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Posted by dentalproducts.net. Originally published in the November 2005 Modern Hygienist. Copyright 1999-2004 Advanstar Dental Communications.

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Head off stress

Practicing strategies to control stress can lighten your workday and extend your work life.

Published in Modern Hygienist Magazine

Practicing strategies to control stress can lighten your workday and extend your work life.

We all deal with stress on a daily basis--both good stress and bad stress. While we can't prevent all stress, how we manage it is critical to our well-being. One of the best ways to keep stress with co-workers from building up is to discuss issues as they arise. Speaking with the person who can do something about the cause of the stress is key. Being a conflict avoider may inflame the situation and make matters worse. Speaking openly allows people to know where you stand, and the situation is more likely to be resolved.

Essential breaks. We live in a society that expects us to do more with less time, and consequently many of us suffer from chronic illness, migraine headaches, and not enough rest. Many of us sit all day for long periods of time, without exercise. That, combined with not drinking enough water, can start a cycle of feeling sluggish. It is recommended to drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day. What about taking the time to drink a glass of water after every patient? During the workday, it's a good idea to take the necessary breaks when our body prompts us.

Nutrition. When choosing meals, try to make sure they're healthy. Fresh produce can give us added energy. Having more than one cup of coffee per day may create symptoms of dehydration. Green teas, on the other hand, are more hydrating and contain polyphenols. Polyphenols are antioxidants that have been shown to inhibit tumor growth, and they contain anti-cancer properties that help protect our immune system against the damage of free radicals¹. Also, teas naturally have fluoride.

Exercise. An effective exercise program can begin at a gym or be part of our daily routine. Walking is an exercise that may be easier to fit into our schedules, as we move from place to place in the office. But a brisk walk of 30 minutes outdoors provides many benefits. It can help strengthen our body and improve overall circulation. Having good circulation is important because it helps get oxygenated blood throughout the extremities of our bodies.

Musculoskeletal health. As we position our head, neck, shoulders and back in unnatural positions, we may begin to feel the strain, which can lead to headaches, misalignment, or worse problems. Unresolved tension can build in the muscles and can lead to future health problems. As we know, prevention is the best medicine. Maintaining proper posture and working in an ergonomically approved office environment is very important in protecting our bodies from the accumulative effects of micro musculoskeletal injury. When we start a new job, our offices are already established in design, and the doctor may have no plans for remodeling. In this case, we may have to reach into our own pockets to purchase the necessary products and equipment to be more comfortable while we practice. By investing in our ourselves, dentist business owners can see that we are serious about the work we do; this may encourage them to support us when we request items for our safety and comfort. Purchasing loupes and an ergonomically designed chair are examples of items that will help us practice in a ergonomically correct manner. Being comfortable while we practice is important to prevent injuries and to insure longevity in practicing our profession. Four years ago, I purchased a saddle seat and, more recently, loupes. These were both great investments. I am able to keep my neck and back straight and my posture in line, which allows me to deliver a better service to my patients.

Many of us depend on chiropractors and massage therapists to keep ourselves healthy. Some therapists recommend weekly or biweekly visits to restore muscle healthy. There is nothing quite like a massage after a long day of clinical practice! Treat your body well and it will give you many years of practicing dental hygiene in return. Doing a light stretch after each patient can help to erase tension.

Another great muscle relaxer is yoga, which focuses on strengthening through stretching and breathing. Taking a moment to pose and breathe deeply increases flexibility and allows the brain and body tissues to become well oxygenated. Breathing in this way has a profound relaxing effect on the body. You may be able to locate a yoga spa in your area, or receive similar benefit from using a DVE in the comfort of you own home.

Taking the time to talk about problems with co-workers, improving the quality of our food intake, drinking plenty of water, initiating a daily plan for some brisk exercise, and attending to our musculoskeletal health are key components to head-off everyday stress, extend our careers, and best serve our patients.

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ABCs of success

When you find a focus you love, be silly, be brave and don't stop learning.
by Thais Carter

Published in Modern Hygienist Magazine

Focus
With the many hats that you wear throughout the day, it can be difficult to settle down long enough to really focus on what's in front of you. Our June mentor, Judith Dember-Paige, shares a personal story about focusing her care on children, and how that has changed the way she practices dental hygiene. Also this month, we'll help you provide laser-sharp treatment, develop your ideas into realities, and raise your personal standards of care.

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After 15 years in general practice and eight years raising four children of her own, it took some work to convince an apprehensive Judith Dember-Paige, RDH, that making the switch to a pediatric practice was right for her.

At a friend’s urging she joined the staff at Westchester Pediatric Dentistry and under the guidance of Dr. Ann Madigan, Ms. Dember-Paige learned the ins and outs of pediatric practice.

“Dr. Madigan is able to recognize when children are genuinely afraid or when they’re just being sassy” she says. ‘She can see through all that and is able to meet them where they are.” Using a system based on education before examination, Ms. Dember-Paige learned how to connect and succeed with her younger patients.

IT’S A CHILD’S WORLD

The best advice for working with kids? Like them. “If you don’t like children, and you don’t really want to be there, they’re going to see you as a fraud right away,” says Ms. Dember-Paige. She gives special attention to building trust and friendship with each child by offering consistent encouragement and focusing on things they do well. Citing her own frustration with the vague directions from her childhood dentist, she tries to be as specific as possible about problem areas and solutions, and uses the children's enthusiasm as a springboard for future improvements. “Children refuse to believe that they didn’t do well,” explains Ms. Dember-Paige. “You can encourage them, and they’ll believe you.”

To better relate to her patients, Ms. Dember-Paige isn’t afraid to be a little silly, and “the kids help me to be creative in childlike ways of thinking,” she says. For example, when introduced, the prophy angle becomes a spinning ballerina for little girls, and a revved up motorcycle for little boys.

Despite practicing dental hygiene for more than 20 years, ergonomics was just a buzzword until two years ago when Ms. Dember-Paige began experiencing spasms in her neck and shoulders. To help correct her alignment, she purchased loupes that position her head in such a way that the spasms have almost completely subsided.

Another technology she appreciates is digital radiography. “It’s a fabulous advancement because you can enlarge the image, seeing clear depths and density, then use the computer to enhance the image,” she says. In her work with children, his especially valuable. “You can see things, such as early tooth development misaligmnents, allowing you to plan for them.”

Her passion for learning was a major factor in her decision to temporarily leave pediatrics and work in a periodontal practice. Even as children remain her primary interest—she authored Smile Wide, Look Inside and is currently working on a teachers’ guide to accompany it—she is expanding her overall horizons, receiving her certificates in local anesthetic and perioscopy procedures. For her, stepping outside pediatrics allowed her to reflect on her experience, and provided the needed “oomph” to write the book.

She hopes to return to pediatrics full-time and increase efforts toward education and oral care for underprivileged children.

SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY

TAKE-AWAY
* Be open. Your peers and dentist employers can teach you a lot.
* Be silly. When working with kids, it’s OK to tap into your inner child.
* Be brave. Transition can be scary, but you might just like it.

FAVORITE WORK STUFF:
HiRes Loupes by Orascoptic Sybron Dental Specialties help Ms. Dember-Page to see better while elminating the stress on her neck and shoulders.

OUTSIDE THE OPERATORY
She loves to fish. The tranquility it offers is j lust the type of relaxation Ms. Dember Paige wishes she could enioy more often.

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