Three Steps to Controlling Operatory Energy for the Oral Healthcare Professional

Hint: It is in your control.

I am going to be writing a series of blog posts for my Dental Professional friends. This is a follow up to last week’s 12 Hacks to Dental Connection for the Oral Healthcare Provider. One of the hacks mentioned in that post focused on the energy of the operatory. We’ve all experienced operatory energy whether we recognize it or not. Remember back in dental school when you were working on a patient and performing a procedure for the first time on a live patient? Chances are the energy was tense and anxious. Completely understandable. Or the time that you are working on a patient with such high dental anxiety that the slightest move sends them jumping and your heart pounding in your chest? Or how about the pedo patient who refuses to open his/her mouth?

Each of these situations mentioned above are exactly the situations that {usually} send us home exhausted at best, or questioning our choice of profession at worst. I would like to suggest three simple things you can do {almost instantly} to change the energy in the operatory and create a productive environment that will allow you to provide the level of care that you desire for your patients.

1. STOP and label your feeling.

   a. Anxioux, Angry, Frustrated (pick one)

2. FIND the THOUGHT that has created the feeling.

3. FIND a NEW THOUGHT that will create the desired feeling.

I know! This sounds all touchy feely but stick with me…this stuff works, I promise!!

Let me give you an example:

Mrs. Jones sits down in the patient chair. She tells you that she didn’t sleep all night because she was so worried about coming to your office today. She tells you that she hates needles, she hates the drill and she just doesn’t like anyone working in her mouth. You notice you are feeling frustrated and assume it is because of the things Mrs. Jones has just said to you, but I promise that your feelings are driven by the thoughts you had about her words. Like this:

• You are feeling frustrated because of your thought: Oh! Why do I have to work on patients like this?!

If your goal really is to create a positive working environment for yourself, your co-workers and your patients, you could choose a new thought . Like this:

• Of course Mrs. Jones has a fear of dental procedures. So many people do. I have the opportunity to turn yet another fearful patient into a trusting one. I’ve got this!

  • This thought will likely bring about a feeling of compassion or determination.

I realize that this sounds like an oversimplification, but haven’t you found that truth is often that way, simple? The tricky thing is allowing yourself to notice what you are thinking and then owning it so that you can then change it.

This work has been life changing for me both in the operatory and at home and in every relationship, really.

If you think you or your staff would benefit from the application of these tools, I’d be happy to jump on a FREE consult call with you to explain how I can help.

When you click on the button below, it will take you to my scheduler, click on Free Consult and then pick a day and time that works best for you.

I can’t wait to help you change your operatory energy:)

Kathleen.