the new trend, the next thing. But real momentum often lies closer to home. Consider activation: the act of energizing those who already care. The patients who trust you, the team members who believe in your vision, the colleagues who respect your voice – these are the people who will move your practice forward. We all need more people rowing the boat with us!
Activation is not glamorous, but it is powerful. It doesn’t require persuasion so much as participation. It’s about deepening the connection with those who already get the joke. In dentistry, this might mean spending more time educating your current patients rather than chasing new leads. It might mean developing your team’s potential rather than hiring anew. Activation creates advocates – and advocates create growth.
A Choice of Power
Perhaps the most profound shift we can make is recognizing our power. Not absolute power – but the power to choose. Some of us feel powerless in the face of insurance plans, staffing shortages, regulatory hurdles, or shifting patient expectations. But that feeling is not the same as reality. We always have the power to decide how we respond, what we prioritize and who we become in the process.
Even choosing to reject the illusion of powerlessness is an act of power. In that sense, no one is truly powerless. And in a profession as hands-on, heart-driven and human-centered as dentistry, that’s a powerful truth to hold on to.
So yes, the current may be strong. The effort may be great. But when we align our value with our effort, engage with the process, embrace abundance, activate those who believe in us and claim the power we do have – we stop merely paddling upstream.
We start navigating the current with intention, and row toward a goal – our ultimate destination!
Dr. Messina may be reached at docmessina87@gmail.com.
