For many years, my life was centred around learning, analysing, and applying information in the hope of attaining a good grade for my efforts. University had imparted on me a reflexive urge to know how well I did, or didn't do as soon as a task was completed. It didn't matter if that task was a quiz, class 1 restoration, crown preparation or appointment plan, I was always eager to see how I performed. In entering the 'real world' however, the goal posts changed, and it wasn't just a matter of memorising a couple of facts or preparation dimensions and waiting on a mark; there was a whole new syllabus to be uncovered.

Lesson number 1: Dentistry can be isolating

When I first started the degree, I remember one of my academics describing dentistry as an isolating career, which at the time I thought was a strange description for a career where you are surrounded by patients and people all day. However, after beginning patient clinic as a student, and then transitioning into the workforce as a graduate, I began to see what that academic meant.

I've seen my own family members cringe, shudder or swiftly change the conversation as I described dental treatments. I've had patients tell me “I hate the dentist - no offence” and had friends fascinated by my ability to put up with saliva and teeth all day long.

Contrast this with university where you're surrounded by colleagues who share and understand your excitement, nervousness, and frustrations as you go about your day, who find the intricacies of dental procedures fascinating, and who can talk about teeth for hours on end.

Moving into the workforce showed me that yes, dentistry can be isolating, but it doesn't have to be. The lunchtime conversations and rants with university friends remained, only they were now online, via text or over a coffee. I was also reminded of the importance of having an identity and hobbies outside of being a dentist.

Lesson number 2: Never underestimate the power of a smile

I still vividly remember finishing a 12 restoration on one of my patients when I was in university. I finished the restoration, gave the patient the mirror and they turned to me and said: ”I can smile again.” Smiling is an action that is almost reflexive and routine, yet holds so much significance. This patient not only had their tooth restored, but also their confidence and self-esteem. They could feel confident in their job interview, they could smile with their family and they could socialise with friends. This one filling drastically changed this patient's quality of life and wellbeing. This story is not one that stands in isolation, so many of us have similar stories where that dental treatment has given the patient so much more than just a restored tooth.

Lesson number 3: Stay grounded

One of the biggest lessons we were all taught before starting patient clinic at university was: 'What if that was your mother?.' A phrase that was used time and time again during our training. This phrase became our own pulse check where among the nerves and chaos of starting a procedure we would take a moment to step back and think about the person attached to the tooth and ask ourselves, if this patient was our Mum/Dad/Grandparent, is this the treatment we would offer them? As we go to work as professional dentists, with a patient load more than three times that which we saw at University, and as treatment gets complex and life gets busy, it's always important to take a step back and make sure that you're first and foremost, looking after the patient and their individual needs not just the tooth in isolation.

Lesson number 4: Finding your own feedback

One of my tutors told me that in the 'real world', you don't receive beginner, satisfactory or proficient grades anymore. A satisfactory grade is a patient who rebooks an appointment with you, and a proficient grade is a patient who recommends you to their friends and family. Transitioning from university to the workforce also meant that we don't get as much feedback on our work, and so it takes a lot of self-reflection and assessment to ensure that we're critically analysing what we do and making sure to find our own motivation and areas to improve on.

Lesson 5: Be ok with chaos

If there's one thing university during a global pandemic prepared me for, it's being ok with chaos. During those unprecedented times classes were being changed and swapped at the last minute as new health advice came in. We were trailblazing a new type of online learning for a course that is traditionally very hands on, and of course, all the stresses that come with a global pandemic simmering away in the background.

All of this taught an important lesson: the importance of being flexible, adaptable, and resilient. A lesson I have carried with me into the professional world, whether it be an extraction that isn't moving how I expected, or a restoration which uncovers more decay than anticipated, dentistry is a career that demands adaptability and constant assessing to ensure you're taking the best approach during the moment.

All these are lessons I've been taught and have learnt outside the teaching syllabus. Lessons in resilience, personal reflection, empathy, and adaptability. Opportunities for learning always present themselves, especially in a career like dentistry, and it's important to take these opportunities as they come.

Dr Rachel Brown completed her Doctor of Dental Medicine studies in 2023 at The University of Sydney. During her studies, she was heavily involved in the Sydney University Dental Association (SUDA) where she was a year representative, Vice President and then President of the association. As President of SUDA, Dr Brown established SUDA's 'Spreading Smiles' community engagement programme where dental students volunteer their time to visit local schools and educate students, staff and parents about the importance of oral hygiene. Dr Brown now works in private practice and is particularly interested in paediatric dentistry, aesthetic dentistry and working with anxious patients to help make their dental experience a positive and gentle one. She is passionate about educating all her patients to help them maintain healthy smiles for life.