An Attitude of Gratitude It’s easy to succumb to personal loss and challenges. Finding a way forward depends on an ability to maintain hope in a better future and reliance on an understanding support network.
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Chris Poulos, D.M.D.
humbly present to you my thoughts and inspirations about gratitude. The impetus for this writing is the recent passing of my father and my finding peace in the unique times in which we continue to find ourselves. As tragic and painful losing a loved one may be and as difficult coping with the challenges of the pandemic is, there is always hope for a better future and a time of thankfulness. Life is made up of seasons of experiences and reflections we both endure and relish. At the conclusion of a 10-day holiday from work and from our young family’s busy schedule, I had more questions than answers about how to evolve into our new normal. If I had gleaned anything from my experiences, readings and interactions over the past two years, it wasn’t apparent; I thought there would be more answers. However, life is not that simple. As some great philosophers have expounded on, understanding “the good life” is not that easy. In dentistry, strong and positive associations with our team members, colleagues and patients can be a refreshing yet stark contrast to the professional isolation felt with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have been fortunate to become acquainted with some exemplary and honorable dentists in my area and beyond. Reaching out to others is not easy, but the reward for doing so often pays in immeasurable ways. There is a conundrum created by rapidly changing practice conditions and stressors of filling a Swiss-cheese like schedule resulting from COVID quarantines. The power of sharing these experiences with like-minded individuals who are also in the trenches is immense.
14
APRIL 2022
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The New York State Dental Journal
As part of a bigger association in the ADA, we have a brotherhood of hard-working and diligent professionals who are in this together. Breaking bread on a Thursday night with a colleague in your neighborhood can be chicken soup for the soul after shared reflections of successes and challenges met for the day, week, month or year. Personally, doing so gives me an appreciation for “the other dentist.” As a result, I have empathy when a staff member applies from a “dentist down the road.” Regardless of my needs, I require that the applicant give my dentist colleague at least two-weeks’ notice and in the case of my recent hire, three weeks. Balancing our personal needs with the greater good is not easy or convenient, but let us be grateful for the civility that it creates. We should always be mindful that our staff and their behavior may be a reflection of our own. They are watching us. Lead by example even if no one is following at the moment! Speaking of staffing, let us not forget our team members share the same stressors and anxieties we do. Similarly, they are treading these difficult waters to provide a better life for themselves and their families while supporting our practices and visions. Staffing in dentistry and the healthcare sector in general has been difficult. As with any adversity, peoples’ true colors and attitudes tend to exhibit more readily and are easier to see. I try to focus on the fact that we have many staff members who still love the profession and remain loyal to the practice and the patients they have gotten to know. We are united in getting up every morning and putting our best foot forward while fully donned in PPE and facing a myriad of daily unknowns.
