For anyone wanting to get a little in site in to the way dentists think and work then this program on Radio 4 yesterday afternoon gives a few clues. The program features two dentists from differing generations comparing how they approach their work. The younger dentist, Elaine,a prominent aesthetic dentist, represents the very highest of cutting edge dentistry where as the retired dentist, Alistair, comes from a more basic approach.
Interestingly, although I am much more inline with Elaine in terms of technology and training I warmed much more to Alistair who gave the truest quote when he said “in the end it is all about helping people; if that is not there then you are probably in the wrong career”. His approach was shaped by the extremely high levels of disease and the extremely low levels of technology. Our approach can, if we are not careful, be shaped by an excess of technology and a concentration on aesthetic enhancements. At the end of the day,if we are not doing it all to help people then Alistair is right; we probably are in the wrong job.
