There is a lot of pressure and momentum in the dental industry. An increasing number of dentists are experiencing stress and loss of well-being.
Dentists are challenged by high external pressure - external demands - such as high pace, practice operation, management, complaints, finances, high expectations from patients, and not least Corona, supervision, documentation and quality assurance etc.
Pushed to the limit
Many dentists have a performance strategy built on perfection, skill, competence, duty and dedication and may experience fear of being exposed as the opposite. They focus heavily on the needs of others and may forget about consideration for their own, which can result in an increasing sense of exhaustion, emptiness and caring fatigue.
All of this can lead to significant and sustained psychological overwork and exhaustion, which in itself, or in combination with external demands, can cause the cup to overflow.
Dentists who suffer from depression often describe one or more of the following:
Loneliness (major well-being challenge)
Feelings of inadequacy/forgetfulness
Unhappiness, have lost presence and fullness of life
Often have thoughts of escaping, leaving the profession, dreaming of another life/job
Feeling difficult emotions
Describes caring fatigue with loss of empathy and tolerance
Feels that life has become small and limited
Exhaustion
Impact on health
People don't get seriously stressed by talking about stress - but they can get seriously stressed by NOT talking about stress. Because loneliness is the worst blow to well-being - when we feel inadequate among others, and don't reach out to each other.
There is a way back to balance and the good life...
Back in March 2021, I wrote a post about burnout. In it, I interviewed dentist and stress coach Lars Nielsen. The meeting with Lars was in many ways an amazing experience.
On the one hand, Lars is a super pleasant person to be with. Secondly, his ability to help dentists get rid of stress is a great combination with what I do. For one thing, getting rid of stress, for another, maintaining a stress-free existence when you return to the stressful environment of the dental practice.
As I help practices achieve a higher level of revenue with less stress and higher job satisfaction, I could see a great opportunity to combine our skills.
On the way home, I couldn't get the thought out of my head how cool it would be to do a course together.
Find the meaning of YOUR life
A few days later, I called Lars, who immediately agreed with the idea.
It was to be a travel course, where a small group of dentists could get the opportunity to completely disconnect from their everyday lives. Where there would be time and space for each participant to find what makes sense for their life. There would be enough instructors to provide each participant a range of offerings each day that he or she could sign up for, or opt out of. Whatever felt right on the day.
We brought in 2 other instructors who we thought would be the best in the country to help us. They were both on board with the idea straight away! So we got the feeling that we were onto something.
Umbria
It is now almost a year since our first meeting.
On April 4th we will take a small group of dentists to Italy for a week. We will travel to a unique renovated monastery in Umbria, in the middle of a large Unesco protected forest. There is no one there but us. Here, amidst the silence of the great old pine trees, we have the most amazing setting to search into what gives life value for each participant.
Get to your core
Susanne Wexø starts the day by guiding the participants through yoga and meditation on a level where everyone can participate. During the week, she helps participants find a strong inner focus. A focus on one's own needs and the ability to notice in life.
We have breakfast together, after which Lars gives an overview of the day's activities. Each day, a number of offers will be available to choose from. Depending on what you need. The offers are tailored to the unique needs of the participants.
As humans are natural creatures, nature is a great place to find peace and thus find one's own values. Following on from Susanne and Lars' start to the day, there will be the opportunity for guided walks with an absolutely fantastic expedition leader and expert in applied management.
Workshops
Lars conducts daily workshops in stress awareness and individual coaching sessions in stress and happiness. He will guide his students to notice and find what gives them value.
I offer daily workshops and individual consulting sessions in the areas of practice management, leadership and communication. In this way, it is my hope that participants can get back to the daily routine of their dental practice and, with some simple tools, have a daily routine that allows space and room to work on whatever they are working on during the week in Umbria.
Before dinner, we will meet with Susanne who will lead us through an exercise to reflect on the day before we share our evening meal together.
The food is made from local produce and, just as we offer guided walks in the countryside, there is the option to stay on the hotel grounds, help in the kitchen, or just sit and enjoy the tranquillity and nature to yourself.
We offer a lasting change in your life - will you join us?
It's all about rediscovering yourself and the direction that gives you peace, joy and strength.
It's April 4 to 10
Only 4 rooms are left.
If you want to know more, feel free to write or call Lars or me.
Many kind regards
Jesper Hatt DDS
P: +41 78 268 00 78
Dentist & Stress Coach
Lars Nielsen