Cultivating Positivity in the Dental Office: How Dental Hygienists Can be the Change

By Brooke Ackerman, MSDH  – March 11, 2023 – Source

A positive mindset is impactful and life-changing. What we focus on multiplies, and what we do day in and day out makes a big difference ‒ a simple principle but one that is often forgotten. Here are five characteristics of a positive mindset that can be applied in a dental hygiene career:

1. Optimism ‒ A willingness to try and take a chance instead of assuming your efforts won’t pay off. Stay positive with your thoughts, words, and actions.

2. Acceptance ‒ Acknowledging that things don’t always turn out how you want them to. Life is a learning experience. Reflect on daily experiences for knowledge.

3. Resilience ‒ Bouncing back from adversity, disappointment, and failure instead of giving up. The goal is the best patient care possible. How can you best achieve that?

4. Gratitude ‒ Actively, continuously appreciating the good things in your life. Acknowledge all the good in your life, both professionally and personally.

5. Mindfulness ‒ Dedicating the mind to conscious awareness and enhancing the ability to focus. Shift your focus to positivity, and don’t let negativity creep in.

6. Integrity ‒ The trait of being honorable, righteous, and straightforward instead of deceitful and self-serving.^1,2 Do you do what you know is right even when no one is watching?

Keep in mind these characteristics are fluid, meaning they work in both directions. By actively engaging with the core characteristics, you can maintain a positive mindset. As dental hygienists familiar with daily routines, you know that once your habits are maintained, they occur with little to no thought. They are who you become.

In the workplace, you’ll be a better hygienist. At home, you’ll be a better friend, partner, and parent.

Want to improve your quality of life? In my opinion, awareness and integrity are directly linked to a better life. Other benefits include better overall health, greater well-being, and a better ability to manage and cope with stress.

Positive thinking can:

• Increase your lifespan
• Reduce rates of depression and levels of distress
• Give you greater resistance to the illness
• Improve your overall psychological and physical well-being
• Improve your cardiovascular health and protect you from cardiovascular disease
• Build your coping skills to help keep you afloat during challenging times³

The American philosopher Noam Chomsky states, “Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.”

What Makes Dental Hygienists Not Positive

As a dental consultant in the Midwest, I have met hundreds of dental hygienists, many of whom struggle with maintaining a positive mindset. Multiple factors are involved, of course, but from my experience, the top three contributing factors to unhappy hygienists are:

1. Lack of clinical calibration
2. Feeling underappreciated
3. Core principles in terms of mission, vision, and values do not align with the dental practice philosophy

Let me elaborate. Clinical calibration means understanding and committing to what the office philosophy is. Doctors develop these calibrated protocols to help lead staff members toward clarity for patients during treatment. This also takes the guesswork out of patient care for the hygiene team. We do what is best for our patient’s overall health.

Simple, right? If you don’t agree with the doctor’s philosophy of care, how can you genuinely provide excellent care to your patients? This is tough, and a conversation needs to happen. Align your thoughts and ask questions to understand why their clinical calibration protocols and standards differ from yours. You may become stuck with a negative perception and mindset without questions and conversation.