Raise your hand if you want to take a break from the heavy stuff and talk about something happy for just a little while.
Right, me too.
New dentists who wish to increase their own happiness, especially while living in the days of attempting to build their dental practice during a world health pandemic, can soon log into an American Dental Association webinar about building more productive habits and working through strategies for taking control of their own happiness.
The event is called “What Makes Humans Happy?” In it, the ADA is presenting a free hourlong webinar on May 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. EDT. Webinar panelists will discuss widespread misconceptions about happiness and provide timely insights on the science of well-being.
The webinar kicks off the ADA Accelerator Series, a new online program designed to provide all kinds of information tailored to young (in their career) dentists and addressing their unique financial, business, leadership, growth and work-life balance needs.
Early-career dentists have a lot on their plates, according to Dr. Susan Becker Doroshow, 8th District trustee and member of the ADA Board’s Standing Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. “It must seem impossible to deal with the challenges of clinical practice, juggle their responsibilities at the office and on the home front, maintain their fitness and personal wellness goals, manage their student debt — and have enough energy in reserve to simply enjoy life,” she said.
Enjoying life and happiness is the exact focus of the upcoming webinar. Dentists who log on will hear from a professor of psychology at Yale University, Laurie Santos, who will reveal misconceptions about happiness, common thought processes that lead people to think the way they do and the research that can help individuals better understand themselves and what they need to do to find — and maintain — happiness.
And a dentist’s day does not end after seeing the last patient. The work continues. Whether you have family members to care for, a home to manage, a spouse to consider, your health and wellness and the million other things that make up a life, it all requires balance. Dr. Grace Yum, a pediatric dentist and founder of a Facebook group called Mommy Dentists in Business, will also share some stories and tips during the webinar from her life as a busy dental professional.
The ADA launched the Accelerator Series (which started with 14 women dentists) to help dentists tackle current challenges and achieve their long-term goals. The program is a resource to member dentists for financial, leadership and work-life balance tools.
Dentists can register and learn more about the ADA Accelerator Series at ADA.org/Accelerator.
