Practice advice Continued »


patients frequently have their X-rays or a quick polish on the house. He begins to feel conflicted and unhappy


and is not in any way the person he was with regard to team work. The principal finds it hard to understand why such long- term approaches are suddenly a problem. It may take a while for a value clash to


become apparent and it can happen when we least expect it. Once exposed, it is difficult to ignore as a direct consequence of the fact our values are so important to us. There is no doubt respecting the values of others and remaining non judgemental in these situations is the correct approach but often difficult to accomplish. Understanding our own hierarchy will


help us identify lower values on which we may be perfectly aligned and keeping these in sharp focus will diffuse the situation. In the scenario above, Associate B may find it is worth compromising on the equality issue, if he focused on values he continues to receive support on, such as, quality of care, safety, postgraduate education, modernisation etc. In some scenarios, the hierarchy


check may highlight that the values of the practice/system are too far removed from your personal values for either party to gain. This will also prove useful in deciding what prac- tice/system you might choose next to ensure you contribute effectively and feel fulfilled. While we are not at liberty to choose who we treat, this does not apply to those we work alongside. If we remain conflicted on our personal values on a daily basis, we feel drained and unhappy and this, in my view, is a huge cause of stress in our profession. Values are also extremely important for


systems and practices as a whole. If a new employee does not share the collective values of the team this can cause untold upheaval and can shift the entire dynamic of a team dramatically. It is important, therefore, that we identify our team values so we can inform potential employees of what is expected. This will frequently act as a natural sieve and increase the likeli- hood of employing someone who fits well within your system and will emanate the team values. This will lead to a healthier and happier work force and, of course, the vast majority of our patients value happy practices. “It’s not hard to make decisions when


you know what your values are.” – Roy Disney. Healthcare professionals will uphold


certain shared values, for instance, provided we have chosen the correct vocation – we


“Understanding our personal values will help us navigate smoothly through our careers”


all consider preserving health to be of high value. It is quite instinctive, therefore, to feel inclined to pass judgement on those who do not rank health highly. It can be challenging, for example, to


feel empathy or compassion for a mother requesting GA referral for extraction of 6s when the same child had carious decid- uous teeth removed under GA. We can feel repulsion as a very unconscious reaction. This is frequently communicated in our non-verbal body language and mum may sense our disapproval, despite every effort for our interactions to remain professional. A similar conflict has arisen for many


of us when a patient declares they would rather have a tooth extracted than pay to have it filled. It is apparent from their attire, gadgets and conversation they have no issue spending money on things they see as being of higher personal value to them, such as rewards (smoking, alcohol) and pride (having the latest gadget). As healthcare professionals, we will


consider ‘keeping my tooth versus having the latest iPhone’ a very easy choice to make. Interest- ingly, the same choice is just as easy for this patient – it’s just a different choice! Our values drive our decisions and choices.


Conclusion


There is no doubt that the practice of dentistry has become much more


controlled with the implementation of specified standards. While challenging,


we continue to embrace these with great resilience, determination and willingness, of which we can be very proud. Healthcare is, however, ultimately about


people and the delicate interaction of healing intention, trust, compassion and empathy between care giver and recipient. In order to give care, we must first take care of ourselves, not just in a physical sense, but also in the sense of personal worth and fulfilment. Understanding our personal values will


help us navigate smoothly through our careers, proud of our performance and free from stress. Surely that’s worth reflecting on.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Brid Hendron is both a qualified dentist and communication coach. Brid provides custom- ised training for healthcare professionals and their teams to optimise performance and eliminate stress, both in person and online by webinar. Brid also provides one-on-one life and business coaching for all dental professionals.


To contact Brid, email brid@bridhendron.com or visit www.bridhendron.com


Ireland’s Dental magazine 27


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